The American Friend

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Der Amerikanische Freund

The American Friend DVD cover.jpg
Directed by Wim Wenders
Written by Patricia Highsmith (novel Ripley's Game)
Wim Wenders
Starring Dennis Hopper
Bruno Ganz
Release date(s) June 24, 1977 (U.S. release)
Running time 127 min
Language German
English
Budget DEM 3,000,000 (estimated)
IMDb profile

The American Friend (German: Der Amerikanische Freund) is a 1977 film by Wim Wenders, based loosely on Patricia Highsmith's novel, Ripley's Game. The film is considered to be neo-noir.

It stars Dennis Hopper as Highsmith's most famous character, career criminal Tom Ripley, and Bruno Ganz as the hapless art framer who is conned into becoming a murderer.

The film is notable among other things for appearances by directors Nicholas Ray and Sam Fuller.

The novel was adapted to film a second time in 2002 as Ripley's Game.

Contents

[edit] Reaction

David M. Myer, writing in A Girl and a Gun: The Complete Guide to Film Noir, notes "Though the plot may not make a whole lot of sense the first time around - and the thick European accents of a couple of the major actors doesn't help - The American Friend is worth the effort. Few movies from any era or genre offer such rich characters, realistic human relationships, gripping action sequences, or sly humor." [1]

[edit] Featured cast

Actor Role
Dennis Hopper Tom Ripley
Bruno Ganz Jonathan Zimmermann
Lisa Kreuzer Marianne Zimmermann
Gérard Blain Raoul Minot
Nicholas Ray Derwatt
Samuel Fuller The American Mobster

[edit] External link

[edit] References

  1. ^ David M. Meyer (1998). A Girl and a Gun: The Complete Guide to Film Noir on Video. Avon Books. ISBN 038079067.
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