The Nation -- 'Quiet' in Hollywood

The Quiet American follows Graham Greene's novel in exposing and criticizing the roots of America's war in Vietnam. In particular, one scene depicts a US-sponsored terrorist car-bombing in central Saigon--which really happened and which has some implications for the Bush Administration's list of "state sponsors of terrorism."

The parallels between the plot of the film and plans for war with Iraq today are equally striking. An innocent, energetic young American (played by Brendan Fraser) is sent to a faraway land of suffering and political turmoil. He believes in democracy and freedom, and he wants to help, but he doesn't know much about the place. The quiet American finds people who seem to be good guys and gives them money and weapons to support their effort to make their country free. But good intentions lead to bad results, innocent people are killed, and the United States is drawn into a decade of war. Although the film was finished more than a year before George Bush began arguing for unilateral action in Iraq, the arguments have an uncanny similarity.

Even more striking is the parallel between Americans in the film in 1952 criticizing French weakness in Indochina and Bush officials in Washington today criticizing European doubts about war with Iraq. "The French aren't going to stop the Communists," the quiet American says. "They haven't got the brains, and they haven't got the guts." Change that to "The UN isn't going to stop Saddam," and you've got a Rumsfeld press conference about why we should go it alone in Iraq. The film shows how arguments like that can lead to disaster.

But it's only audiences in Los Angeles and New York who will be given a chance to see the film and make these connections, and only for the two weeks required for academy consideration. Miramax apparently is still not convinced that a nationwide release backed up with a major-movie publicity campaign is a good idea. Director Noyce told the Times, "The big question is, Are they going to release it properly?"

Cowed Hollywood afraid to release "liberal" film that shows what happens in American foreign policy. From BuzzFlash.