Always yearning for success in the theatre, James converted The American to a play in the early 1890s for the British actor-manager Edward Compton. This dramatic version altered the original novel severely, and even ended happily to please theatre-goers. The play was produced in London and other English cities, and enjoyed moderate success.
The Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) produced a television film version of The American in 1998, directed by Paul Unwin and starring Matthew Modine as Christopher Newman, Diana Rigg as Madame de Bellegarde, and Aisling O'Sullivan as Claire De Cintré. Michael Hastings wrote the script, which deviates significantly from James's text, including sexual scenes between Newman and Noémie and between Valentin and Noémie.
