Andrew McMurtryREVIEW: The Quiet American (2002)
November 2nd 2008 13:08
“The Quiet American” is an example of political intrigue and the uncovering of a political conspiracy by a British journalist in Vietnam, several years before the beginning of the Vietnam War. It opens with a sombre scene. In which Thomas Fowler, the British journalist, says:
This opening narration sets the scene for the rest of the movie. The sound under this opening narration is of gunfire, as the war rages on. But in the still water, lies the body of a man. This man is the American Alden Pyle.
The next political image to strike me was in the very next scene as Thomas comes to identify the body. The French detective Inspector Vigot says “To tell you the truth I’m not completely sorry. These Americans are causing a lot of trouble to us. But still a murder is a murder.” This, although we may not realise until the end, is the films big secret. This movie is about the American intervention in Vietnam, which included supplying the Vietnamese with materials to make bombs. Pyle is a CIA agent on a mission to Vietnam to supply the Vietnamese with their ammunitions.
The narration by Thomas Fowler is very sharp and to the point. It alludes vaguely the whole film that Pyle may not be exactly who he seems. For example, “Pyle was hungry for anything I could tell him about Vietnam and her fight for independence. Why were the French losing the war and why were the communists winning.” This is important as Fowler acts like an unassuming pawn in Pyle’s plan. When Fowler eventually realises what is happening Pyle reveals that the American’s are trying to take control of the situation in Vietnam. “If we are going to stop communism and underwrite a third way, we need to give the people a leader who they admire. Tomorrow when Congress reads the sees the photographs of the communist atrocities, they are going to give us that support. The French won't stop the communists. They haven't got the brains and they haven't got the guts.”
This alludes to sequence which led to the Vietnam War which is shown at the end via a montage of newspaper articles from the next few years, reading:
Communists to Rule North in divided Vietnam
Communist Leader declares War to unite Vietnam
US increase Military support to South Vietnam army
US begins Air Strikes against North Vietnam
Ground operations begin: 184,300 US troops in Vietnam
495,000 US troops now in Vietnam
This film deals with the lies and double cross of a political situation which is confused. The undertone of this film insinuates that the Americans intervention in Vietnam led to the withdrawal of the French which eventually led to the Vietnam War. “The Quiet American” views the American intervention in Vietnam as a giant blunder. I really enjoyed this movie. It is such a unique view on such a controversial situation. I'd give this film 4.5 out of 5. It is a great film.
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