The American Soldier (Der amerikanische Soldat) (1970)

80% of critics liked it
(10 reviews)
63% of users liked it
(421 ratings)

American Soldier (originally Der Amerikanische Soldat) was the third of Rainer Werner Fassbinder's "gangster trilogy." The film stars Karl Scheid as a German/American Vietnam veteran who takes a job as a hired assassin on behalf of the Munich crime lords. Scheid works both sides of the fence when… More American Soldier (originally Der Amerikanische Soldat) was the third of Rainer Werner Fassbinder's "gangster trilogy." The film stars Karl Scheid as a German/American Vietnam veteran who takes a job as a hired assassin on behalf of the Munich crime lords. Scheid works both sides of the fence when three policemen engage him to knock off some awkward malcontents. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: Unrated, 1 hr. 20 min.
Directed By: Rainer Werner Fassbinder
Written By: Rainer Werner Fassbinder
Genres: Art House & International, Drama

In Theaters: Jan 29, 1976 Wide
On DVD: Nov 19, 2002

Critic Reviews

Vincent Canby, New York Times
The film has a languorous, dreamlike pace, a feeling of slow motion.
Dave Kehr, Chicago Reader
This is Fassbinder before he froze up as a Douglas Sirk impersonator: a real punk movie, full of wonderfully half-baked ideas.
Fernando F. Croce, CinePassion
The phantoms of Old Germany are everywhere
Keith Uhlich, House Next Door
As Billy Wilder turned a crumbling Berlin into a slapstick, satirical playground in One, Two, Three, so Fassbinder offers up The American Soldier's Munich as a monochrome city of sadness.
, TV Guide's Movie Guide
It is not as strong or as developed as his later masterpieces, but it is well worth seeing.
Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews
It's a strange film noir, but its unyielding manic mood, unpredictability and boldness cover up some of its incomprehensible moments.
Christopher Null, Filmcritic.com
doesn't really fit the Fassbinder oeuvre

Read all 7 critic reviews

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Featured Audience Ratings

Anthony L

The American Soldier is probably the most visually impressive of Fassbinder's early films. The opening credits of Gods of the Plague are the coolest opening credits I've ever seen and here, he's taken the same technique and made a whole film in the same style. The end… More
The American Soldier is probably the most visually impressive of Fassbinder's early films. The opening credits of Gods of the Plague are the coolest opening credits I've ever seen and here, he's taken the same technique and made a whole film in the same style. The end 'Showdown' scene is just as good as Clint Eastwood's A fist full of Dollars 'Show-down' or Battleship Potemkin's famous pram on the stairs scene. Absolutely mesmerising. Much like his other early films, this is terribly underrated and sparsely seen, do yourself a favour and check out Fassbinder's work!