Director Wim Wenders' adaptation of Patricia Highsmith's eminently filmable novel Ripley's Game proves not only that they can make them like they used to, but that the West Germans have learned more from the American cinema than Hollywood itself. Cunningly, Wenders inserts his audience gradually into the development of his story, as a picture framer (an extremely good performance by Bruno Ganz) is conned by criminals into believing his blood disease fatal (though maybe it is), so that he will commit two murders for them, to leave a fortune to his widow. The sombre storyline is very well photographed by Robby Muller, while Hamburg, although retaining something of its own atmosphere, could almost be the Beverly Hills beloved of the Black Mask detective story writers of 40 years ago.

©ipc tx. Film content from TVTimes