{"id":85363,"date":"2022-07-11T17:58:58","date_gmt":"2022-07-12T00:58:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=85363"},"modified":"2022-07-11T23:44:05","modified_gmt":"2022-07-12T06:44:05","slug":"american-friend-the-1977","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=85363","title":{"rendered":"American Friend, The (1977)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>&#8220;I would like to be your friend. But friendship isn&#8217;t possible.&#8221;<\/strong><\/p>\n<table>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/American-Friend-Poster.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/American-Friend-Poster-213x300.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"213\" height=\"300\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-85364\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/American-Friend-Poster-213x300.png 213w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/American-Friend-Poster-91x128.png 91w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/American-Friend-Poster-192x270.png 192w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/American-Friend-Poster.png 631w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 213px) 100vw, 213px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Synopsis:<\/strong><br \/>\nWhen Swiss frame-maker Jonathan Zimmerman (Bruno Ganz) meets art broker Tom Ripley (Dennis Hopper) at an auction sale of a painting made by a presumably-dead American artist (Nicholas Ray), he finds himself unexpectedly caught up in a dangerous plan to assassinate a couple of Mafia-wanted men.\n<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p>\n<strong>Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Bruno Ganz Films<\/li>\n<li>Dennis Hopper Films<\/li>\n<li>Friendship<\/li>\n<li>Hit Men<\/li>\n<li>German Films<\/li>\n<li>Mafia<\/li>\n<li>Wim Wenders Films<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Response to Peary&#8217;s Review: <\/strong><br \/>\nAs Peary writes, &#8220;Wim Wenders&#8217;s dazzling psychological thriller, adapted from <em>Ripley&#8217;s Game<\/em> by Patricia Highsmith, was the first film of [the] West German film renaissance to be truly accessible to American audiences,&#8221; given that &#8220;the colors are splashy rather than subdued&#8221;:<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/American-Friend-Subway-Hats.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/American-Friend-Subway-Hats-1024x616.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"385\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-85394\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/American-Friend-Subway-Hats-1024x616.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/American-Friend-Subway-Hats-300x181.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/American-Friend-Subway-Hats-128x77.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/American-Friend-Subway-Hats-768x462.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/American-Friend-Subway-Hats-449x270.png 449w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/American-Friend-Subway-Hats.png 1221w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&#8230; &#8220;there are references to familiar English-language rock songs; the picture is set partly in America, and English is the dominant language; Dennis Hopper (as Tom Ripley) co-stars&#8221;:<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/American-Friend-Hopper2.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/American-Friend-Hopper2-1024x605.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"378\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-85391\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/American-Friend-Hopper2-1024x605.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/American-Friend-Hopper2-300x177.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/American-Friend-Hopper2-128x76.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/American-Friend-Hopper2-768x454.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/American-Friend-Hopper2-457x270.png 457w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/American-Friend-Hopper2.png 1237w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&#8230; &#8220;and supporting parts are played by well-known American director Sam Fuller (as a Mafia man)&#8221;: <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/American-Friend-Fuller-1.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/American-Friend-Fuller-1-1024x605.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"378\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-85383\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/American-Friend-Fuller-1-1024x605.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/American-Friend-Fuller-1-300x177.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/American-Friend-Fuller-1-128x76.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/American-Friend-Fuller-1-768x454.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/American-Friend-Fuller-1-457x270.png 457w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/American-Friend-Fuller-1.png 1231w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&#8230; &#8220;and Nicholas Ray (as the supposedly dead artist whose paintings Ripley sells).&#8221; <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/American-Friend-Ray3.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/American-Friend-Ray3-1024x612.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"383\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-85381\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/American-Friend-Ray3-1024x612.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/American-Friend-Ray3-300x179.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/American-Friend-Ray3-128x77.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/American-Friend-Ray3-768x459.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/American-Friend-Ray3-452x270.png 452w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/American-Friend-Ray3.png 1213w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Peary points out that &#8220;Wenders&#8217;s sharply edited action sequences are influenced by Fuller,&#8221; while &#8220;his use of the frame as an arena for tension and to expose character isolation was influenced by Ray.&#8221; <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/American-Friend-Cornered.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/American-Friend-Cornered-1024x610.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"381\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-85399\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/American-Friend-Cornered-1024x610.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/American-Friend-Cornered-300x179.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/American-Friend-Cornered-128x76.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/American-Friend-Cornered-768x458.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/American-Friend-Cornered-453x270.png 453w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/American-Friend-Cornered.png 1230w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>However, he adds that &#8220;the storyline and characters&#8230; are most reminiscent of Hitchcock, specifically <a href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=7314\"><em>Strangers on a Train<\/em><\/a> &#8212; which was also based on a Highsmith novel.&#8221; <\/p>\n<p>Peary describes the film&#8217;s complex plot as follows in <em>GFTFF<\/em>: &#8220;In Germany to sell a painting, Ripley is slighted by Jonathan (Bruno Ganz), a simple Swiss frame-maker, who won&#8217;t shake his hand because of his shady reputation.&#8221; <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/American-Friend-Handshake.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/American-Friend-Handshake-1024x609.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"381\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-85379\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/American-Friend-Handshake-1024x609.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/American-Friend-Handshake-300x178.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/American-Friend-Handshake-128x76.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/American-Friend-Handshake-768x457.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/American-Friend-Handshake-454x270.png 454w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/American-Friend-Handshake.png 1217w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Insulted, Ripley secretly recommends Jonathan to a rich criminal friend (G\u00e9rard Blain) who is looking for a non-criminal to assassinate Mafia men.&#8221; <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/American-Friend-Blain3.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/American-Friend-Blain3-1024x613.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"383\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-85382\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/American-Friend-Blain3-1024x613.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/American-Friend-Blain3-300x180.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/American-Friend-Blain3-128x77.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/American-Friend-Blain3-768x460.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/American-Friend-Blain3-451x270.png 451w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/American-Friend-Blain3.png 1225w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Knowing Jonathan has leukemia, Tom starts a rumor that he is no longer in remission. Soon Jonathan believes he is about to die&#8221; and, &#8220;wanting to leave money to [his] wife and child after his death, he is talked into committing the crimes &#8212; although he has never done an incorrect act in his life. Meanwhile he and Tom become friends, while his marriage to Marianne (a fine performance by Lisa Kreuzer, Wenders&#8217;s wife) deteriorates because of his lies about his activities.&#8221; <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/American-Friend-Family.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/American-Friend-Family-1024x610.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"381\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-85390\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/American-Friend-Family-1024x610.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/American-Friend-Family-300x179.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/American-Friend-Family-128x76.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/American-Friend-Family-768x457.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/American-Friend-Family-453x270.png 453w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/American-Friend-Family.png 1221w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Peary points out that while &#8220;conscience, guilt, and morality based on a religious code were important to Highsmith,&#8221; &#8220;Wenders doesn&#8217;t deal with these themes&#8221; &#8212; instead, &#8220;as his world has no God, he is concerned with existential themes (depressed Ripley worries that his meaningless life is endless; depressed Jonathan fears his life will soon be over) and male bonding and friendship between opposites.&#8221; <\/p>\n<p>Indeed, both men could be viewed as &#8220;aliens <em>in<\/em> their respective environments&#8221;, given that &#8220;Tom admires Jonathan&#8217;s stable family life, while Jonathan admires Tom&#8217;s freedom from family responsibilities and his criminal activities&#8221; and is &#8220;appreciative that Tom helps him engage in excitement.&#8221; <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/American-Friend-Ganz-Hopper.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/American-Friend-Ganz-Hopper-1024x604.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"378\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-85398\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/American-Friend-Ganz-Hopper-1024x604.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/American-Friend-Ganz-Hopper-300x177.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/American-Friend-Ganz-Hopper-128x76.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/American-Friend-Ganz-Hopper-768x453.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/American-Friend-Ganz-Hopper-457x270.png 457w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/American-Friend-Ganz-Hopper.png 1225w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Peary&#8217;s assessment &#8212; including his additional musings in <em>Cult Movies 2<\/em>, where he discusses the film in further detail &#8212; accurately sums up this often enigmatic thriller, which gets dark quickly but remains highly engaging throughout. We can&#8217;t stop watching Ganz as he spirals into increasingly violent situations, knowing that one way or another, he&#8217;s doomed. <\/p>\n<p><strong>Notable Performances, Qualities, and Moments: <\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Bruno Ganz as Jonathan Zimmermann<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/American-Friend-Ganz6.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/American-Friend-Ganz6-1024x606.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"379\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-85380\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/American-Friend-Ganz6-1024x606.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/American-Friend-Ganz6-300x177.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/American-Friend-Ganz6-128x76.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/American-Friend-Ganz6-768x454.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/American-Friend-Ganz6-456x270.png 456w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/American-Friend-Ganz6.png 1229w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>Dennis Hopper as Tom Ripley<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/American-Friend-Hopper-2.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/American-Friend-Hopper-2-1024x616.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"385\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-85388\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/American-Friend-Hopper-2-1024x616.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/American-Friend-Hopper-2-300x181.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/American-Friend-Hopper-2-128x77.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/American-Friend-Hopper-2-768x462.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/American-Friend-Hopper-2-449x270.png 449w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/American-Friend-Hopper-2.png 1221w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>Lisa Kreuzer as Marianne Zimmermann<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/American-Friend-Kreuzer.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/American-Friend-Kreuzer-1024x613.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"383\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-85385\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/American-Friend-Kreuzer-1024x613.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/American-Friend-Kreuzer-300x180.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/American-Friend-Kreuzer-128x77.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/American-Friend-Kreuzer-768x460.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/American-Friend-Kreuzer-451x270.png 451w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/American-Friend-Kreuzer.png 1223w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>Robby M\u00fcller&#8217;s cinematography<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/American-Friend-Gold-Leaf.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/American-Friend-Gold-Leaf-1024x606.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"379\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-85386\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/American-Friend-Gold-Leaf-1024x606.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/American-Friend-Gold-Leaf-300x178.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/American-Friend-Gold-Leaf-128x76.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/American-Friend-Gold-Leaf-768x455.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/American-Friend-Gold-Leaf-456x270.png 456w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/American-Friend-Gold-Leaf.png 1225w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>Good use of location shooting<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/American-Friend-Location.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/American-Friend-Location-1024x608.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"380\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-85387\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/American-Friend-Location-1024x608.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/American-Friend-Location-300x178.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/American-Friend-Location-128x76.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/American-Friend-Location-768x456.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/American-Friend-Location-454x270.png 454w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/American-Friend-Location.png 1227w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>J\u00fcrgen Knieper&#8217;s score<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Must See? <\/strong><br \/>\nYes, as a foreign classic. <\/p>\n<p><strong>Categories<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Foreign Gem<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p> (<span style=\"color:red;font-weight:bold;\">Listed in <a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/reviews\/?page_id=1458\"><em>1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die<\/em><\/a><\/span>) <\/p>\n<p><strong>Links: <\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.imdb.com\/title\/tt0075675\/\">IMDb entry<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/scrapsfromtheloft.com\/movies\/the-american-friend-pauline-kael\/\">Pauline Kael&#8217;s Review (New Yorker)<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2016\/02\/14\/movies\/homevideo\/wim-wenderss-the-american-friend.html?_r=0\">NY Times DVD Review<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dvdtalk.com\/dvdsavant\/s708friend.html\">DVD Savant Review<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tcm.com\/tcmdb\/title\/67233\/the-american-friend#articles-reviews?articleId=1427203\">TCM Article<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;I would like to be your friend. But friendship isn&#8217;t possible.&#8221; Synopsis: When Swiss frame-maker Jonathan Zimmerman (Bruno Ganz) meets art broker Tom Ripley (Dennis Hopper) at an auction sale of a painting made by a presumably-dead American artist (Nicholas Ray), he finds himself unexpectedly caught up in a dangerous plan to assassinate a couple of Mafia-wanted men. Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors: Bruno Ganz Films Dennis Hopper Films Friendship Hit Men German Films Mafia Wim Wenders Films Response to&#8230;<\/p>\n<p class=\"read-more\"><a class=\"btn btn-default\" href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=85363\"> Read More<span class=\"screen-reader-text\">  Read More<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-85363","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-responses-to-peary"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t<!-- All in One SEO 4.9.9 - aioseo.com -->\n\t<meta name=\"description\" content=\"&quot;I would like to be your friend. 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