Saigon in 1952 during the Indochinese War is an unsettled place. There are constant skirmishes between the French colonial rulers and the Communists, and the Cai-Dao religious sect seems to be positioning itself as a "third force" in the conflict. A British reporter named Fowler (Michael Redgrave) and his Vietnamese mistress Phuong (Giorgia Moll) become friendly with a new arrival to the city, a fresh-faced young man whom we only come to know as the American (Audie Murphy), a representative from a humanitarian aid organization. He seems a bit naïve but well-intentioned, though soon, Fowler begins to suspect that the American may actually be part of a secret subversive group. When explosions rock a street demonstration, Fowler is led to believe by others that some plastics the American has imported have been used to make the bombs. Meanwhile, the American becomes infatuated with Phuong, who is waiting for Fowler to ask his wife back in England for a divorce, but he won't make a move on her as long as Fowler is in the picture. When the wife refuses to divorce for religious reasons, Fowler lies to the two of them and claims that a divorce decree is imminent. Eventually, Fowler's paper reassigns him to England; his bluff is called and Phuong makes plans to marry the American. Certain that the American is up to no good, and jealous that Phuong is leaving him, Fowler betrays the American to a Communist spy who plans to take decisive action against the meddling American. But when the truth comes out, it appears that Fowler has misread the political situation.
It's not a spoiler to note that the American winds up dead—the film begins with Fowler being asked to identify his body, found on a river bank at night during New Year celebrations. The story, told in flashback, concerns itself with the how and why of his death, and the moral decline of the reporter. Readers of the Graham Greene novel this film is based on complain that the film softens the book's political stance against American involvement in Vietnam, and to some degree, this is true. But the movie doesn’t exactly let anyone off scot free—not Fowler, not the American, not the Communists, not Phuong, and not even the sly and friendly-seeming Dominguez (Fred Sadoff), a associate of Fowler's who is not as harmless as he appears. If you're not a Greene purist, I would highly recommend this film. At times, it feels like it could have been made recently (there was a remake in 2002 with Michael Caine of which I only have a vague memory, but it apparently does stick closer to the novel). It's a period film and it was shot in classy-looking black & white so its look hasn't aged much. The politics of the situation are downplayed so this is basically a love triangle melodrama told through the frame of a murder mystery. Redgrave is excellent as the reporter as is the Italian actress Giorgia Moll who never comes off as a caricature—I was quite surprised to discover that she was not Asian. Audie Murphy, a famous WWII hero in real life who mostly acted in B-westerns, is surprisingly good. Some critics find him a bit too lightweight, but I think he does a great job keeping viewers off-balance as to what motivates his character. He's baby-faced handsome but with a slightly cynical, even decadent, cast about him at times, like an overgrown Boy Scout that you can't quite trust. Solid direction from Joseph Mankiewicz (All About Eve, Cleopatra). Highly recommended. Pictured top right is Murphy; below are Redgrave and Sadoff. [TCM]
Saigon in 1952 during the Indochinese War is an unsettled place. There are constant skirmishes between the French colonial rulers and the Communists, and the Cai-Dao religious sect seems to be positioning itself as a "third force" in the conflict. A British reporter named Fowler (Michael Redgrave) and his Vietnamese mistress Phuong (Giorgia Moll) become friendly with a new arrival to the city, a fresh-faced young man whom we only come to know as the American (Audie Murphy), a representative from a humanitarian aid organization. He seems a bit naïve but well-intentioned, though soon, Fowler begins to suspect that the American may actually be part of a secret subversive group. When explosions rock a street demonstration, Fowler is led to believe by others that some plastics the American has imported have been used to make the bombs. Meanwhile, the American becomes infatuated with Phuong, who is waiting for Fowler to ask his wife back in England for a divorce, but he won't make a move on her as long as Fowler is in the picture. When the wife refuses to divorce for religious reasons, Fowler lies to the two of them and claims that a divorce decree is imminent. Eventually, Fowler's paper reassigns him to England; his bluff is called and Phuong makes plans to marry the American. Certain that the American is up to no good, and jealous that Phuong is leaving him, Fowler betrays the American to a Communist spy who plans to take decisive action against the meddling American. But when the truth comes out, it appears that Fowler has misread the political situation.
It's not a spoiler to note that the American winds up dead—the film begins with Fowler being asked to identify his body, found on a river bank at night during New Year celebrations. The story, told in flashback, concerns itself with the how and why of his death, and the moral decline of the reporter. Readers of the Graham Greene novel this film is based on complain that the film softens the book's political stance against American involvement in Vietnam, and to some degree, this is true. But the movie doesn’t exactly let anyone off scot free—not Fowler, not the American, not the Communists, not Phuong, and not even the sly and friendly-seeming Dominguez (Fred Sadoff), a associate of Fowler's who is not as harmless as he appears. If you're not a Greene purist, I would highly recommend this film. At times, it feels like it could have been made recently (there was a remake in 2002 with Michael Caine of which I only have a vague memory, but it apparently does stick closer to the novel). It's a period film and it was shot in classy-looking black & white so its look hasn't aged much. The politics of the situation are downplayed so this is basically a love triangle melodrama told through the frame of a murder mystery. Redgrave is excellent as the reporter as is the Italian actress Giorgia Moll who never comes off as a caricature—I was quite surprised to discover that she was not Asian. Audie Murphy, a famous WWII hero in real life who mostly acted in B-westerns, is surprisingly good. Some critics find him a bit too lightweight, but I think he does a great job keeping viewers off-balance as to what motivates his character. He's baby-faced handsome but with a slightly cynical, even decadent, cast about him at times, like an overgrown Boy Scout that you can't quite trust. Solid direction from Joseph Mankiewicz (All About Eve, Cleopatra). Highly recommended. Pictured top right is Murphy; below are Redgrave and Sadoff. [TCM]
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