The Quiet American

2002
15
1h 41m

IMDb RATING

7.0/10

30K

YOUR RATING

Michael Caine, Brendan Fraser, and Do Thi Hai Yen in The Quiet American (2002)

Play trailer1:13

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64 Photos

Political Thriller Spy Drama Romance Thriller War

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

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

7.0/10

30K

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Nominated for 1 Oscar
- 13 wins & 14 nominations total

Videos1

Trailer 1:13

The Quiet American

Photos64

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Storyline

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Did you know

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Trivia
Director Phillip Noyce wanted Heath Ledger to play the role of Alden Pyle, but was happy with Brendan Fraser's work in this movie.

Goofs
When Fowler is reading his report of the massacre in The Times, the text says "120 kilometers". In the unlikely event that an English journalist in the 1950s would use kilometers instead of miles, he would have spelled it "kilometres". Also, the text reads that Phat Diem is "120 kilometers north of Hanoi" when, in fact, it is 120 kilometers SOUTH of Hanoi.

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 shirt is straightaway a rag. You can hardly remember your name, or what you came to escape from. But at night, there's a breeze. The river is beautiful. You could be forgiven for thinking there was no war; that the gunshots were fireworks; that only pleasure matters. A pipe of opium, or the touch of a girl who might tell you she loves you. And then, something happens, as you knew it would. And nothing can ever be the same again.

Connections
Featured in Anatomy of a Scene: The Quiet American (2002)

Soundtracks
Nuoc Non Lam Son
Written by Hoang Quy
Performed by Manh Phat

User reviews216

Review

Featured review

9/10

Brilliant adaptation

Phillip Noyce achieves a remarkable triumph in his version of The Quiet American by staying true the Graham Greene's text. Christopher Hampton's adaptation of the book never strays away from the basic premise of the story. This film in someone else's hands would have probably evolved into a war epic. Noyce and Hampton stay focused on the two main characters, who, after all, are the key to the story.

It's hard to think Thomas Fowler was not tailor made for Michael Caine. He was born to play this part. His characterization of this troubled soul is remarkable. Mr. Caine gets the essence of Fowler without any effort, or so it seems. He is a jaded man who understands the Viet Nam before the American involvement. He knows he can't go home again to a loveless marriage, one in which he will not be able to escape after having experienced things he never would have thought possible in starchy old London.

Brendan Fraser is an actor with a lot of experience in the theater, even though his choices in films leave a lot to be desired. As he proved with Gods and Monsters, he can hold his own against a great British actor such as Ian McKellen, or on an equal footing with Michael Caine in this film. His take on Alden Pyle is as vicious, devious and sly as Graham Greene made him out to be. Mr. Fraser gets under the skin of Pyle with such flair in the creation of this enigmatic man.

The rest of the cast is not up to the two principals, but it's the confrontation between Fowler and Pyle what really makes this a tremendous acting feast.