The American Friend
Tom Ripley, an American who deals in forged art, is slighted at an auction in Hamburg by picture framer Jonathan Zimmerman. When Ripley is asked by gangster Raoul Minot to kill a rival, he suggests Zimmerman, and the two, exploiting Zimmerman's terminal illness, coerce him into being a hitman.
Where to watch The American Friend in United States
Can I watch The American Friend in United States? The American Friend isn't on subscription streaming in United States right now, but you can rent or buy it on Amazon Video and Apple TV Store.
Amazon Video
Apple TV Store
Fandango At HomeClick a service to open The American Friend there. Availability last verified on October 20, 2026.
Where is The American Friend streaming around the world?
| Country | Streaming on | Rent / Buy |
|---|---|---|
| United States | — | Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Fandango At Home |
| United Kingdom | Curzon Amazon Channel | Apple TV Store, Curzon Home Cinema, YouTube |
| Canada | — | Apple TV Store |
| Germany | Amazon Arthaus Channel, Arthaus+ Apple TV channel, Arthaus+ | Apple TV Store, Amazon Video, maxdome Store |
| France | — | Orange VOD, Canal VOD, Sooner |
| Spain | Amazon Prime Video, Acontra Plus, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, Tivify | Apple TV Store, Acontra Plus |
| Brazil | Oldflix | — |
| Japan | U-NEXT | — |
About The American Friend
The American Friend is a 1977 German-language drama, thriller and crime film directed by Wim Wenders. The cast is led by Dennis Hopper, Bruno Ganz, Lisa Kreuzer. It has a runtime of 2h 5m. Viewers rate it 7.1/10 across 500 ratings. In United States, it is available to rent or buy on Amazon Video and Apple TV Store.
The American Friend was produced by Road Movies, Wim Wenders Productions, and Les Films du Losange and made in France and Germany. It was released on June 24, 1977, and carries a NR certification.
- Director
- Wim Wenders
- Writers
- Wim Wenders
- Release date
- June 24, 1977
- Original language
- German
- Age rating
- NR
- Status
- Released
- Country
- France, Germany
- Production
- Road Movies, Wim Wenders Productions, Les Films du Losange
The American Friend cast & crew
The American Friend was directed by Wim Wenders and written by Wim Wenders.
The cast features Dennis Hopper as Tom Ripley, Bruno Ganz as Jonathan Zimmermann, Lisa Kreuzer as Marianne Zimmermann, Gérard Blain as Raoul Minot, Nicholas Ray as Andrew Pogash Derwatt, and Samuel Fuller as The American.
Behind the camera, the score was composed by Jürgen Knieper, cinematography is by Robby Müller, and it was produced by Renée Gundelach and Joachim von Mengershausen.
Is The American Friend worth watching?
The American Friend holds an audience score of 7.1/10 from 465 ratings, marking it as well-reviewed drama films.
At 2h 5m, it's a standard feature-length watch.
If you enjoy drama, thriller, and crime, The American Friend is worth a place on your watchlist.
How and where to watch The American Friend
The American Friend isn't on a subscription service in United States right now, but you can rent or buy it on Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, and Fandango At Home.
Streaming rights change country by country and month by month, so the options above reflect United States today — switch your country at the top of the where-to-watch section to see availability elsewhere.
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Cast of The American Friend
Dennis Hopper
Tom Ripley
Bruno Ganz
Jonathan Zimmermann
Lisa Kreuzer
Marianne Zimmermann
Gérard Blain
Raoul Minot
Nicholas Ray
Andrew Pogash Derwatt
Samuel Fuller
The American
Peter Lilienthal
Marcangelo
Daniel Schmid
Samuel Igraham
Sandy Whitelaw
Doctor in Paris
Jean Eustache
Friendly Man
Lou Castel
Rodolphe
Andreas Dedecke
Daniel Zimmermann
The American Friend — FAQs
▸Where can I watch The American Friend in United States?
The American Friend is not on subscription streaming in United States right now, but you can rent or buy it on Amazon Video and Apple TV Store and Fandango At Home.
▸What language is The American Friend in?
The American Friend is originally in German, with audio tracks including English, French, German. Subtitle and dub options vary by streaming service.
▸How long is The American Friend?
The American Friend runs 2 hours 5 minutes (125 minutes).
▸What is The American Friend rated?
The American Friend is rated NR. It holds a 7.1/10 audience score from 465 ratings.
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