The Quiet American

Released Feb 5, 1958

2h 0m

Drama

List

50%

6 Reviews

Tomatometer

51%

1,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

During the 1950s, Thomas Fowler (Michael Redgrave) is a British journalist stationed in Vietnam to cover the growing unrest. While in the country, he begins an extramarital affair with a beautiful young Vietnamese woman, Phuong (Giorgia Moll). However, their romance is interrupted by Alden Pyle (Audie Murphy), an idealistic American economist in Vietnam on an aid mission. When Pyle proposes to Phuong, Fowler accuses him of secretly dealing weapons.

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bill k

An "American slant" on the French colonial occupation. Read the book instead. Audie Murphy isn't a very good actor. Redgrave is wonderful.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

12/30/17

Full Review

Audience Member

Wordy. If only Audie Murphy had been allowed to be actually romantic! No-one in this film shows any genuine feelings of affection. Make that, any genuine feelings full-stop!

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

02/22/23

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Audience Member

Outstanding. MUST WATCH. Caine is spell binding. Fraser does well to keep up. Greene at this best.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/19/23

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Audience Member

Mankiewicz (who also wrote the adapted screenplay) does a fine job balancing romance, intrigue and war.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

01/21/23

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Audience Member

one-dimensional characters, and is too ominous for all its ambition.

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

02/15/23

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Audience Member

Adequate version of Greene's story no more. Redgrave is good though.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

02/27/23

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Joseph L. Mankiewicz

Director

Audie Murphy

The American

Michael Redgrave

Thomas Fowler

Claude Dauphin

Inspector Vigot

Giorgia Moll

Phuong

Kerima

Phuong's Sister

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Jamie Russell

BBC.com

Rated: 4/5

Apr 21, 2003

Full Review

Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

Michael Redgrave's performance is the best thing about this thematically compromised piece.

Rated: 2.5/4

Nov 8, 2021

Full Review

Jean-Luc Godard

Arts (France)

Mankiewicz probably got so much enjoyment from the writing that there was little enough left for filming it. Though a matter for regret, The Quiet American is still the most interesting film about at the moment.

Sep 16, 2021

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Robin Clifford

Reeling Reviews

Mankiewicz (who also wrote the adapted screenplay) does a fine job balancing romance, intrigue and war.

Rated: B+

Jul 22, 2011

Full Review

Emanuel Levy

EmanuelLevy.Com

One of Mankiewicz's weaker films, a verbose, disappointingly sanitized version of Graham Greene's cynical novel about American involvement in Indo-China, with mediocre turns by Murphy and Redgrave.

Rated: C

Mar 26, 2008

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Dennis Schwartz

Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews

The Quiet American is loosely adapted from Graham Greene's penetrating 1956 book about the Indo-China War.

Rated: C+

Apr 21, 2003

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Synopsis

During the 1950s, Thomas Fowler (Michael Redgrave) is a British journalist stationed in Vietnam to cover the growing unrest. While in the country, he begins an extramarital affair with a beautiful young Vietnamese woman, Phuong (Giorgia Moll). However, their romance is interrupted by Alden Pyle (Audie Murphy), an idealistic American economist in Vietnam on an aid mission. When Pyle proposes to Phuong, Fowler accuses him of secretly dealing weapons.

Director: Joseph L. Mankiewicz
Production Co: Figaro Films
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Feb 5, 1958, Limited
Runtime: 2h 0m