paengmanila I read the book and saw the 2002 film version. This film is a partial misreading of the book, and the 2002 version is much better. In terms of acting, characterization, and other film elements, this movie does very well, though.

ma-cortes Fascinating and emotive political/drama /thriller set during Vietnam war with intervention of France and US . It boasts a very good cast such as Audie Murphy as the American , Michael Redgrave as Thomas Fowler , Bruce Cabot and Claude Dauphin as Inspector Vigot . It is Saigon set , at the time of Chinese New year 1952 . There was an emperor who ruled by permission of France to whom it belonged and 300 miles to the North of Saigon , both the emperor and the French were fighting a war against a communist army . But at war or in peace Chinese New Year was a time to forgive one's enemies square accountants with one's God and creditors and to rejoice is a world that , for two days , night be considered a happy one . Entertaining as well as taut picture dealing with a central romance along with thrills , political details and warlike deeds about Vietnam versus France conflicts . A young naive American named Alden Pyle (Audie Murphy) and a cynical older British journalist called Fowler (Michael Redgrave) disagree over politics in 1952 Vietnam and over a beautiful young native girl called Phuong (Giorgia Moll) . As a ¨quiet American¨ with dark secrets arrives in Saigon with his own plan to settle country's conflicts . As it's not clear whether Alden Pyle is just what he appears , as he seems to be an innocent young American opposite the older , intelligent Thomas Fowler . Eventually Fowler must confront moral conflicts and the relationship between Pyle and him reaches some problems connected with a Vietnamese General , at the same time the war and a political upheaval take place .Interesting first rendition of the Graham Greene novel including a love triangle , emotion , wartime events and many other things . The picture relies heavily on the love triangle between the ironical British reporter , his enticing mistress and the strange quiet American , but it doesn't boring , neither tiring and nor dull . Michael Redgrave is very good as a correspondent covering a conflict and finding himself becoming personally involved when he befriends an American who is not all that he seems to and also falling for a beautiful young Vietnamese , a mesmerizing Giorgia Moll . Audie Murphy gives a career-best acting as the title role . The movie has its touching moments found primarily in the superb performances from trio protagonist . The movie received many good reviews at various International Film Festivals , but other places was panned by critics . In fact , in Europe, director-writer Joseph L. Mankiewicz was savagely attacked for his film's infidelity to the source novel by Graham Greene, not least by Greene himself . The screenplay essentially turns the novel inside-out, so that the blundering "quiet American", whose extreme naiveté causes tragedies . The flick is dedicated to the people of the Republic of Vietnam , to their chosen President and administrators , wishing our appreciation for their help and kindness . The picture contains an adequate and evocative musical score by Mario Nascimbene , including oriental sounds . Furthermore , and atmospheric cinematography in black and white by Robert Krasker . This handsomely mounted flick was well directed by , resulted to be more a killing mystery than the political/drama , being compellingly directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz .The second version (2002) was realized by Phillip Noyce . The US release of this movie was delayed for more than a year by the terrorist attacks on the USA of 11 September 2001 . The producers were concerned that it would be seen as anti-American and Miramax decided to release this movie in the United States theatrically . The film ends with newspaper stories written by Thomas Fowler about Vietnam from 1954 to 1966 ; however , the book on which the film was based was published in 1955 , so these are mostly events which happened after the book came out . It was starred by Brendan Fraser , Michael Caine , Do Thi Hai Yen as Phuong , while this last retelling turned to be more faithful to Graham Greene than Joseph L. Mankiewicz's 1958 take on Graham Greene novel .

MartinHafer Graham Greene's novel, "The Quiet American", was about a naive and rather dumb CIA operative whose blunders led to tragedy and death in Vietnam following the withdrawal of the French in the 1950s. It is definitely NOT a story that advises a greater American presence in the country and could even be seen as a huge counterpoint to American foreign policy in the 1960s. So what does Hollywood do? They buy the story and change it completely--and in the process that pretty much make it into a film saying the opposite of Greene in his novel!!! Not surprisingly, the author and many others were ticked and ended up hating the film. So, as a retired history teacher, I could not help but automatically hate the film because of its dishonesty. But that isn't the only problem with the movie...it's also very boring and was filled with Asians who aren't really Asian. All in all, you could certainly do better than this turgid little romance.

dfinberg Audie Murphy is wooden in his portrayal of the American and, in a twist to the novel, is the hero of the piece. Not quite what Greene had in mind but relevant to events in the USA during the McCarthy era when this film was made (1958).Phuong has not been given the importance she demands in the novel. The way in which she is 'colonised' by first Fowler and then the American (Pyle in the novel, but not named in this film) is a comment on the way in which the foreign landscape is depicted and also on how the country has been colonised. Despite this she is also manipulative.However, having said some negative things about this production of The Quiet American, it is a MUST view for the portrayal of tensions in the cold war era and the USA's twist to events as they unfold. Remember that Audie Murphy and Joseph L. Mankiewicz testified for HUAC against their fellow actors and colleagues at the height of McCarthyism.This film is totally relevant to events unfolding today and for all those interested in the effects of colonialism and the rise of the Vietnam War. What is interesting about this film is the different take on events portrayed in Greene's superb novel, unfortunately, some of which were omitted or subverted in the 1958 film.This film should be followed by the Philip Noyce version of The Quiet American (2001) with Michael Caine as Thomas Fowler and Brendan Fraser as Pyle (the American in the Mankiewicz version). There is a good opportunity to contrast and compare the two versions which are very different, given that the Noyce Quiet American is closer to the novel.I would also recommend for light relief that viewers watch the Mash Season 2 TV series in which we see Colonel Flag of the CIA raising a few loud laughs.