The Quiet American (2002)

User Rating:

7.3/10   

Director:

Phillip Noyce

Writers (WGA):

Graham Greene (novel)
Christopher Hampton (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

7 February 2003 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Thriller | Romance | War

Tagline:

In war, the most powerful weapon is seduction.

Plot:

An older British reporter vies against a young American for the affections of a Vietnamese beauty.

Plot Keywords:

Saigon | Vietnam | Journalist | Murder | Love Triangle

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 12 wins & 7 nominations

Cast

Michael Caine	...	Thomas Fowler
Brendan Fraser	...	Alden Pyle
Do Thi Hai Yen	...	Phuong
Rade Serbedzija	...	Inspector Vigot (as Rade Sherbedgia)
Tzi Ma	...	Hinh
Robert Stanton	...	Joe Tunney
Holmes Osborne	...	Bill Granger
Quang Hai	...	General Thé
Ferdinand Hoang	...	Mr. Muoi
Pham Thi Mai Hoa	...	Phuong's Sister
Mathias Mlekuz	...	French Captain
Kevin Tran	...	Watch Tower Soldier
Lap Phan	...	Watch Tower Soldier
Tim Bennett	...	American Photographer
Jeff Truman	...	Dancing American
Hong Nhung	...	House of 500 Girls' Singer
Ha Phong Nguyen	...	Muoi's Henchman (as Nguyen Ha Phong)
Navia Nguyen	...	House of 500 Girls' Woman
Lucia Noyce	...	American Woman
Hiliary Douglas	...	American Woman
Daniel Hung	...	Assassin
Kim Hoan Nguyen	...	Assassin
Mai Nguyen Trinh	...	Assassin (as Trinh Mal Nguyen)
Pham Trong	...	Assassin
Tran Do Luc	...	Vietnamese Policeman
Cong Nguyen	...	Vietnamese Guard (as Nguyen Cong Ly)
George Mangos	...	French Soldier
Natasha Hunter	...	French Singer
Martine Monroe	...	French Singer
José De la Vega	...	Hotel Continental Maitre d'
Roland Rohrer	...	Vieux Moulin Maitre d'
Susan Parry	...	French Woman
Anh Dung Nguyen	...	Mechanic in Muoi's Garage (as Nguyen Anh Dung)
Peter Holdsworth	...	Pyle's Bodyguard
Ngoc Tuan Hoang	...	L'arc en Ciel Band
Trece Lambatan	...	L'arc en Ciel Band
Erwin Abarico	...	L'arc en Ciel Band
Jun Javier	...	L'arc en Ciel Band
Van Phuoc Nguyen	...	L'arc en Ciel Band
Mark Szeto	...	L'arc en Ciel Band
Askar Nurlanov	...	L'arc en Ciel Band
Douglas Gallagher	...	L'arc en Ciel Band
Nicholas Parry	...	L'arc en Ciel Band
Vov Dylan	...	L'arc en Ciel Band
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Khoa Do	...	Vietnamese Policeman (uncredited)

Directed by
Phillip Noyce

Writing credits (WGA)
Graham Greene		(novel)
Christopher Hampton		(screenplay) and
Robert Schenkkan		(screenplay)

Produced by
Staffan Ahrenberg	....	producer
Steve E. Andrews	....	associate producer
Antonia Barnard	....	line producer
Moritz Borman	....	executive producer
Matthias Deyle	....	producer: IMF
Guy East	....	executive producer
Oliver Hengst	....	line producer
William Horberg	....	producer
Roland Loubet	....	co-producer
Kathleen McLaughlin	....	co-producer
Anthony Minghella	....	executive producer
Sydney Pollack	....	executive producer
Eyal Rimmon	....	co-producer
Chris Sievernich	....	executive producer
Nigel Sinclair	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Craig Armstrong

Cinematography by
Christopher Doyle

Film Editing by
John Scott

Casting by
Christine King

Production Design by
Roger Ford

Art Direction by
Anne Beauchamp
Ian Gracie		(supervising art director)
Jeffrey Thorp		(as Jeff Thorp)

Set Decoration by
Kerrie Brown
Jennifer Alisa Kornkosar

Costume Design by
Norma Moriceau

Makeup Department
Maree McDonald	....	hair stylist
Maree McDonald	....	makeup artist
Anita Morgan	....	hair stylist
Anita Morgan	....	makeup artist
Ben Nye Jr.	....	key makeup artist
Ben Nye Jr.	....	makeup artist: Mr. Fraser
Margaret Stevenson	....	hair styles supervisor
Margaret Stevenson	....	makeup artist: Mr. Caine
Margaret Stevenson	....	makeup supervisor
Cheryl Williams	....	key hair stylist
Nadine Wilkie	....	additional makeup artist (uncredited)

Production Management
Catherine Bishop	....	unit production manager
Jane Maguire	....	post-production supervisor
Andy Pappas	....	unit manager
Volker Schauz	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Steve E. Andrews	....	first assistant director (as Steve Andrews)
Lucy Cooper	....	additional assistant director: Vietnam
Nhat Minh Dang	....	second unit director
China De La Vega	....	additional assistant director: Vietnam
Tran Viet Duc	....	second assistant director: Vietnam
Todd Embling	....	third assistant director
Wilbur Gonzalez	....	additional assistant director: Vietnam
Glen Graves	....	additional assistant director: Vietnam
Jacinta Hayne	....	second assistant director
Du Hai Lam	....	third assistant director: Vietnam
Jennifer Leacey	....	second assistant director: prep
Tran Thi Bich Ngoc	....	second assistant director: Vietnam
Johnny Pacialeo	....	additional assistant director

Art Department
Sean Ahern	....	foreman
Ian Bickerton	....	lead hand
Gary Cameron	....	miniatures
Alex Chomicz	....	art depertment assistant
Richie Dehne	....	property master
Beverley Dunn	....	property buyer
Roger Gillespie	....	plaster foreman
Greg Hajdu	....	construction coordinator
Elaine Kusmishko	....	assistant designer
Marian Long	....	lead set dresser
Simon McCutcheon	....	assistant set decorator
Karyn-Lee 'Lilly' Miyoshi	....	assistant property master
Andy Robinson	....	set finisher
David Russell	....	storyboard artist
Ben Walsh	....	graphic artist
Tony Williams	....	assistant art director

Sound Department
Christian Bass	....	dialogue editor
David Donaldson	....	sound designer
Diana Flores	....	adr mixer
Mark Franken	....	sound effects editor
Peter Gleaves	....	adr mixer
Antony Gray	....	supervising sound editor
Frank Lipson	....	sound effects editor
Linda Murdoch	....	dialogue editor
Andrew Neil	....	re-recording mix assistant
Livia Ruzic	....	dialogue editor
Roger Savage	....	sound re-recording mixer
Guntis Sics	....	production sound mixer
Michael Thompson	....	sound re-recording mixer
Gareth Vanderhope	....	sound designer
Gareth Vanderhope	....	sound effects editor
Mark Ward	....	dialogue editor
Andy Wright	....	assistant re-recording mixer (as Andrew Wright)

Special Effects by
Rodney Burke	....	special effects technician
Steve Courtley	....	special effects coordinator
Ray Fowler	....	special effects technician
Richard Georgeson	....	special effects technician
Leo Henry	....	special effects technician
Robert Porter	....	special effects technician
Arthur Spink Jr.	....	special effects technician
Peter Stubbs	....	special effects technician

Visual Effects by
Charlie Armstrong	....	2D visual effects supervisor
Mark Barber	....	digital compositor
Aaron Barclay	....	digital compositor
Niki Bern	....	digital compositor
Dan Breckwoldt	....	Data I/O operator
Fiona Crawford	....	visual effects producer
Jonathan Dixon	....	digital liaison
David Dulac	....	3D supervisor
Grant Freckelton	....	matte painter
Morgane Furio	....	Inferno artist
Michael Halford	....	matte painter
Mark Harmon	....	digital grading
Phillip Lang	....	compositor
Kirsty Millar	....	2D visual effects supervisor: Animal Logic
Lisa-Anne Morris	....	visual effects editor
Ken Phelan	....	opticals
Murray Pope	....	visual effects supervisor
Dane Rapaport	....	data operations manager
Robert Sandeman	....	digital grading
George Zwier	....	digital compositor
Ben De Luca	....	systems administrator (uncredited)

Stunts
Marky Lee Campbell	....	stunt performer
Nash Edgerton	....	assistant stunt coordinator
Ashley Fairfield	....	stunt double
Nigel Harbach	....	stunts
Alex Kuzelicki	....	stunts
Rocky McDonald	....	stunt supervisor (as Douglas McDonald)

Camera and Electrical Department
Phil Bray	....	still photographer
David Burr	....	additional photographer
Jasmine Yuen Carrucan	....	second assistant camera
Mark Goellnicht	....	additional Steadicam operator
Lee Mariano	....	second assistant camera: "b" camera
Brett Matthews	....	first assistant camera: "a" camera
Matthew Nettheim	....	still photographer
Huu Tuan Nguyen	....	camera operator: second unit
Luke Nixon	....	first assistant camera: "b" camera
Troy Paschini	....	grip
Brad Shield	....	Steadicam operator
Brad Shield	....	director of photography: second unit
Paul Thompson	....	key grip
Anthony Tulloch	....	best boy

Casting Department
Miura Smith	....	casting coordinator: USA

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Elly Kamal	....	costume coordinator
Kerry Thompson	....	costume supervisor

Editorial Department
Kerri Aungle	....	negative cutter
Jason Ballantine	....	first assistant editor
Kirsty Bruce	....	assistant editor
Arthur Cambridge	....	color grader
Olivier Fontenay	....	color grader
Alan Hansen	....	digital colorist
Josie Mason	....	post-production coordinator
Anna McDonnell	....	post-production coordinator
Chris Plummer	....	first assistant editor
Royce Smith	....	color timer (uncredited)

Music Department
David Donaldson	....	music programmer
Matt Dunkley	....	conductor
Matt Dunkley	....	orchestrator
Geoff Foster	....	score recordist
Isobel Griffiths	....	orchestra contractor
Guy Gross	....	composer: additional music
Simon Leadley	....	additional music recordist
Julie Pearce	....	music editor
Christine Woodruff	....	music supervisor

Transportation Department
David MacDonald	....	transportation coordinator

Other crew
Mark Bamford	....	production lawyer
Linda Benjamin	....	executive
Nick Byrne	....	security: Mr. Fraser
Richard Connors	....	location manager: Vietnam
Emma Cooper	....	unit publicist
Jane Corden	....	financial controller
Miranda Culley	....	executive assistant: Mr. Noyce
Kerry Fetzer	....	caterer
Emma Ford	....	personal assistant
Katie Gordon	....	freight coordinator
Jackie Howard	....	assistant choreographer
Shannon Kors	....	executive assistant: Mr. Horberg
Sonia Kruger	....	choreographer
Josie Mason	....	production secretary
Cory McCall	....	executive assistant: Ms. McLaughlin
Anna McDonnell	....	production secretary
Steve McGillen	....	digital mastering
Deborah McNamara	....	title designer: main title
Nigel McNulty	....	production lawyer
Victoria Mielewska	....	dialect coach
Cuong Ngo	....	translator
Cian O'Clery	....	cast production assistant
Cian O'Clery	....	production runner
John 'Cha Cha' O'Connell	....	choreographer (as John O'Connell)
Donna Ostroff	....	assistant: Mr. Pollack
Mikki Pallas	....	assistant: Mr. Fraser
Daniel Pritchard	....	assistant accountant
Rachel Proudlove	....	assistant accountant
Paul Ranford	....	production coordinator
Jacquie Robertson	....	unit nurse
Zeynep Selcuk	....	assistant: Ms. Barnard
Clare Shervington	....	production coordinator
Leoni Strickland	....	production assistant
Stephen Taylor	....	production accountant
Brett Thornquest	....	post-production accountant
Anh Hoa Tran	....	director's advisor: Vietnam
Anh Hoa Tran	....	liaison
Anh Hoa Tran	....	translator
Kerryn Vallence	....	assistant: Mr. Caine
Kristin Witcombe	....	script supervisor
Michael J. Harker	....	completion bond representative (uncredited)
Jason Mack	....	security officer (uncredited)

Production Companies

• IMF Internationale Medien und Film GmbH & Co. 2. Produktions KG
• Intermedia Films
• Mirage Enterprises
• Pacifica Film
• Saga

Distributors

• Miramax Films (2002) (USA) (theatrical)
• Paradiso Entertainment (2003) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (2003) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Buena Vista International (Argentina)
• Buena Vista International
• Filmes Lusomundo
• Intermedia
• Medusa Distribuzione
• Paradise Group (2002) (Russia) (all media)
• Paradiso Home Entertainment (200?) (Netherlands) (VHS)
• Pyramid (Russia)
• Universum Film (UFA) (2003) (Germany) (video)

Special Effects

• Animal Logic
• Atlab (digital effects) (as Atlab Australia)
• GMD (additional visual effects)

Other Companies

• Air Lyndhurst Studios  original music recorded at (as Air Lyndhurst)
• Atlab  digital grading (as Atlab Australia)
• De Lane Lea Sound Centre  adr recording: United Kingdom (as De Lane Lea)
• Frame, Set & Match  high definition film grading
• Frame, Set & Match  video mastering
• Metro Voices  choir
• Negative Cutting Services  negative matching
• Optical & Graphics  end titles
• Optical & Graphics  subtitles
• Panavision Australia  camera equipment provided by
• Panavision Australia  lighting equipment: Australia (as Panavision Lighting)
• Premier Lighting  lighting equipment: Australia
• Soundfirm  sound post-production facilities
• Spectrum Films International  picture post-production facility
• Spectrum Films International  post-production facilities
• Trackdown Digital  additional music recording
• Twickenham Film Studios  adr recording: United Kingdom
• Video-8 Broadcast  rushes telecine transfer
• Who Dares  security and Safety

Also Known As:

Der stille Amerikaner (Germany)
The Spy (Philippines: English title)
Un Américain bien tranquille (France)

MPAA:

Rated R for images of violence and some language.

Runtime:

101 min

Country:

Germany | USA | UK | Australia | France

Language:

English | French | Vietnamese

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Malaysia:18PL | Iceland:14 | Iceland:16 (video rating) | USA:TV-MA (cable rating) | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Brazil:14 | Canada:PG | Finland:K-15 | Germany:12 (bw) | Netherlands:12 | Norway:15 | Peru:14 | Philippines:PG-13 | Singapore:PG | Spain:13 | Sweden:15 | Switzerland:14 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:14 (canton of Vaud) | UK:15 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Da Nang, Vietnam

Company:

IMF Internationale Medien und Film GmbH & Co. 2. Produktions KG

Trivia:

Miramax had paid $5.5 million for the rights to distribute the movie in North America and some other territories, but then shelved it for a long time. Miramax even tried to sell this movie to other distributors in the United States. But Michael Caine successfully persuaded Miramax to screen this movie at 2002 Toronto International Film Festival. This movie received many good reviews at the Film Festival, so Miramax decided to release this movie in the United States theatrically.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Pyle is coming to visit Fowler in his apartment for the final time, his dog supposedly leaves a footprint in wet cement which is a clue for the detective. In the scene shown, the dog never touches the cement (his paw lands on a nearby tile).

Quotes:

[first lines]
Thomas Fowler: [voiceover] 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. They say whatever you're looking for, you will find here...

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Film Geek (2005)

Soundtrack:

La Seine

Caine scores again

Michael Caine gives yet another outstanding performance in `The Quiet American,' Philip Noyce's 2002 adaptation of the Graham Greene Cold War novel (the first movie version was released in 1958). Set in 1952 Saigon, the film features Caine as Thomas Fowler, a world-weary British journalist who's been sent to Vietnam to cover the attempt by colonial French forces to hold back the communist insurgence from the North. But Fowler has a problem. Despite the fact that he is a reporter, he freely admits that this country exerts a sort of magical hold on him and that, in order to maintain that image, he must will himself to look beyond the ugliness and strife that are tearing the country apart. In fact, reporting is the last thing on Fowler's mind. He is even madly in love with a beautiful young Vietnamese girl who lives with him. When his publishers back in England threaten to call him back, Fowler realizes that he must become more actively engaged in the events around him if he hopes to be allowed to stay.

One day he meets Alden Pyle (Brendan Fraser), an American eye specialist who falls in love with Fowler's girl. Even though they are drawn together by much that they have in common, Fowler and Pyle soon become rivals for the woman, though by the end, their conflict has broadened to include the issues of war vs. peace, truth vs. deception, and personal feelings vs. political expediency.

`The Quiet American' is typical Greene in that it provides an intense personal drama played against the backdrop of geopolitical turmoil in an exotic setting. Both Caine and Fraser bring a quiet intensity to their scenes together. Caine, in particular, is brilliant at conveying the many moods of a man who wants to be left alone to live a simple life with the woman he loves but who knows that circumstances are conspiring to make such a life impossible. He is heartbreaking as he sees that ideal existence suddenly slipping away, with little he can do to stop it from happening. He also begins to see just how difficult it is to remain emotionally detached from the horrors happening around him once the atrocities begin to encroach on his world directly. Fowler also has to decide whether his final action is truly rooted in a humanitarian impulse or the product of wanting to eliminate a pesky rival from the field of competition.

In addition to telling a fairly solid story, `The Quiet American' also provides a glimpse into the history of its region, particularly showing how the Americans ended up usurping the role of the French in that far off, alien country in the late ‘50's and early ‘60's. This is reflected in a wonderful coda that chronicles the steps leading up to this slow handoff of power and responsibility.

But for all the film's various virtues, it is Caine's performance that is the real reason to catch `The Quiet American.'