The Quiet American

Director: Phillip Noyce

Overview

Graham Greene's allegorical novel about America's role in the Vietnam conflict, and how it was perceived by the rest of the world, is brought to the screen for the second time in this adaptation directed by Phillip Noyce. Thomas Fowler (Michael Caine) is a British journalist who in 1952 is covering the early stages of the war in Indo-China for the London Times, not a demanding assignment since few in England are especially interested in the conflict. When not filing occasional reports, Fowler spends his time with Phuong (Do Thi Hai Yen), a beautiful woman who shares lovemaking and opium with Fowler and is willing to accept the fact the married journalist will never make her his wife. Fowler becomes friendly with Alden Pyle (Brendan Fraser), a cheerful and articulate if seemingly na?ve American who is in Saigon as part of a medical mission. As Fowler and Pyle develop a closer friendship, Pyle is introduced to Phuong, and the American soon becomes infatuated with her. When Fowler's editors suggest he return to London, he responds by digging himself deeper in covering the war, and Pyle attempts to take Phuong away; she soon rejects him. Undaunted, Pyle continues with his work, but Fowler discovers that medical help is not what the American is bringing to Vietnam. Pyle is in fact a CIA operative who is helping to organize and finance a "Third Force" who will battle Ho Chi Min's forces as well as the French and their allies. Fowler also learns that Pyle is behind a series of bombings which are believed to have been carried out by Communist extremists, and faces the ugly fact that his American friend is in fact a terrorist killing in the name of Uncle Sam's political interests. While completed in the fall of 2001, The Quiet American went unreleased until late 2002; after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, the film's producers felt the film's critical view of America's role in the Vietnam war might be considered especially offensive.

Product Details

Release Date:	06/14/2011
UPC:	0031398137832
Original Release:	2002
Rating:	R
Source:	Lions Gate
Region Code:	1
Presentation:	[Wide Screen]
Sound:	[Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround]
Language:	English
Time:	1:41:00
Sales rank:	19,683

Special Features

Closed Caption; Anatomy of a scene; Feature commentary with Director Phillip Noyce, Actors Michael Caine, Brendan Fraser and Tzi Ma, Executive Producer Staffan Ahrenberg and William Horberg, Co-Writer Christopher Hampton, and Interpreter and Advisor to Phillip Noyce, Tran An Hua; Original featurette; DVD-ROM: Enhanced Vietnam Study Guide; Original book reviews "The Quiet American

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

Michael Caine	Thomas Fowler
Brendan Fraser	Alden Pyle
Do Thi Hai Yen	Phuong
Rade Serbedzija	Inspector Vigot
Tzi Ma	Hinh
Robert Stanton	Joe
Holmes Osborne	Bill
Quang Hai	General The
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
Thi Hai Yen Do	Actor
Do Hai Yen	Phuong
Craig Armstrong	Composer

Technical Credits

Christopher Hampton

Robert Schenkkan

Christopher Hampton	Screenwriter
Robert Schenkkan	Screenwriter
Staffan Ahrenberg	Producer
William Horberg	Producer
Mortiz Borman	Executive Producer,Executive Producer
Guy East	Executive Producer
Anthony Minghella	Executive Producer
Chris Sievernich	Executive Producer
Sydney Pollack	Executive Producer
Nigel Sinclair	Executive Producer
Steve Courtley	Special Effects
Christine King	Casting
Douglas 'Rocky' McDonald	Stunts
Lisa Anne Morris	Special Effects
Guntis Sics	Sound/Sound Designer

Scene Index

Disc #1 -- The Quiet American
1. A Very Quiet American [7:21]
2. Pleased to Meet You [4:38]
3. Shall We Dance? [6:50]
4. The Curious Sister [5:04]
5. Heading North [4:22]
6. Who are You? [3:24]
7. Everyone Loves a Parade [3:18]
8. Boys Behaving Badly [4:52]
9. Meeting with General Thé [4:35]
10. Out of Gas [8:11]
11. A Letter from Home [5:32]
12. Conspiracy [2:50]
13. The Empty Closet [4:49]
14. An Act of Terror [5:28]
15. Plastics for Peace? [4:14]
16. The Book [5:59]
17. See You Soon [11:47]
18. End Credits [7:19]

Menu

Disc #1 -- The Quiet American
Scene Selections
Set Up
Spoken Languages
English
French
Play Movie
Captions
English for the Hearing Impaired
Captions: None
Play Movie
Return to Film
Special Features
Anatomy of a Scene
Feature Commentary
View the Film with Feature Audio Commentary by: Director Phillip Noyce, Actors Michael Caine, Brendan Fraser, and Tzi Ma, Executive Producer Sydney Pollack, Producers Staffan Ahrenberg and William Horberg, Co-Writer Christopher Hampton, and Interpreter and Advisor to Phillip Noyce, Tran An Hua: On
View the Film with Feature Audio Commentary by: Director Phillip Noyce, Actors Michael Caine, Brendan Fraser, and Tzi Ma, Executive Producer Sydney Pollack, Producers Staffan Ahrenberg and William Horberg, Co-Writer Christopher Hampton, and Interpreter and Advisor to Phillip Noyce, Tran An Hua: Off
Original Featurette
Vietnam Timeline
Introductions
Original Book Reviews of The Quiet American
DVD-ROM Features
Sneak Peeks
Miramax New Golden Age
Chicago
Frida
Gangs of New York
Confessions of a Dangerous Mind
Play All
Play Movie

Editorial Reviews

The Quiet American could be considered both a murder mystery and a political thriller. But its main emphasis isn't on clever plot twists or nail-biting suspense, although it does offer danger and intrigue. Instead, this deliberately paced and intelligently scripted film places its main emphasis on how the personal and the political intersect in the lives of the main characters. Michael Caine gives a nuanced, affecting performance in the lead role as world-weary British journalist Thomas Fowler. Caine is very effective at conveying how Fowler is torn between his cynicism and his nobler values as he struggles with difficult decisions and motives that aren't always pure. Brendan Fraser does a generally good job with his role as the American Alden Pyle; his measured performance could be more layered, but he does manage to suggest that there is more to this character than immediately meets the eye. Unfortunately, the film loses some of its emotional impact because the friendship between Fowler and Pyle doesn't seem quite as intense as the story demands. This problem is exacerbated by Do Thi Hai Yen's inability to do much with her underwritten role as Phuong, the woman in the middle of the love triangle; often she seems less like a full-fledged character than a depersonalized object of affection and symbol of Vietnam. Indeed, Pham Thi Mai Hoa makes a stronger impression than Do Thi Hai Yen in a smaller role as Phuong's sister. Nonetheless, the sumptuous cinematography and Caine's impressive performance are riveting enough to carry the film through its occasional rough spots.