The Conversation (1974)

Director:

Francis Ford Coppola

Writer:

Francis Ford Coppola (written by)

Release Date:

1974 (Japan)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Mystery | Thriller

Tagline:

Harry Caul is an invader of privacy. The best in the business. He can record any conversation between two people anywhere. So far, three people are dead because of him.

Plot:

A paranoid and personally-secretive surveillance expert has a crisis of conscience when he suspects that a couple he is spying on will be murdered. |

Plot Keywords:

Surveillance | Hotel Room | Neo Noir | Paranoia | Sound

Awards:

Nominated for 3 Oscars. Another 11 wins & 11 nominations

Cast

Gene Hackman	...	Harry Caul
John Cazale	...	Stan
Allen Garfield	...	William P. 'Bernie' Moran
Frederic Forrest	...	Mark
Cindy Williams	...	Ann
Michael Higgins	...	Paul
Elizabeth MacRae	...	Meredith
Teri Garr	...	Amy Fredericks
Harrison Ford	...	Martin Stett
Mark Wheeler	...	Receptionist
Robert Shields	...	The Mime
Phoebe Alexander	...	Lurleen

Runtime:

113 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono | Dolby Digital (restored version)

Certification:

Spain:18 | Portugal:M/12 | South Korea:15 | Brazil:14 | Australia:M | Finland:K-16 | Ireland:15 | Norway:16 | Singapore:PG | Sweden:15 | UK:12 (re-rating) (2002) | UK:15 (video rating) (1988) | UK:AA (original rating) | USA:PG | West Germany:16

Filming Locations:

Alamo Square, Hayes Valley, San Francisco, California, USA

Company:

American Zoetrope

Trivia:

Gene Hackman learned to play the saxophone especially for the film.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: Harry is offered a cookie by Martin Stett, Harry declines. He does pick one up from Stett's desk but drops it back in the bowl again. After Stett picks up the tapes we see Harry walk back to the desk holding a cookie from nowhere and drops the cookie in the bowl before taking back the tapes.

Quotes:

[repeated line from the recording]
Mark: He'd kill us if he got the chance.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Easy Riders, Raging Bulls: How the Sex, Drugs and Rock 'N' Roll Generation Saved Hollywood (2003)

Soundtrack:

Bill Bailey Won't You Please Come Home

Paranoia and alienation.

The Conversation is a quiet film that slowly builds on the central theme of paranoia. Gene Hackman is hired to record a conversation between two people. As Hackman pieces the dialouge together, we get to hear more and more of what's being said. Only thing is, we don't know exactly what is being referred to. Hackman seems to have an idea, as does the audience. As he starts to realize what's at stake, Hackman starts to develop a feeling of regret and refuses to hand over the tapes to the "director." Along the way, we see just how alone Gene Hackman's character is. His only solace in life is playing the saxaphone along with jazz records. He values his privacy and has trouble connecting with people, even members of his own team. Francis Ford Coppola keeps the story moving and lets it build naturally. He gives us glimpses into Hackman's mind as he "thinks" he knows what's going to happen to the people he recorded. The only way to see what happens in the end is to watch this quiet masterpiece. To tell about the ending would ruin the fun, not to mention the suspence of this understated thriller.