The Quiet American (2002)

An old British reporter vies with a young U.S. doctor for the affections of a beautiful Vietnamese woman.

Director:

Phillip Noyce

Writers:

Graham Greene (novel), Christopher Hampton (screenplay)

Stars:

Michael Caine, Brendan Fraser, Thi Hai Yen Do

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 13 wins & 13 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Michael Caine	...	Thomas Fowler
Brendan Fraser	...	Alden Pyle
Thi Hai Yen Do	...	Phuong
Rade Serbedzija	...	Inspector Vigot (as Rade Sherbedgia)
Tzi Ma	...	Hinh
Robert Stanton	...	Joe Tunney
Holmes Osborne	...	Bill Granger
Quang Hai	...	General Thé
Ferdinand Hoang	...	Mr. Muoi
Pham Thi Mai Hoa	...	Phuong's Sister
Mathias Mlekuz	...	French Captain
Kevin Tran	...	Watch Tower Soldier
Lap Phan	...	Watch Tower Soldier
Tim Bennett	...	American Photographer
Jeff Truman	...	Dancing American

Storyline

British Thomas Fowler enjoys his life in Saigon working as a reporter for the London Times, covering the war in Vietnam between the colonial French powers and the Communists, who seem to be winning the war. In the later stages of his career, he takes his job lightly now, filing stories only on occasion, and no longer doing field work. But most importantly, this posting allows him to escape from what he considers a dreary life in London, including an unsatisfying marriage to a Catholic woman, who will never grant him a divorce, which in turn allows him to have an affair with a young Vietnamese ex-taxi dancer named Phuong, whom he loves and would marry if he were able. Phuong's sister doesn't much like Fowler, if only because he cannot provide a stable future for her. His idyllic life is threatened when the head office suggests he go back to London. In this way, he decides to write a major story to prove to his superiors that he should stay in Saigon. In 1952, Fowler is called into the ...

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Plot Keywords:

year 1952 | first indochina war | french indochina | asia | french colonial empire | 

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Taglines:

In war, the most powerful weapon is seduction.

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Genres:

Drama | Romance | Thriller | War

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for images of violence and some language

Details

Official Sites:

Miramax Studio Canal

Country:

UK Germany USA Vietnam Australia France Canada

Language:

English French Vietnamese

Release Date:

7 March 2003 (USA)

Also Known As:

Der stille Amerikaner

Filming Locations:

Saigon, Vietnam

Box Office

Budget:

$30,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$101,663, 24 November 2002

Gross USA:

$12,988,801

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$27,674,124

Company Credits

Production Co:

Miramax, Intermedia Films, Mirage Enterprises

Technical Specs

Runtime:

101 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital SDDS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The character of "The American" in The Quiet American (1958), is not known by his name of Alden Pyle, as he is in the source novel and this movie.

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Goofs

When Pyle is coming to visit Fowler in his apartment for the final time, his dog supposedly leaves a footprint in wet cement which is a clue for the detective. In the scene shown, the dog never touches the cement (his paw lands on a nearby tile).

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Quotes

[first lines]
Thomas Fowler: [narrating] I can't say what made me fall in love with Vietnam.That a woman's voice can drug you? That everything is so intense? The colors, the taste, even the rain. Nothing like the filthy rain in London.
Thomas Fowler: They say whatever you're looking for, you will find here. They say you come to Vietnam and you understand a lot in a few minutes, but the rest has got to be lived. The smell: that's the first thing that hits you, promising everything in exchange for your soul. And the heat. Your ...

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Connections

Referenced in Film Geek (2005)

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Soundtracks

Song for Phuong
Composed by Craig Armstrong
Lyrics by Craig Armstrong & Hong Nhung
Performed by Hong Nhung

User Reviews

Surprisingly captivating

I liked this film more than I thought I would. Michael Caine (nominated for an Oscar for this role) plays a British journalist in Vietnam, durring the period before the French pulled out. The film follows his investigation of some atrosities his discovers, but treats that as a "B" story to the story of his relationship with a young vietnamese girl and his friendship with a mysterious American played by Brenden Fraser, who likes the same girl. Fraser is actualy quite good in this film, shedding his trademark goofieness from his more mainstream efforts. And Caine definitely captures your interest with his performance. The film kinda moves along slowly but it strangely held my attention and it does suck you in, especialy as they throw in some unexpected plot twists towards the end. GRADE: A