Details
Movie Description
Set in Saigon, Vietnam, in 1952 during the French Indochina war, THE QUIET AMERICAN is based on the mystery story by Graham Greene, and directed by Phillip Noyce. A middle-aged British reporter for the London Times, Thomas Fowler (Michael Caine), has been working in Vietnam, covering politics and enjoying the local culture. He lives with a beautiful young woman, Phuong (Do Thi Hai Yen), a taxi dancer who he rescued from that undesirable profession. He cannot marry her, because he is already married to a Catholic woman in London who does not believe in divorce. But he truly loves her. When a young American doctor, Alden Pyle (Brendan Fraser), falls in love with Phuong, threatening to take her from Fowler, everything changes. Not only is Fowler's romantic life put in danger, but he begins to uncover disturbing information about the U.S.'s involvement in the war.
An intriguing and atmospheric love story as well as a riveting mystery, THE QUIET AMERICAN features top-notch performances from Caine and Fraser, who maintain an eager intensity throughout the film. Combining the mysterious beauty of Saigon with the strangeness of the war, the film is suspenseful and effective.
Film Notes
DVD Features:
Region 1
Keep Case
Anamorphic Widescreen - 2.35
Audio:
Dolby Digital 5.1 - English
Additional Release Material:
Audio Commentary - 1. Phillip Noyce - Director
Behind the Scenes Footage
Featurette - 1. ANATOMY OF A SCENE
Interactive Features:
Scene Access
Interactive Menus
Theatrical relase: November 22, 2002
Industry Reviews
"...Fowler may be the richest character of Mr. Caine's screen career....This great English actor gives a performance of astonishing understatement whose tone wavers delicately between irony and sadness..."
New York Times - p.E14 - Stephen Holden (11/22/2002)
"...This is intelligent grown-up entertainment on both a political and a humanistic level..."
USA Today - p.5E - Mike Clark (11/22/2002)
"...Superbly controlled, passionate....Caine makes his towering performance look casual..."
Entertainment Weekly - p.76 - Lisa Schwarzbaum (11/29/2002)
"...There are compelling performances....Caine brings a touching sense of vulnerability..."
Sight and Sound - p.58 - Edward Lawrenson (12/01/2002)
"...THE QUIET AMERICAN is a towering achievement with a soul-baring performance by Michael Caine....Caine has never been better..."
Rolling Stone - p.106 - Peter Travers (12/12/2002)
"...Caine gives the kind of seemingly effortless performance it needs an entire career to prepare for....Caine's performance is intricate without seeming to be, a nuanced marvel of the actor's craft..."
Los Angeles Times - p.C8 - Kenneth Turan (11/22/2002)
"...An elegant film, elegantly shot by Chris Doyle....Noyce restores and sharpens the political outlines of the period..."
Film Comment - p.74-6 - Harlan Jacobson (01/01/2003)
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