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Amazon.co.uk Review
An impressive film from director Philip Noyce, The Quiet American proves that elegant and intelligent film-making can be emotionally powerful. Michael Caine plays Thomas Fowler, a British journalist in 1950s Vietnam with a lovely Vietnamese mistress named Phuong (Do Thi Hai Yen) and a jaded view of the political strife teeming around him. He befriends a seemingly innocuous American named Alden Pyle (Brendan Fraser), who falls in love with Phuong--and slowly, Pyle's real purpose in Vietnam becomes revealed. Fowler finds that, to hold on to the carefully balanced life he's created for himself, he must make choices he's long avoided. Caine and Fraser are both superb and give a human face to complicated politics; as a result, The Quiet American manages to be compelling as both history and a story about very specific people embroiled in a very personal conflict. --Bret Fetzer
From the studio
· Anatomy of a Scene
· Feature Commentary with Director Philip Noyce, Michael Caine and Brendan Fraser
· Original Featurette
· Vietnam Study Guide
· Original Book Reviews
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
21 of 22 people found the following review helpful
Format:VHS Tape
When I bought my ticket for this film in the cinema I immediately regretted buying it and nearly turned back to get a refund based on my pre-judged assumptions that this was to be a terrible film. The misleading trailers that created this image gave way for an immensely pleasant surprise as I watched the film.
Set in Vietnam, the story follows Michael Cane as a journalist, living with his Vietnamese mistress, reporting on events during the war. A friendship with Brandon Fraser, leads to an unravelling plot of conspiring events in Vietnam based around this friendship, and the test of friendship when a woman is added into the equation.
The films excellent story proves to be a film that keeps the watcher constantly thinking, suspicious of all characters and in a changing mindset of what will unravel next.
An excellent film, well worth watching!!!
24 of 26 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
I came to this film as a fan of both Graham Greene and Michael Caine. The screenplay is a very faithful adaptation of the novel, and the characterisation and settings are excellent. The Vietnamese scenery is stunning throughout, the mud-blasted hell of Phat Diem contrasting vividly with the polite finesse of French-Colonial Saigon. Caine dominates the picture with a mighty but human performance as Fowler, the journalist desperately trying to cling on to his relationship with young Vietnamese beauty Phuong (played by the lovely Do Thi Hai Yen). Into their world comes the quiet American, Aiden Pyle, played in a suitably underhand manner by a chubby Brendan Fraser.
The film is well-paced and the "action" sequences are very well done, particularly the infamous bombing in the square which is recreated with frightening realism. I found it all totally gripping, even though I knew the plot and the outcome. The scenes between Caine and Fraser show these two at their very best, Caine surely at yet another high in his career.
In terms of extras, you don't get much - just a documentary on the filming of the bomb sequence, which is interesting. But I often feel there is too much emphasis on DVD extras anyway - in this case the film itself is more than enough and one that will repay many viewings.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
Nothing compares when a well written novel with a simple but plausible plot meets an equally well crafted and acted movie.
I had read Graham Greene's cynical book in the late 70's and had seen Mankiewicz's film too. For some reason that film, to me, never seemed to quite capture the right mood of the characters.
Bring on Michael Cain and Brendan Frasier, and suddenly I felt that my vision of this book had been answered; a political cloak-and-dagger thriller that includes a love triangle, passionate and spiked with intrigue, mirroring on a personal scale the dangers that Vietnam would eventually bring America.
I think this to be one of the best later Caine movies, laconic but scient acting well rounded off by Fraser's naive play. A pleasure to watch.
See also: The Painted Veil [2007]
I had read Graham Greene's cynical book in the late 70's and had seen Mankiewicz's film too. For some reason that film, to me, never seemed to quite capture the right mood of the characters.
Bring on Michael Cain and Brendan Frasier, and suddenly I felt that my vision of this book had been answered; a political cloak-and-dagger thriller that includes a love triangle, passionate and spiked with intrigue, mirroring on a personal scale the dangers that Vietnam would eventually bring America.
I think this to be one of the best later Caine movies, laconic but scient acting well rounded off by Fraser's naive play. A pleasure to watch.
See also: The Painted Veil [2007]
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
A film of quality
This story is one of Graham Greene's finest and this screen version superbly portrays the events in the story through ideal characterisations. Read more
Published 15 months ago by Mr. D. L. Hudson
The Quiet American in colour
Recently we decided to go to Viet Nam and as part of the preparations have watched both versions of the Quiet American. Read more
Published 19 months ago by P. R. Hopkins
The Quiet American
Having visited Vietnam recently I thought I would like to see this film as it highlighted some of the places I have visited. It was excelent.
Published on 26 Mar 2010 by Barbara Brookes
Mediocre adaptation
Never having been a Michael Caine fan, I approached this film with fairly low expectations, and for the most part these were realised. Read more
Published on 17 Dec 2009 by Captain Pugwash
Like Greeks who bear gifts, beware the quiet American
"These Americans are causing a lot of trouble for us." Not the words of a Vietnamese in this film, but of the French detective charged with solving the murder of a young American... Read more
Published on 22 Feb 2009 by Nicholas Casley
Not as good as the book but a good try.
I do not know if Michael Caine was ideal in the role as the "burnt out" journalist in indo china.However the story is an excellent one,and one that gives an insight into the... Read more
Published on 2 Jun 2007 by Hugh M. Dowdalls
Caine at his best...
Michael Caine demonstrates the versatility that first drew him to the attention of the film making moguls. Read more
Published on 7 Mar 2007 by Tom
The seduction of American innocence
Of all the films I've seen over the years concerning America's involvement in Vietnam, THE QUIET AMERICAN is perhaps the most seductive. Read more
Published on 3 Mar 2006 by Joseph Haschka
Unbelievable and confused
I thought I would give this film a go as it was one of my recommendations, and I do like Michael Caine and Brendan Fraser. Read more
Published on 26 Jan 2005 by R. Clements
Lost Love In A Lost Time
Although Michael Caine was nominated for an Oscar for his performance, this film went largely unnoticed. Read more
Published on 1 July 2004 by Martin A Hogan
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