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The American Soldier

Original title: Der amerikanische Soldat
  • 19701970
  • 1h 20m
IMDb RATING
6.6/10
1.8K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
56,967
10,394
Rainer Werner Fassbinder in The American Soldier (1970)
Drama
Ricky is a cold-blooded U.S. German contract killer. After serving in Viet Nam, he returns to his home town of Munich to eliminate a few problem crooks for three renegade cops. He inspects h... Read allRicky is a cold-blooded U.S. German contract killer. After serving in Viet Nam, 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 ... Read allRicky is a cold-blooded U.S. German contract killer. After serving in Viet Nam, 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... Read all
IMDb RATING
6.6/10
1.8K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
56,967
10,394
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Director
      • Rainer Werner Fassbinder
    • Writer
      • Rainer Werner Fassbinder
    • Stars
      • Karl Scheydt
      • Elga Sorbas
      • Jan George
    Top credits
    • Director
      • Rainer Werner Fassbinder
    • Writer
      • Rainer Werner Fassbinder
    • Stars
      • Karl Scheydt
      • Elga Sorbas
      • Jan George
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 19User reviews
    • 15Critic reviews
  • See production, box office & company info
  • Photos74

    The American Soldier (1970)
    The American Soldier (1970)
    The American Soldier (1970)
    The American Soldier (1970)
    The American Soldier (1970)
    The American Soldier (1970)
    The American Soldier (1970)
    The American Soldier (1970)
    Karl Scheydt in The American Soldier (1970)
    Rainer Werner Fassbinder and Karl Scheydt in The American Soldier (1970)
    The American Soldier (1970)
    The American Soldier (1970)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Karl Scheydt
    Karl Scheydt
    • Ricky
    Elga Sorbas
    Elga Sorbas
    • Rosa von Praunheim
    Jan George
    • Jan
    Hark Bohm
    Hark Bohm
    • Doc
    Marius Aicher
    • Polizist
    Margarethe von Trotta
    Margarethe von Trotta
    • Zimmermädchen
    Ulli Lommel
    Ulli Lommel
    • Tony le Gitano
    Katrin Schaake
    Katrin Schaake
    • Magdalena Fuller
    Ingrid Caven
    Ingrid Caven
    • Sängerin
    Eva Ingeborg Scholz
    Eva Ingeborg Scholz
    • Rickys Mutter
    Kurt Raab
    Kurt Raab
    • Rickys Bruder
    Irm Hermann
    Irm Hermann
    • Hure
    Gustl Datz
    • Polizeipräsident
    Marquard Bohm
    Marquard Bohm
    • Privatdetektiv
    • (uncredited)
    Rainer Werner Fassbinder
    Rainer Werner Fassbinder
    • Franz Walsch
    • (uncredited)
    Peer Raben
    • Hotel Receptionist
    • (uncredited)
    • Director
      • Rainer Werner Fassbinder
    • Writer
      • Rainer Werner Fassbinder
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      The American car Ricky drives is a 1962 Chevrolet Impala.
    • 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.

    • Connections
      Featured in Fassbinder in Hollywood (2002)
    • Soundtracks
      So Much Tenderness
      Written by Rainer Werner Fassbinder and Peer Raben

      Performed by Günther Kaufmann.

    User reviews19

    Review
    Review
    Top review
    7/10
    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.
    helpful•8
    6
    • zetes
    • Sep 7, 2003

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • July 23, 1971 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • West Germany
    • Language
      • German
    • Also known as
      • Der amerikanische Soldat
    • Filming locations
      • Hauptbahnhof, Munich, Bavaria, Germany
    • Production company
      • Antiteater-X-Film
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • DEM 280,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $8,144
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $11,623
      • Feb 16, 2003
    • Gross worldwide
      • $8,144
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 20 minutes
    • Color
      • Black and White
    • Sound mix
      • Mono
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.33 : 1

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