The American Friend

AN EXISTENTIAL thriller based on Patricia Highsmith's novel Ripley's Game. Jonathan Zimmermann is a calm, peaceful craftsman who builds picture frames. Tom Ripley is a mysterious American, home base in Hamburg, who supports himself with embezzlement and murder. Ripley fools the confused Jonathan to join him in an international ring, dealing with forged paintings._
Comment:
THE AMERICAN FRIEND IS A FILM that was directed by the celebrated Wim Wenders, starring myself and Bruno Ganz. I flew directly from the Philippines to Germany after finishing Apocalypse Now, got off the plane, got a haircut, and was playing Ripley in The American Frimd. It was the first time that Germany ever got worldwide distribution out of their country after the second World War. The German School was soon to follow, We opened the New York Film Festival. Wim Wenders used seven different directors, myself being one, as actors in the movie. It is my favorite starring role, and Wim Wenders my favorite director. _
DENNIS HOPPER

Orig. title
Der amerikanische Freund: Cast
Bruno Ganz, Dennis Hopper, Sam Fuller: Producer
Renée Otto-Gundelach: Script
Wim Wenders: Cinematography
Robby Müller: Music
Jurgen Kneiper: Spoken language
German, English