The American Soldier (1970)
"Der amerikanische Soldat" (original title)

Ricky is a cold-blooded German-American contract killer. After serving in Vietnam he returns to his home town of Munich to eliminate a few problem crooks for three renegade cops. He ... See full summary »

Director:

Rainer Werner Fassbinder

Writer:

Rainer Werner Fassbinder

Stars:

Karl Scheydt, Elga Sorbas, Jan George

Cast

Cast overview:
Karl Scheydt	...	Ricky
Elga Sorbas	...	Rosa von Praunheim
Jan George	...	Jan
Hark Bohm	...	Doc
Marius Aicher	...	Polizist
Margarethe von Trotta	...	Zimmermädchen
Ulli Lommel	...	Zigeuner
Katrin Schaake	...	Magdalena Fuller
Ingrid Caven	...	Sängerin
Eva Ingeborg Scholz	...	Rickys Mutter
Kurt Raab	...	Rickys Bruder
Irm Hermann	...	Hure
Gustl Datz	...	Polizeipräsident

Storyline

Ricky is a cold-blooded German-American contract killer. After serving in Vietnam he returns to his home town of Munich to eliminate a few problem crooks for three renegade cops. He inspects his old neighborhood with his childhood accomplice Franz Walsch, and pays a short visit to his mother and doting brother. When Ricky asks the hotel clerk for a girl, one of the cops sends his girlfriend Rosa. However she falls for the killer.

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Plot Keywords:

suicide | hired killer | female nudity | nudity

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Genres:

Drama

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Details

Country:

West Germany

Language:

German

Release Date:

30 May 1975 (Denmark)

Also Known As:

The American Soldier

Filming Locations:

Munich, Bavaria, Germany

Box Office

Budget:

DEM 280,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Antiteater

Technical Specs

Runtime:

80 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Did You Know?

Quotes

Ricky: W as in war, A as in Alamo, L as in Lenin, S as in science fiction, C as in crime, and H as in Hell.

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Connections

Referenced in Fassbinder produziert: Film Nr. 8 (1971)

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Soundtracks

"With My Tears"
Performed by Ingrid Caven

User Reviews

For fans only

Not one of Fassbinder's best, but certainly worth a look for those interested in the man's work. In mood and style, it's reminiscent of Godard's Alphaville, and my reactions to both films are similar: I am intrigued, but a bit bored. And I don't think either succeed in the end. The American Soldier concerns a haughty German-American soldier, fresh from Vietnam, who struts around killing people for reasons which are kept mostly obscure (he's some kind of gangster or hitman). The police are after him, though the police seem just as wicked. I didn't care much about what was going on – no compelling reason was ever given for me to care. However, many elements of the film impressed me. Fassbinder's idiosyncratic sense of pace and mood pervades. The performances are pretty good. Fassbinder himself appears in a small role and, as usual, he delivers a remarkable performance. He has to be the best actor/director of all time. Peer Raben never seems to write a lot of music for Fassbinder's films. Instead, he just writes one theme that is used several times throughout the given picture. They are always exceptional, and his theme (and also theme song, which is the same tune with lyrics added) is excellent here. And then there's this ending. Fassbinder has a talent for unique and notable endings, and the end of this film is one of the weirdest and most remarkable I've ever seen. 7/10.