The American Friend

1977, Mystery & thriller, 2h 7m

23 Reviews 2,500+ Ratings

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critics consensus

The American Friend is a slow burning existential thriller that does justice to the Patricia Highsmith source novel. Read critic reviews

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Movie Info

American expatriate Tom (Dennis Hopper) treats Hamburg, Germany, like it's the Wild West and makes a living by hawking art forgeries, but decides to take part in a murder plot for extra cash. All Tom has to do to earn his share is find a potential assassin who won't do any talking, and he has the perfect man: Jonathan (Bruno Ganz), a dying cancer patient desperate to leave his family an inheritance. Jonathan begrudgingly accepts, but he's no gunman, and the scheme quickly goes sour.

Cast & Crew

Dennis Hopper
Tom Ripley
Bruno Ganz
Jonathan Zimmermann
Lisa Kreuzer
Marianne Zimmermann
Gérard Blain
Raoul Minot
Nicholas Ray
Derwatt
Samuel Fuller
Der Amerikaner
Peter Lilienthal
Marcangelo
Daniel Schmid
Igraham
Jean Eustache
Freundlicher Mann
Rudolf Schündler
Gantner
Sandy Whitelaw
Arzt in Paris
Lou Castel
Rodolphe
Wim Wenders
Director
Wim Wenders
Screenwriter
Joachim Von Mengershausen
Producer
Wim Wenders
Producer
Jürgen Knieper
Original Music
Robby Müller
Cinematographer
Peter Przygodda
Film Editing
Heidi Lüdi
Art Director
Toni Lüdi
Art Director
Isolde Nist
Costume Design
Show all Cast & Crew

News & Interviews for The American Friend

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Critic Reviews for The American Friend

All Critics (23) | Top Critics (6) | Fresh (21) | Rotten (2)
Full Review… Steve Erickson RogerEbert.com Full Review… Gary Arnold Washington Post Full Review… Kim Newman Empire Magazine Full Review… Tom Milne Time Out Full Review… Roger Ebert Chicago Sun-Times Full Review… Dave Kehr Chicago Reader Full Review… Jesús Fernández Santos El Pais (Spain) Full Review… Sean Axmaker Seanax.com Full Review… Matt Brunson Creative Loafing Full Review… James Kendrick Q Network Film Desk Full Review… Tim Brayton Antagony & Ecstasy Full Review… Cole Smithey ColeSmithey.com
View All Critic Reviews (23)

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