MOVIE - THE QUIET AMERICAN - Review Rating $$$$$ $$$$ (OUT OF 10)

STARRING - Michael Caine (Thomas Fowler), Brendan Fraser (Alden Pyle), Do Hai Yen, Rade Sherbedgia, Tzi Ma, Robert Stanton, Holmes Osborne, Quang Hai & Ferdinand Hoang.

DIRECTOR - Phillip Noyce (Clear and Present Danger, The Saint, Patriot Games & Rabbit-Proof Fence)

Based upon Graham Greene's novel of the same title which was previously adapted in a 1958 film starring Audie Murphy.

The Quiet American is set in Vietnam in 1952 and revolves around a competition, for the affection of a young Vietnamese girl, between an older British journalist and a young American CIA operative.

The love triangle is absurd unless you recognize that it's actually an analogy, layered upon analogies, for the real world decline of the influence of the British Empire and the rise of the United States as a global superpower. Michael Caine plays the British Journalist Fowler who is long past his prime but hasn't forgotten how to weld influence in a stately manner. Brendan Fraser (Pyle) is the idealistic and brash upstart seeking to flex his muscle on the world stage and show the old dog a few new tricks in the process. The young Vietnamese girl, Phuong, represents her entire country's wish to find a partner willing and able to protect Vietnam from disintegration.

This is one of Caine's (Last Orders, The Man Who Would Be King) greatest roles. His performance, like the story itself, is full of nuances that must be seen to be fully appreciated. Understatement, a subtle change in facial expression or body language, are all Caine requires to infuse Fowler with wisdom, vanity and a yearning for the vitality of youth. He deserves the Oscar for Best Actor for this performance. Brendan Fraser, in what can only be described as brilliant casting, uses his aw-shuck charms to convincingly convey the idealistic but social awkwardness of the new kid on the block. The Vietnamese actors, most of whom aren't known in North America, give powerful performances as well.

The Quiet American is as relevant today as when it was first published. The clash of the egos of the superpowers is being played out on the world stage at this very moment. The current divisive debate between France, the U.S. and Britain, over what to do about Iraq, in many ways echoes similar clashes played out in Vietnam decades earlier. Vietnam was just another example of the corrupt and ineffectual colonization efforts of the French. There are few former French colonies that have not required the assistance of the rest of the world to clean up the mess left behind.

The Quiet American, a title laced with irony, also examines the motivations of the superpowers. The best example of this is the appeal to Fowler, from his Vietnamese assistant, that to be human is to demand that one eventually takes sides. This is an appeal to vanity, perceived slight and self-interest cloaked in nobleness. As with Iraq today, the stance of the major players has little or nothing to do with notions of democracy and concern for the plight of a people but rather what furthers their vested self-interest. In The Quiet American, Fowler uses the righteous cloak provided him, to justify his callous intervention. Similarly, Pyle The Quiet American, cloaks his country's self-interest in lofty principles. American foreign policy, in the movie and the real world, is always willing to cast aside those principles, without a second thought, if they feel the ends justify the means.

Perhaps the most troubling aspect of The Quiet American is the end result. The compromising of an individual, analogous to disrupting one covert operation, not only did not stop U.S. intervention but rather hastened their entry into the quagmire that became Vietnam. The removal of one individual, or the disruption of certain operations, always creates the prospect of untended consequences. The removal of Saddam, or his survival, could both have significant unintended consequences. The Quiet American makes the point that no one can accurately predict the outcome of a particular course of action. The movie also makes the point that if we forget the lessons of history we are more apt to repeat the same mistakes.

The Quiet American should also be applauded for its intelligent script. This morality play unravels without neon signs indicating to the audience that moral ambiguity lies ahead or has just occurred. Miramax also deserves kudos' for continuing to bring films of this quality to the big screen.

The Quiet American is not only a well-crafted film but an important reminder that those who fail to examine their true motivations and heed history's lessons may damn us all.

Running time: 118 minutes

Technically released in 2002 to be eligible for the 75th Annual Academy Awards.

Alternative Reviews:

Roger Ebert's Review

Rotten Tomatoes Reviews

The Quiet American Official Website

---

© Copyright 2003 David Schwartz. Last update: 8/9/03; 11:07:21 PM. This theme is based on the SoundWaves (blue) Manila theme.