Plein Soleil + Author Jill Dawson

What really goes on in the heads of novelists who write about sociopaths and murderers? Much-loved author Jill Dawson will talk about her books 'The Crime Writer' and 'The Language of Birds'. The former was inspired by the life and work of Patricia Highsmith, whose books were adapted into the films STRANGERS ON A TRAIN, PLEIN SOLEIL and THE TALENTED MR. RIPLEY. An intriguing blend of fact and fiction, the book uses the facts of Highsmith's life as a starting point to re-imagine the author's life and clandestine love affairs with women in 1964 Suffolk. Her latest book 'The Language of Birds', a hypnotic novel about class, violence and friendship inspired by the shocking Lord Lucan case and the 'lovely young nanny' at its centre, who history has largely forgotten. Jill Dawson will discuss her work with Sandeep Mahal, director of Nottingham UNESCO City of Literature and Shots in the Dark founding director, Adrian Wootton OBE.

PLEIN SOLEIL
Director: René Clément
Country: France
Year: 1960
Duration: 118m
Starring: Alain Delon, Marie Laforêt
The second and undoubtedly the most faithful adaptation to date of a Highsmith novel, taken from her book 'The Talented Mr. Ripley' which first introduced her anti-hero Tom Ripley. The film plots the Machiavellian actions of Tom (Delon), an unscrupulous drifter who initially befriends and then plans to betray and murder a playboy. Clément provides a carefully modulated suspense thriller set against the beautiful backdrop of the Italian Riviera which captures the unnerving, subtly disturbing atmosphere of Highsmith's writing. It is also embellished by a super score from the legendary Nino Rota (THE GODFATHER). Last but not least, PLEIN SOLEIL is perhaps most significant for the fact that Highsmith herself approved of it and commented, "Delon was my Ripley". - Adrian Wootton, Patricia Highsmith Season - Shots in the Dark 1995