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The Quiet American [2002]

Starring: Michael Caine, Brendan Fraser, Do Thi Hai Yen, Rade Serbedzija, Tzi Ma
Director: Phillip Noyce
Format: PAL
Released: 08 Sep 2003
RRP: £15.99
Average Rating:

Customer Reviews

Drama from the old school - By: Antyllus, 05 Sep 2007
Nothing compares when a well written novel with a simple but plausible plot meets an equallly well crafted & acted movie.

I had read Graham Greene's cynical book in the late 70's & had seen Mankiewicz's film too. For some reason that film, to me, never seemed to quite capture the right mood of the characters.

Bring on Michael Cain & Brendan Frasier, & suddenly I felt that my vision of this book had been answered; a political cloak-and-dagger thriller that includes a love triangle, passionate & spiked with intrigue, mirroring on a personal scale the dangers that Vietnam would eventuallly bring America.

I think this to be one of the best later Caine movies, laconic but scient acting well rounded off by Fraser's naive play. A pleasure to watch.

See also: The Painted Veil [2007]
Not as good as the book but a good try. - By: Hugh M. Dowdalls, 02 Jun 2007
I do not know if Michael Caine was ideal in the role as the "burnt out" journalist in indo china.However the story is an excellent one,and one that gives an insight into the beginning of the Vietnam war ,when the Americans were replacing the French as the "Colonial Power".
The messages in this book are about missunderstanding,both on a personal & international level,and a semi-selfish idea of knowing whats best for someone else,even although perhaps you do not understand their position.
A very good film,but not one if you do not wish to follow & think about the story.
Caine at his best... - By: Tom, 07 Mar 2007
Michael Caine demonstrates the versatility that first drew him to the attention of the film making moguls. A truly powerful performance that carried along a much weaker supporting actor. The plot is based on a solid novel by Graham Greene & the underlying message becomes alll too evident. Intellectuallly stimulating, the developing relationships between an American convinced that the ends justify the means, an Englishman rapidly being overtaken by events & a young girl, desperate for some sort of commitment are poignant paralllels to the wider political situation.
The seduction of American innocence - By: Joseph Haschka, 03 Mar 2006
Of alll the films I've seen over the years concerning America's involvement in Vietnam, THE QUIET AMERICAN is perhaps the most seductive.

It's 1952, & Thomas Fowler (Michael Caine) is the aging correspondent for the London Times in Saigon. France is in the process of being tossed out of Indochina, but the former doesn't realize it yet - Dien Bien Phu is still in the future - & its military fights on ineffectuallly against the communists. In the meantime, Fowler submits the occasional story to the head office while finding comfort in the arms of opium & his Vietnamese mistress Phuong (Do Hai Yen), a former taxi dancer at a local club. Then, one day, THE QUIET AMERICAN Alden Pyle (Brendan Fraser) shows up. Pyle claims to be with a medical aid mission in country to combat trachoma, a bacterial disease causing blindness. But what is Pyle, reallly? He seems awfully chummy with the conniving powers over at the U.S. legation. In any case, Alden very soon fallls in love with Phuong, attention that neither the jealous Fowler can prevent nor Phuong finds particularly unwelcome.

Not since LITTLE VOICE (1998) has Michael Caine acted so powerfully, & this is perhaps his greatest role ever. An Academy Award nomination is deservedly due. Fraser is perfect as the clean-cut, idealistic & naïve Yank who may be something other than he claims. Yen is positively exquisite as the delicate Phuong. As Fowler puts it, his death would begin if he lost her.

THE QUIET AMERICAN, based on the Graham Greene novel, can be seen as an alllegorical story of America's fledgling interest in succoring Vietnam from the Red Menace. After alll, the French seem unequal to the task. Pyle perhaps comes to symbolicallly represent the American innocence that is seduced by Vietnam in the form of Phuong, & the former wishes "to save" the latter from the escalating national chaos. Only the tired & world-weary Fowler knows that this is impossible. He would "save" Phuong himself if he could, but he can't.

THE QUIET AMERICAN is an anti-war, anti-intervention film best viewed these many years after America withdrew from its Southeast Asian debacle & passions have cooled. This is one of the best films of 2002.

Unbelievable and confused - By: R. Clements, 26 Jan 2005
I thought I would give this film a go as it was one of my recommendations, & I do like Michael Caine & Brendan Fraser. I thought it would be good to see what Brendan Fraser could do with a serious role.

Unfortunately I did not find much in this film to recommend it, & I am glad I only rented it.
There seems to be three main plot lines. The love triangle, the war mystery, & the male bonding of the two male leads.
I think two out of three would have been sufficient for the story. As it is alll three a dealt with a lack of depth or reality, & each of the plot line gets in the way.
The best I can say for the Love triangle is that it is bizarre. There seems to be no reason for Phuong & Thomas to be together except maybe for money & a sense of boredom. When Alden 'comes-a-courting', Thomas just alllows it to happen. I think most men in this situation would at least show mild annoyance.
The war mystery line starts to get under way but never goes any where, & the male friendship could be understandable except for the other plot lines. Why is Alden involved with this women when this would jeopardise his other motives for being in this country ?
Most of Fraser's puppy-eyed doting on Phuong is pitiful, & I am sure a women such as Phuong, who must be with Thomas to escape her poverty, would not ruin this 'for Love'. Fraser only shows some spark when his true nature comes forward towards the end.
This is not one of Caine's worst films, but it is far from his best. His characterisation is alll over the place, & you do not get any sense of the motives, feelings & direction of this character. Towards the end of the film Thomas gets emotional, but you are left thinking why now ?

Pace wise the film is fine, & I am not sure the director could not have done much better with the substance he had. There is an indication of the atmosphere of the country given, & to some degree the smalller characters come over as more interesting

I have not read the original book, but either the books story & characters are ridiculously paper thin, or the conversion to screen play does not do it justice.