The Quiet American


Starring Michael Caine, Brendan Fraser, Do Hai Yen, Rade Sherbedgia. Directed by Phillip Noyce.

The Quiet American is a morally complex story of a cynical British journalist and idealist American, both in love with a beautiful Japanese dancer. The movie is set during the Indochine war in Vietnam in 1952, and issues of war, government deception and political ideology are in the forefront. The studio head originally wished to prevent the film from opening because of his ties to the American administration, and it is easy to see why. One of the main themes of the film is that well-meaning, idealistic meddling can do more harm than good, with parallels to the Bush administration's push for war with Iraq. Plus, American operatives are shown to be directly engaged in terrorism to advance their aims, acts which are currently villified as having no justification. These and other ideas are presented quietly and subtly, and a film which is mostly low-key makes a big impact in its final minutes. The Quiet American is an interesting historical look at Vietnam that vividly demonstrates the conflicting interests and excessive harm to innocent civilians all in the name of some higher purpose.




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