The American Friend
Directed by Wim Wenders • 1977 • Germany
Starring Dennis Hopper, Bruno Ganz
Wim Wenders pays loving homage to rough-and-tumble Hollywood film noir with THE AMERICAN FRIEND, a loose adaptation of Patricia Highsmith’s novel “Ripley’s Game.” Dennis Hopper oozes quirky menace as an amoral American art dealer who entangles a terminally ill German everyman, played by Bruno Ganz, in a seedy criminal underworld as revenge for a personal slight, but when the two become embroiled in an ever-deepening murder plot, they form an unlikely bond. Filmed on location in Hamburg and Paris, with some scenes shot in grimy, late-seventies New York City, Wenders’ international breakout is a stripped-down crime story that mixes West German and American film flavors, and it features cameos by filmmakers Jean Eustache, Samuel Fuller, and Nicholas Ray.
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The American Friend
Directed by Wim Wenders • 1977 • Germany
Starring Dennis Hopper, Bruno GanzWim Wenders pays loving homage to rough-and-tumble Hollywood film noir with THE AMERICAN FRIEND, a loose adaptation of Patricia Highsmith’s novel “Ripley’s Game.” Dennis Hopper oozes quirky menace as an amoral American a...
Extras
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THE AMERICAN FRIEND Commentary
This audio commentary, recorded in 2002, features director Wim Wenders and actor Dennis Hopper.
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Wim Wenders Interview
This interview with filmmaker Wim Wenders was recorded in 2024.
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Wim Wenders on THE AMERICAN FRIEND
This interview with director Wim Wenders was conducted in New York in September 2015.
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Bruno Ganz on THE AMERICAN FRIEND
The following interview with actor Bruno Ganz was conducted in Zurich in September 2015.
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Bill Hader on THE AMERICAN FRIEND
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THE AMERICAN FRIEND Deleted Scenes
Presented here are thirty-five minutes of deleted scenes from THE AMERICAN FRIEND.
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THE AMERICAN FRIEND Deleted Scenes with Commentary
The following thirty-five minutes of deleted scenes from THE AMERICAN FRIEND are presented with audio commentary by director Wim Wenders.
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THE AMERICAN FRIEND Original Trailer
