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Buy The Quiet American Movie. Watch online or Download
7.2
Genres are ThrillerRomanceDr Produced in 2002, Germany, USA, UK, Australia, France
Available Quality: Hi Def, iPod, Hi Def, Hi Def
Rating: 7.2 out of 10 (16635 votes)
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480x208 | 285 MiB |
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852x368 | 562 MiB |
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1920x824 | 6707 MiB |
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1280x552 | 4471 MiB |
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| Actors | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Holmes Osborne | Michael Caine | Rade Serbedzija | Brendan Fraser |
| Robert Stanton | Tzi Ma | Ferdinand Hoang | |
| Directors | |||
| Phillip Noyce | |||
Storyline
Plot Summary:
Saigon, 1952, a beautiful, exotic, and mysterious city caught in the grips of the Vietnamese war of liberation from the French colonial powers. New arrival Alden Pyle, an idealistic American aid worker, befriends London Times correspondent Thomas Fowler. When Fowler introduces Pyle to his beautiful young Vietnamese mistress Phuong the three become swept up in a tempestuous love triangle that leads to a series of startling revelations and finally - murder. Nothing, and no one, is as it seems, in this adaptation of Graham Greenes classic and prophetic story of love, betrayal, murder and the origin of the American war in Vietnam.
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David Daniel Ball
23 May 2012
Stunning beauty, marred by politics
The Quiet American has all the stunning beauty that Vietnam has tooffer. Exotic, Eastern history, mixed with European colonialism meetingresurgent, brash US culture and the moral decay of communism. Yet themoral decay of communism is not portrayed as such. Instead, there isthe same suggestion of admiration for desperate communist forces whichso mirrors the opinions of those that cannot quite criticize terroristactivity. The circle of silence which envelopes such lands intransition is well portrayed, and exploited by The Quiet American.Should France have made their attempt to reclaim the former colony?What were the US motives? The Chinese? Russia? Che Guevarra and Cuba?What of the people themselves, Vietnamese, from the mountains to thevalleys. None is able to show what they want, what they do, for thereis a murderous undercurrent as there is a beauty. The acting is superb,and all the basic elements of a great film are there. However,ultimately, it is the direction that prevents this film from rising toachieve what it might have, to inform and portray. Instead, itcolludes, and many who struggled to survive the aftermath may well feelbetrayed.
Weredegu
23 May 2012
Thought-inspiring adaptation
I'm writing this review having read the book by Graham Greene, but I'lltry to comment on the adaptation without including spoilers for peoplewho haven't read it and are about to see the film. Still, if you liketo form your own opinion, I'd rather suggest that you stop reading andjust watch the movie. It's really the kind of intelligent story thatdeserves your own private take on it, formed without previouslyconsulting others on what it could be. 'The Quiet American' might leaveyou with some hard questions to ponder, like such films as 'Death andthe Maiden' or 'The Pianist'.So, I found the adaptation very interesting and thoughtful. I wouldn'tsay the script is really completely true to the original text. It haschanged the original's essence somewhat, and the interesting thing isthat while it corrected something I found somewhat flawed in the novel,it did so only in getting something, that was a great thing in thebook, somewhat flawed. On the one hand, Pyle's character is morerealistic here, or at least I felt so, watching the movie. In the bookhe is just too naive at certain points. Here he's still an idealist,but shows a lot less naiveté than in the book. On the other hand, Ithink the way the characters interact as a result provides somecover-up of Fowler's character development (which was very much in thefocus of Greene's novel). It's not that the changes Fowler goes throughare denied. It's just that they receive less emphasis, less attention,and can thus be perceived less easily. For some, this might go down aspresenting events from more of an anti-American point of view than thebook. Anyway, if someone who hasn't yet read or seen 'The QuietAmerican' is still with me at this point: just go and judge foryourself when you already know what I could possibly be talking about.
caa821
23 May 2012
Disappointing and mediocre
I missed this film when it was released - probably due to a lot oftraveling then. Caught it by chance on cable, and judging from manyother of these comments, perhaps I'd better take another look sometimesoon. The setting and scenes are well-presented, and evoke the feelingfor the period when the whole Vietnam experience to erupt later wasfestering. Brendan Fraser has made many excellent films in 15 years,Michael Caine numerous outstanding ones in a period more than threetimes longer. And in a film released shortly after this one,"Secondhand Lions," Caine performed with exuberance and with the greatRobert Duval made one of the best pictures one could desire. But herefor, for heaven's sake - both he and Frazer were laconic, insipid andeven silly. They looked as if they'd overdosed on tranquilizers, andmade you wish somebody would shock both of them with a cattle prod. Thebeautiful Vietnamese actress, whom they both pursue - also in aninsipid and annoying manner, represented a desirable young woman - buthere they mooned and schlepped around with each other as if she weresome sort of blend of Mother Teresa with Sharon Stone. Even within thatturmoil occurring there, she could walk down a narrow street atmidnight and meet at random someone with more personality and vigorthan the these two. "Low-key" is often appropriate, and can beentertaining, but here it has been taken to depths few characters andfilms have known since Jolson said "You Ain't Heard Nothing' Yet."
Michael Margetis
23 May 2012
They say you come to Vietnam and understand a lot in a few minutes. The rest has got to be lived. - Thomas Fowler
What starts out as a simple beautifully set love story between threepeople turns out to be a very serious and intense political thriller.'The Quiet American' follows British news writer, Thomas Fowler(Michael Caine), and his life in Vietnam. He is married, but is in lovewith a beautiful Vietnamese girl, Phuong (Do Thi Hai Yen) and isshacking up with her. Phuong's sister hates this because Phuong can'tget married and be well off. Then enters, Pyle (Brendan Fraser), thequiet American as Fowler describes him. He falls in love with Phuong,and the film becomes sort of a contest for her love. Then Fowler startsto suspect Pyle being involved in C.I.A. mission to supply a violentmilitary party with bombs. 'The Quiet American' moves kind of slow, butthe film's sheer beauty and scenery will win you over. The acting isfirst-rate all the way with a stellar emotion-packed performance byMichael Caine who in more words than one makes the film. Do Thi Hai Yendoes a fine job while I was impressed with Brendan Fraser's (an actorI'm not to big on) great performance. Director Phillip Noyce hits itout of the park with this one. 'The Quiet American' isn't for everyoneand has some elements that could be construed as anti-American(although I really didn't think so). The film received an Oscarnomination for Michael Caine's wonderful performance. One of the bestfilms of 2002. Grade: B+
lindamatthews
20 May 2012
Exquisite jewel of a movie
Phillip Noyce should have been nominated for an Academy Award for hisdirection of this movie. From the opening shot, you are in a master'shands as he guides you slowly, inexorably, into the beginnings of theAmerican/Vietnam war. The actors' subtle characterizations are superb,as is the photography and the music. These are complex, conflictedcharacters.But it is the director's touch that stays in my mind. Each scene is alittle jewel. Some of the tiniest details tell you everything about aparticular character -- without a word being spoken. I want toimmediately watch this again to see what I missed the first time. Whatis very troubling, however, is that the story is as immediatelyapplicable to today's world as it was when it was written.
palmiro
20 May 2012
Evokes the Prelude to the Tragedy of Vietnam
I noticed that this film did not fare so well with the under-18 crowd,and for good reason: they haven't a clue as to the politics of theperiod ("Vietnam, a French colony?") and what was to come. While manyviewers may see it primarily as a love story set against a tropicallyexotic political backdrop, the story has a terrible historicalresonance for its prescience of what was to come. It is the tale ofAmericans, who, with their deadly mix of self-righteous idealism andignorance of the outside world, end up running roughshod over the"little people" of other countries, with horrific consequences at homeand abroad. I'm not sure that Brendan Fraser was a good choice toconvey this characterological mix (someone like Edward Norton wouldhave expressed better the intelligence and missionary zeal), but thestory is powerful enough to carry him. Perhaps the implications of thechoice made by Fowler were also unsettling to an American audience: theinevitability of choosing sides when you're in the middle of the frayand the realization that that decision can leave you with blood on yourhands. But while there was no way to avoid bloodshed in FrenchIndo-China in the '50s given France's commitment to Empire, it stillwasn't too late for the US to avoid sliding into the imperial politicsthat led to slaughter in Vietnam, Guatemala, Chile, Nicaragua, Iraq, etal. And for us today it is the knowledge of what was in store for thepeople of Vietnam and for America that gives this film its wallop andbrought me to tears.
das417
20 May 2012
Love is War
Vietnam in the early 1950's was torn apart by civil war as the French,in a vain attempt to hold onto one of their most important colonialholdings, battled against a Communist independence movement. Britishreporter Thomas Folwer (Michael Caine) is a dedicated, if not detached,observer of events. However, despite a major war tearing apart thecountry around him, Thomas spends most of his attention on his youngmistress Phuong (Do Thi Hai Yen). His life is one of simplicity androutine that even war doesn't seem able to change.However, that does change when a young and idealistic American namedAlden Pyle (Brendan Fraser) arrives in Vietnam with the American aidmission. A man who is passionate about helping what he sees as atroubled country threatened by the evils of Communism, Alden findshimself suddenly obsessed with the young Phuong. Thomas, at firstfinding Alden at first rather amusing, is soon annoyed and troubled atthe idea of having the American stealing away the woman he loves.There are several other issues that quickly begin to overwhelm Thomasand his otherwise comfortable life. His home office in London isdemanding his return while his wife, the woman he is really married to,is refusing to give him a divorce so that he could marry Phuong. Toanswer the first problem he devises a plan to sneak into the actual warzone itself to discover a story that would allow him to stay in Vietnamlonger. To deal with the second problem will take more thinking andconsideration.The Quiet American, at first a slow movie despite the fact that Alden'seventual death is made clear in the beginning, soon becomes one ofintrigue and political mystery. Thomas begins to suspect that there ismore to Alden and his story of wanting to help the Vietnamese. A recentmove by Vietnamese General Thé (Quang Hai) to gain political andmilitary power has Thomas convinced that there is something else goingon and his suspicion falls again on Alden.The only way to answer the question of who Alden really is, and wherethe moral ambiguity of the story and its characters begins, comes inthe form of a terrorist attack which kills dozens of innocentcivilians. Alden, instead of a simple and caring American out to helpVietnam, is in fact a CIA operative who is funding Thé who himself isresponsible for the bombing. As with any crusader out to save theworld, Alden believes that breaking a few of the proverbial eggs isacceptable if it will bring the greater good. Thomas, who claimed thathe never got involved with the stories around him, now finds himselffacing the question of not if but how he will become involved in orderto stop the madness around him.A political and historical story of two men in the middle of a veryconfusing moral situation, The Quiet American is very much a reflectionof today's current political and international crisis. However, it isalso the story of about two friends who find themselves not onlydivided by political belief but also because of the love for a woman.Love, as both men discover, is also war. And as with any war, there arealways casualties.8/10
paul2001sw-1
19 May 2012
Great book, fair film
Graham Greene's novels have been said to describe "Greeneland", a placedefined by a certain blend of geography, Catholicsm and moral dilemmaparticular to the author. Greene's brilliant writing andcharacterisation give each book its own identity, but certain elementsare recycled, albeit in different combinations. For example, theopposition of the doctor and the consul in 'The Honorary Consul'mirrors that of the journalist and the American in 'The QuietAmerican', although the doctor sleeps with the consul's girl and theAmerican with the journalist's. Now, another recycled element has beenretrospectively added into the mix: Michael Caine, who played thehonorary consul in the film of that book, has now played Fowler (thejournalist) in the latest of several film versions of 'The QuietAmerican'.'The Quiet American' is one of my favourite books, so it's hard for meto judge the film entirely independently. The rendering of the story is(apparently unlike the earlier films) largely true to the spirit of thebook, although it appeared a little disjointed to my eyes, failing toconvey a sense of the normal existence of the characters between thestand out events. There's also some slight dumbing down, characters askquestions that they should already know the answers to (so that theaudience can be told); the plot (and Fowler's personal journey) areboth a little simplified; and the character of Fowler is made a littleless jaded than he is in the novel Still, Caine convinces in the role,as does Do Thi Han Yen as his enigmatic girlfriend Phuong. As theAmerican, Brendan Fraser is a little brawnier than I was expecting,although his characterisation is in keeping with the novel. The endingof the book is also exchanged for a new twist that effectivelyacknowledges Greene's prescience in writing the story (it was actuallycomposed in 1955, but it tells you most of what you need to know tounderstand the later stages of the Vietnam war, or even America'scurrent neo-Conservative movement, intruding into Iraq with an ideologythat appears barely evolved from York Harding's). I think, however,that the original ending made more sense, even if it reflected themesof more interest perhaps to Greene himself than the average modernviewer.Overall, the film just didn't grab me with the same power as the book,although it's hard to tell whether it might have done had I not readthe novel first. But it's certainly a pretty straight and honourableattempt to put Greene's exquisite story, and surprisingly contemporarymessage, on screen. By all means watch this film; but read the book aswell.
James Hitchcock
18 May 2012
Destructive Idealism
During my childhood in the 1960s there was a strip cartoon in one of mycomics called "Texas Ted; Big Hat, Big Head". The title character was aloud-mouthed, boastful Texan who always wore a Stetson hat and wasconstantly proclaiming the superiority of all things American to hismeek little bowler-hatted English cousin. The last frame of the cartoongenerally showed Ted being cut down to size in some way or another.This stereotype of Americans as loud, brash and arrogant was quite acommon one in Britain in the fifties and sixties; it appears lessfrequently today, not so much because we have changed our opinions ofAmericans but because we no longer define ourselves so much as quiet,reserved and modest. The title of Graham Greene's novel "The QuietAmerican" was probably a subtle reference to this stereotypical view.The "quiet American" of the title, Alden Pyle, is a thoughtful,soft-spoken, idealistic intellectual, yet his well-intentioned idealismis in the long run to prove destructive.When Greene's novel came out in 1955 it was widely criticised in the USas being anti-American, although in the light of what was to occurduring the Vietnam War Greene's criticism of American involvement inIndochina might today seem prescient. When the novel was filmed byJoseph Mankiewicz in 1958 he reversed its emphasis, making itanti-Communist rather than anti-American and making Pyle the hero ofthe story, with the result that Greene angrily disowned the film.The 2002 version of "The Quiet American" is closer to Greene'soriginal. The story is set in Saigon, Vietnam, in 1952, towards the endof French colonial rule. It is both a political drama and a personalone. The personal element involves a love-triangle between Pyle, aBritish journalist named Thomas Fowler and Fowler's beautifulVietnamese mistress Phuong. Fowler is unable to marry Phuong because heis already married; he is separated from his wife, who still lives inEngland, but she refuses to give him a divorce because of her Catholicreligion. (This is the only part which religion plays in the film.Unusually for a Greene story, none of the major characters is aCatholic). Unlike Fowler, Pyle can offer Phuong marriage and stability,and he succeeds in winning her affections, thus making an enemy ofFowler even though the two were once friends.The political element in the drama derives from the attempts of Pyle,who is working for American Intelligence, to set up a "Third Force" inVietnam to take on both the French colonialists and the VietnameseCommunists who had hitherto provided most of the opposition to Frenchrule. There is a sharp contrast drawn between Pyle and Fowler on both apersonal and a political level. Personally Pyle is sensitive andidealistic whereas Fowler is jaded, cynical and prepared to useunderhand methods to get what he wants. (One thing they have in commonis that both are sincerely in love with Phuong). On a political level,however, Pyle is unable to see that General Thé, the leader of theThird Force, is a ruthless megalomaniac with ambitions to become adictator, and is prepared to turn a blind eye to the terrorist methodsused by Thé's militia. Fowler, however, is clear-eyed enough to seethat American support for Thé is likely to prove disastrous.The difference between the two films lies in the difference between thepolitical climate of 1958 and that of 2002. In the fifties, during theCold War, it would have been unthinkable for Hollywood to have produceda film which was seen as pro-Communist or which criticised Americanforeign policy. Today, it would be almost equally unthinkable forHollywood to produce a film which argued that American involvement inthe Vietnam War was justified either politically or morally. Yet whatPyle is trying to do is not in principle objectionable; the Vietnamesepeople deserved more than a choice between remaining a de jure colonyof France or becoming a de facto colony of Stalinist Russia, and somesort of third force would have been needed to give democracy a chanceto work in the country. The tragedy of the war was that, the Americansnever really tried to foster Vietnamese democracy but relied too muchon authoritarian and often corrupt strongmen like Ngo Dinh Diem, towhom the 1958 film is dedicated.Sir Michael Caine clearly has an affinity with Greene's work, as hegave a very good performance in "The Honorary Consul" in 1983 and givesanother very good one here, brings out all the contradictory aspects ofFowler's character. (The film brought him the most recent of his sixOscar nominations). I did, however, think that, at 69, Caine was rathertoo old for the role, as Fowler is probably supposed to be about fiftyat the most. (The film ends with a montage of Vietnam War newspaperheadlines, all with Fowler's byline, implying that he was still workingfor his newspaper a decade and a half after the events shown in thisfilm).I was less impressed with the other performances. Phuong seemed toopassive a character, although the fault lay perhaps with thescriptwriter rather than the actress Do Thi Hai Yen, and Brendan Fraser(never my favourite actor) seemed unable to convey either Pyle'ssuspect idealism or his passion for Phuong. Overall, however, the filmworks well, on both the political and psychological levels. 7/10
pikhal020
18 May 2012
Less than its potential
This was disappointing. The plot, concerning the murder of an Americanin 1950s Vietnam, seemed like it had a lot more potential than theresulting film. The historical backdrop was a pivotal moment inVietnamese history, a time of declining French colonial power andemergent Communist influence. The fault doesn't lay in the technicalaspects, as Christopher Doyle's cinematography and camera-work istypically rich and evocative, painting a dazzling picture of post WWIISaigon, Nor is it weakened by Michael Caine's turn as the cynicalBritish journalist, yet another stellar and intense performance fromthis great actor. I think the film's weaknesses largely stem from thescreenplay's overemphasis on the romantic subplot and the poor castingof the other leads. Unfortunately, these weaknesses compound eachother.Brandon Fraser is bland and not up to the demands of his role and DoThi Hai Yen as Phuong, the Vietnamese dance girl entangled in aromantic triangle with Fraser and Caine, gives an unconvincing turn toa character that was not well written to begin with. The end product isa decent film, but is frustrating because it feels rushed andcompromised. I never read the Graham Greene source material, but itspointed critique on American foreign policy seems much toned down here.This movie was shelved by Miramax immediately after 9/11 and releasedat a later date. Could it have been edited due to fears for itscommercial prospects? Who knows? But if a director's cut ever appearsin the future, I would certainly revisit this film.
Don Hitchen
17 May 2012
Decent film that makes you think (a little).
Disclaimer: Minor plot revealsWhen I went to see The Hours, the trailer for The Quiet American precededits screening. At the conclusion of the trailer, the lady sitting infrontof me leaned over to her friend and in reference to the film's title said"Isn't that an oxymoron?".It may very well be an oxymoron, and in fact in the movie "quiet" is usedasan adjective to describe just how atypical an American the person inquestion is, but it is also a novel written by famous British writer (andpossibly spy) Graham Greene (not to be confused with the Canadian Nativeactor).The movie stars Michael Caine as a British journalist, stationed inVietnamin the early 50s as the colonial French government is losing its grip oncontrol of the country to the communist nationals. Caine has found acomfortable existence in Vietnam, enjoying the pleasures of his opium andhis mistress when it is disrupted by an American aid worker played byBrendan Fraser -- don't worry, this is the `Gods and Monsters' BrendanFraser, not the `Encino Man' Brendan Fraser.Fraser's character quickly becomes enamoured with Caine's mistress, andsetsout to rescue her from her circumstance as only an American can do.SomehowCaine and Fraser maintain this mutual camaraderie and respect for oneanother as they struggle within their love triangle, not unlike two pokerplayers battling for the same big pot.As things begin to heat up within the love triangle, they also heat upwithin the political landscape of the country, and the personal strugglesofthe individual relationships become metaphors for the political strugglesofthe country. While The Quiet American is a piece of fiction, it is setagainst a very real historical backdrop. Graham Greene was very criticalofUS foreign policy, and this becomes evident as the film reveals thebeginning of the CIA's involvement in Vietnam, which would serve as thepre-cursor to its involvement in the Vietnam War that would follow in the60s.Anyone who has seen Bowling for Columbine will recall the long list ofquestionable support by the CIA of various political factions through theyears in its effort to covertly affect foreign policy through thirdparties.The effects of this practice is brought to life in The Quiet American,andit's hard not to remember that Osama Bin Laden and Saddam Hussein werealsoprior "associates" of the CIA in furthering these objectives.But I digress ... even if you put the policital undertones of the filmaside, The Quiet American stands up as a very good movie well worthseeing.Besides that it also has a Shar-pei in it. I gotta love any movie with aShar-pei in it, even if it is out-of-place being owned by an American inVietnam in the 1950s.Bottom line: 8/10
yaaah_69
16 May 2012
SOMBER AS IN AN ABSINTHE HAZE!!
This is one of the best movies out in 2003, and should not be forgotten atthe awards...The acting is excellent as well as the cinematography. The mood is one ofexpectations and you will not be left in limbo. The filtered lighting makesfor a mysterious setting.This is a movie about a love triangle, impending chaos and betrayal. Notheavy on political, but a touch of intrigue and the French Indo-China war inVietnam. And the beginning of the U.S. involvement.The opening scene may seem to end the plot, but, I assure you it only getsbetter.Michael Caine as(Thomas Fowler) is a reporter who has been resting on hislaurels and letting the war slip by him. He says he is no an correspondentbut rather a 'reporter' for a newspaper in London.He is heavy into opium anddrink and has a local concubine as well as a wife in England.He meets Brenden as(Alden Pyle)at a sidewalk cafe. Brenden says he is withthe medical corp to help out the native people. He has the thankless job ofbeing the protagonist in this movie. And he does a greatjob.Do Thi Hai Yen as (Phong)Plays the love interest for both men and the onePyle wants to save from Fowler.She is beautiful and plays her role well, butis only secondary to the main characters of Fowler andPyle.This is a must see movie , well acted , great cinematography, and the musicscore is very mood setting.I give this flick a 5/5/ciao yaaah69
callapm66
16 May 2012
A very interesting film
Quiet American was Fantastic. I loved the complexity of the novel andthisis still intact in the film. An American film with the ability toentertainbut has so much complexity...the layers in the film and characterdevelopment was fantastic...reat performances.
mduzair
15 May 2012
Great Movie. Highly Recommended.
I just saw this movie and I must say that it was very enjoyable. MichaelCaine is undoubtedly a great actor and though this might not be his bestperformance, it is certainly high up on the list. Even Brendan Fraserdelivers a great performance that I never knew he could pull off. Hisrolein conjunction with that of the lead actress cements this movie as one toremember. This is a movie that utilises a great plot, some amazingwritingby Graham Greene and a very straightforward directorial style to get itsmessage across about a war and time that is usually polluted with strongopinions and unnecessary violence when portrayed by Hollywood. Thoroughlyenjoyable and recommended as a sophisticated and thought provoking movietowatch.Rating: 7.5/10
Brian James
14 May 2012
Did not grip and maintain attention
I watched this film this evening but found it hard to become veryinvolved. In part I think this was due to the lack-lustre performanceof Michael Caine - he was very bland and surely in a film which movesat such a slow pace one needs a lead actor with a stronger presence - Iwas thinking of a Sean Connery or an Harrison Ford type.I did not see the film in terms of the romantic relationships - theyoung lion challenging and displacing the older one - but in terms ofthe decadence and collapse of French colonialism and the tragedy ofreplacing one colonial power with another. In a political sense thefilm reflected the tragedy of Vietnam in not being able to establish ademocratic government but rather to being forced to follow an extremistauthoritarian communism regime or to be dominated by an opportunisticpuppet regime driven and supported by the CIA and other agencies toextend and maintain USAmerican military and capitalist interests.With the French losing their grip on maintaining colonial rule, a powervacuum was created and thus their were two contenders for power, onethe communists with their rigid ideology and ruthless methods ofgaining and maintaining power, and, two, opportunistic puppets likeGeneral Tay supported by right wing USAmerica.The film probably attempted to do too much - perhaps if it had focusedon the political issues and made them clearer it would have been better- or if it had sought to examine only the sexual relationships -as howwomen are used by men in a situation where they have little power oftheir own - so there were too many threads perhaps and they becameentangled and it was difficult to untie the knots and make sense of itall.Reading the book would probably clarify some points not made clear bythe film.So my main query was, 'What was this film all about?'- to indicate thereasons for the Vietnam war - to show the insidious presence of theseQuiet Americans and the havoc they provoke and for which they fail totake responsibility? Or was it merely about the predicament of a womanwho has to rely upon a man for a decent life? The characters are rathersad - none is very heroic - all are sinners - perhaps this is Greene'smain theme - if the human beings were better in themselves, everythingelse would be better - or in despair he shows that we are all in thesoup up to our necks and all we can do is sweat it out until ourdemise.Perhaps someone else could clarify this for me???
Claudio Carvalho
14 May 2012
A Powerful Triangle of Love in the Beginning of the American Intervention in Vietnam
In Saigon, 1951, Thomas Fowler (Michael Fowler) is an Englishjournalist, married in England with a catholic woman, and in love witha Vietnamese girl, Phuong (Do Thi Hai Yen). Thomas meets Alden Pyle(Brendan Fraser) in a bar. Pyle is a doctor working in an aid mission,and pretty soon, he falls in love with Phuong. Pyle offers her whatThomas is not possible to give, i.e., a marriage and escape of Vietnam.Meanwhile, the political situation in Vietnam is boiling, with theFrench trying to get control again of the country, the communiststrying to impose their system to the South, and the American secretlygiving support to a third Vietnamese part. This romance is perfect: the outstanding performance of Michael Cainein the first plane, and Brendan Fraser (in his best role, since 'Godsand Monsters') and Do Thi Hai Yen are fantastic. The screenplay ofChristopher Hampton, based in a novel of Graham Greene, is wonderful.And the direction of Phillip Noyce is magnificent, presenting the storyin right doses of romance, drama, action and special effects. Anoverwhelming movie for all tastes. My vote is nine.Title (Brazil): "O Americano Quieto" ("The Quiet American")
stevie-51
14 May 2012
Good if limited in some respects
A good adaptation of the Graham Greene novel,although more might of beenmade of the quandary the English journalist was placed in and we didn'tgetmuch insight into the thoughts of his girlfriend. Excellent performancebyMichael Caine.
Roman Kogan
13 May 2012
Very good movie
Very good movie, close to the book. Recommended for everyone,especially for the ones who have read the book. Very very pictorial andbeautiful, creates the atmosphere and impressions you'd have if youread the original story. The cast is wonderful; the actors' play isexcellent. Besides, actor playing Fowler is from London, actor playingPyle is American, so they look close to what the author of the bookwanted them to be. Pyle, however, could be less bully-looking, in myopinion; I imagined him to be somewhat lighter, but I quickly forgotabout it as the movie went on. The movie is built on contrasts: thecontrasts between main characters, the contrasts of Vietnam, even thecontrast in accents (I counted at least 5 different accents:British,American,french,strong/weak Chinese). Also, the movie is ratherbrief and is therefore quite dynamic, the time is not wasted in it.That's why it's only 3/2 hours long. This is the kind of movie thatwill not make you wait until it's finished. I highly recommend thismovie for everyone with a taste for good movies.
y2j_au
12 May 2012
A brilliant look at an underdocumented period of history
An excellent film, a fitting testament to Graham Greene. It is said to beanti-american, well if the truth is anti-american, then it is. What thepicture does is project an objective view of the underhanded tacticspolitical Machiavellians employ, and how they justify it within their ownstructure of beliefs. But it is more than that- it is an exploration ofmorality, the morality of Pyle versus that of Fowler, each capable ofgreatheroism and great betrayal, motivated by different reasons. Without givingtoo much away, it is worth noting that the viewer is left at the endquestioning the ethics of both men, who view the world in very differentways yet somehow manage to maintain a genuine friendship.
jp-22
12 May 2012
Complimentary, particulary Michael Caines acting.
Michael Caine is one of filmdom's acting treasures and proved it again in"The Quiet American". I read Graham Greene's provocative novel many yearsago and can understand perhaps why the book was not made into a movieuntilnow. It arrived at a time when the subject of French Indo-China/Viet Namwas a very sensitive one, particularly America's involvement in SE Asianaffairs. The remarkable aspect of the book and the movie is that it is sorelevant yet today. Kudos to the producers of this excellentfilm.
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