Tom Ripley - wealthy, urbane, cool, and murderous - resides at a villa in the Veneto with Luisa, his harpsichord-playing girl friend. A business associate from Berlin's underworld pays a call asking the help of Ripley in killing a rival. Ripley - a student of human nature - initiates a game to show into a picture framer that is mild and innocent into a winner person. The artisan, Jonathan Trevanny, who is dying of cancer, has a wife and little to make them. If Ripley pulls Jonathan into the game, can Ripley maintain control? Does it stop at one killing? What if Ripley grows a conscience?