Product: The American Friend [VHS] (1977)
Rating: 5.0
Memorable edgy one-of-a-kind thriller
A German frame maker (Ganz) with a fatal blood disease and therefore perhaps little to loose reluctantly takes on the roll of hit man after a chance encounter with an unethical American art dealer (Hopper). The brilliant acting by Dennis Hopper, Bruno Ganz and Gerard Blain on its own makes this a really memorable movie. Certainly, this is Dennis Hopper at his most edgy, something he does well and in my opinion this is his most outstanding performance ever. Ganz is convincing as an honest and reasonable man trying to make the most of a bad situation. Likewise, Blain is a joy to watch in his role as the smooth professional fixer calling the shots.I'm not sure if the movie could be said to have a "Hitchcock" influence, but I would say that those who like Hitchcock may well enjoy this. It combines mystery, great camera work and a dark film noir plot with a sound track reminiscent of a Hitchcock movie. The movie also has a black humour to it as Ganz and Hopper bungle their way through the murderous business of doing away with various criminals. The second train sequence for example is an absolute hoot and you could easily be watching a Tarintino movie. Overall, this is one of my favourite films and while it is certainly quirky it stands out as being rather unique.