The Quiet American
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Movie Reviews of The Quiet American
Movie Review: The best role of Caine's career
Summary: 5 Stars
This film is the best role of Caine's long and impressive career, and shows that independent cinema can rival the big studio produced movies (you wouldn't guess this is relatively low budget when you see the cinematography). The script is beautifully written and acted, and the fact that we as the audience know what eventually happens in vietnam adds to the overall affect of the film (based on the book by Graham Greene, actually written before the war). The first movie of the book was a watchable but bastardised version - making it a pro-US anti communist film that the book certainly wasn't intended to be (apparently the author wasn't too happy with the propaganda driven outcome - although I'm sure he was financially rewarded for it). It's sad to see that some of the American reviewers have taken umbridge at the film's anti US sentiments (well itis about Vietnam for crying out loud) which is nothing more than nationalistic nonsense (the film also criticises British and French colonialism but you don't see reviewers from those nations crying about it. Like how on Earth can anyone make a movie that doesn't show America as the greatest nation in the history of makind? I think this may well have cost Caine a 3rd Oscar, and the film more critical acclaim. Definitely - in my opinion - one of the best films of the year.Movie Review: Fabulous Performances, Beautiful-Looking Film
Summary: 5 Stars
This is a well-acted and beautifully-filmed movie that surprised me just how good it was. It's one of those "sleepers," meaning a good movie that gets little notice. Man, I'd like to see this on Blu-Ray.
I found it interesting from the get-go with Michael Caine doing a superb job, one of the highlights of his distinguished career. Some have even called it his best performance. The same might be said of Brendan Fraser, too, someone who is more known for his lower-brow characters in far less-intelligent films. Those two, and Do Thi Hai Yen complete the threesome who excel in the leads. The fact this film takes place in Vietnam and she is Vietnamese makes her all the more believable.
The colors in this film are very pretty, interiors and exteriors. The only negative I had was the obvious political bias in here. The movie paints an unflattering picture of the early days of America's involvement in Vietnam with Fraser playing "The Ugly American."
Politics-aside, at least half the film is really a love story, as both male leads go after the same woman (Hai Yen). That has a strange ending, is all I will say. All the way through the movie builds in suspense and intrigue in both the politics and the romance. I've seen it three times and thoroughly enjoyed it all three times.
Movie Review: Graham Greene reporting from Saigon
Summary: 5 Stars
"The Quiet American" by Phillip Noyce is one of the best films I saw in a long time. Michael Caine is wonderful to watch as he plots his revenge scheme while uncovering the CIA agent's plot, yet Brandon Fraser's performance as the 'Quiet American' is also very believable, as is his romantic interest in the girl. Ultimately, beyond the performances, I admit my interest and appreciation of the film stem from the actuality and relevance of the story to current events, it really makes one think about the manipulation of events that are then used as the excuse to start wars. The film is based on a novel by Graham Greene, who got the idea for the novel upon returning from a trip to Indochina in October 1951. The famous writer spent various months in different periods in Indochina as a correspondent for "Life" Magazine. He, therefore, was able to observe the emerging conflict up close. As a writer, Greene was always able to reconcile fiction within the context of reality. The film by Noyce closely reflects the original spirit of the novel. Indeed, a previous adaptation of Greene's novel in film by J. Mankiewicz in 1958 was to close in time and space to the events discussed in the novel and Greene was not pleased with the result. He might well have been pleased with this versionMovie Review: A Terrific Movie!
Summary: 5 Stars
"The Quiet American" is one of the best films I've seen in a long time. It offers political suspense, a love triangle, and beautiful scenery to capture the attention and interest of anyone who wants to enjoy the result of intelligent film making. A few reviewers here have written about the symbolism they seem to think is portrayed by the three main charcters, i.e., Thomas Fowler, an aging British reporter, who represented Old Europe's Colonialism; Alden Pyle, the "quiet American" with a secret imperialistic political agenda; and Phuong, the lovely mistress of Fowler who steals the heart of Pyle, as the innocence of Vietnam itself that has been fought over and violated by its two lovers. Personally, I don't think so. Graham was anti-American and pro-communism. Did that influence him? Sure it did. Did he consciously go about writing a political thriller foretelling the defeat of the French and then American military involvement in Indochina? I don't think so. The novel was written in the 50s before America got invloved militarily. At any rate, this was a terrific movie and I recommend it highly. Michael Caine as Fowler was perhaps the best cinematic role he ever played. He was nominated for an Academy Award and he deserved it.Movie Review: Cynical love story set in a highly explosive environment...
Summary: 5 Stars
The Quiet American begins with the murder of Dr. Alden Pyle (Brendan Fraser) as he is stabbed and thrown into the Saigon river. During the 1950s when the French were protecting their colonial Vietnam, Thomas Fowler (Michael Caine), a British reporter meets the young quiet American, Dr. Pyle, in Saigon. Dr. Pyle is an idealist that believes that he can help cure the Vietnamese of glaucoma when he meets Phuong (Hai Yen), Mr. Fowler's mistress. Dr. Pyle falls in love at first sight, and seeks Mr. Fowlers approval of his pursuit for Phuong. In the middle of this love triangle the communists are stepping up their attacks against the French colonial empire and the French also lose control of one of their officers as he is rising his own army for the Vietnamese people. These fractions all seem to merge with Mr. Fowler, Dr. Pyle, and Phuong. The Quiet American is a cynical love story set in a highly explosive environment where the setting is affecting the characters choices as well as their actions. The brilliant cast supports the intricate story that is enhanced by Noyce's directorial touch as it takes form on the screen, which in the end offers a terrific cinematic experience.