The Quiet American

original title:
The Quiet American
other titles:
(Der stille Amerikaner)
country / year of production:
USA / 2002 (x)
original length:
90 min. , color
premiere:
CDN: 9 September 2002, Toronto Film Festival
genre:
Thriller
based on:
Graham Greene. The Quiet American. Melbourne: Heinemann, 1955.
director:
Phillip Noyce
film script:
Graham Greene , Christopher Hampton
producer:
cinematographer:
editor:
composer:
cast (role):
Michael Caine , Brendan Fraser , Rade Serbedzija
more:
plot synopsis:
This film takes place in 1952 in Vietnam and tells the story of a dissimilar friendship. The old sarcastic reporter Thomas Fowler reports from Saigon for the London "Times". There he meets the young idealistic American Alden Pyle, who joins a medical aid programme. Unfortunately Pyle falls in love with Fowlers Vietnamese girlfriend Phuong. The film combines love drama and war and uses the conflict between the two men wanting the same woman to show that Vietnam is just a playball between the different fronts like Phuong. During the fight between the two friends it becomes clear that the quiet American Pyle is a cruel CIA agent.
keywords:
behind enemy lines , journalism , doctors in war , women during wartime , secret service , espionage
war:
Vietnam War (1946-1975)
literature:
Marc Frey. Geschichte des Vietnamkrieges. Die Tragödie in Asien und das Ende des amerikanischen Traums. München: Beck, 1999.

Ann Hornaday. "Leashed Passions. 'The Quiet American'. Cust Straight to the Bitter Heart". In: The Washington Post 126 (2003), 64, C1+C4.

Holger Römers. "Der stille Amerikaner". In: Film-Dienst 56 (2003), 11, 28-29.
remarks:
Adaption of the version from 1958.

The film was supposed to be released at the end of 2001, but after the attacks of 9/11 and the unclear role of connections between the US government and terror groups during the Vietnam War, the film was held back.
availability:
VHS NTSC, DVD, CD