The 2002 version of '' The Quiet American '' , in contrast to the earlier 1958 film version , depicted Greene 's original ending and treatment of the principal American character , Pyle . Like the novel , the film illustrates Pyle 's moral culpability in arranging terrorist actions aimed at the French colonial government and the Viet Minh . Going beyond Greene 's original work , the film used a montage ending with superimposed images of American soldiers from the intervening decades of the Vietnam War . Miramax paid $ 5.5 million for the rights to distribute the film in North America and some other territories , but it shelved the film for a year due to the September 11 attacks and the film 's " unpatriotic " message . The film finally received an Oscar qualification release in November 2002 and went on to gross US$ 12.9 million in limited theatrical release in the United States . The film received positive reviews from critics and Michael Caine was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor
September 11 attacks
September 11 attacks
The Quiet American (2002 film)