The Conversation (1974)

Director:

Francis Ford Coppola

Writer:

Francis Ford Coppola (written by)

Release Date:

1974 (Japan)

Genre:

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:

Recording | Surveillance | Saxophone | Eavesdropping | Hotel

Awards:

Nominated for 3 Oscars. Another 13 wins & 11 nominations

Cast

Gene Hackman	...	Harry Caul
John Cazale	...	Stan
Allen Garfield	...	Bernie Moran
Frederic Forrest	...	Mark
Cindy Williams	...	Ann
Michael Higgins	...	Paul
Elizabeth MacRae	...	Meredith (as Elizabeth Mac Rae)
Teri Garr	...	Amy
Harrison Ford	...	Martin Stett
Mark Wheeler	...	Receptionist
Robert Shields	...	The Mime
Phoebe Alexander	...	Lurleen
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Ramon Bieri	...	Man at Party (uncredited)
Gian-Carlo Coppola	...	Boy in Church (uncredited)
Robert Duvall	...	The Director (uncredited)
Richard Hackman	...	Confessional Priest / Security Guard (uncredited)
George Meyer	...	Salesman (uncredited)
Al Nalbandian	...	Salesman at Surveilance Convention (uncredited)
Billy Dee Williams	...	Man in Yellow Hat (uncredited)

Directed by
Francis Ford Coppola

Writing credits
Francis Ford Coppola		(written by)

Produced by
Francis Ford Coppola	....	producer
Fred Roos	....	co-producer
Mona Skager	....	associate producer

Original Music by
David Shire		(music)

Cinematography by
Bill Butler		(director of photography) (uncredited)
Haskell Wexler		(director of photography) (uncredited)

Film Editing by
Richard Chew

Casting by
Jennifer Shull

Production Design by
Dean Tavoularis

Set Decoration by
Doug von Koss		(set decoration) (as Doug Van Koss)

Costume Design by
Aggie Guerard Rodgers		(costumer)

Production Management
Clark L. Paylow	....	production manager (as Clark Paylow)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Charles Myers	....	assistant director (as Chuck Myers)
Paul J. Crossey	....	dga trainee (uncredited)

Art Department
Ted Moehnke	....	property master

Sound Department
Nathan Boxer	....	production recordist (as Nat Boxer)
Michael Evje	....	production recordist (as Mike Evje)
Walter Murch	....	sound montage
Walter Murch	....	sound re-recordist
Art Rochester	....	production recordist
Howard Beals	....	sound effects editor (uncredited)
Walter Murch	....	sound editor (uncredited)

Stunts
Buddy Joe Hooker	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Joe Dunnigan	....	gaffer
Doug Finn	....	gaffer
Ralph Gerling	....	camera operator
James Glennon	....	assistant cameraman (as Jim Glennon)
Keith Mason	....	key grip
Robert Edesa	....	assistant camera (uncredited)
Brian Hamill	....	still photographer: special assignment (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Walter Murch	....	supervising editor
Julie Zale	....	assistant editor
Donald Freeman	....	final colorist (uncredited)

Music Department
Justin Gordon	....	musician: saxophone for Gene Hackman (uncredited)

Other crew
Jim Bloom	....	administrative assistant
Randy Carter	....	administrative assistant
Wayne Fitzgerald	....	title
Nancy Hopton	....	script supervisor (as Nancy Tonery)
Mona Houghton	....	administrative assistant
Leo Jones	....	technical advisor
Hal Lipset	....	technical advisor
Pat Smith	....	production secretary
Alex Tavoularis	....	location coordinator
Lawrence Bridges	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Martin Kaiser	....	technical advisor (uncredited)
Joe Roth	....	production assistant (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Directors Company, The (presents)
• The Coppola Company (as A Coppola Company Production)
• American Zoetrope (through the facilities of)
• Paramount Pictures

Distributors

• Paramount Pictures (1974) (USA) (theatrical) (as Paramount) (A Gulf+Western Company)
• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1978) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• Buena Vista Home Entertainment (2005) (UK) (DVD)
• Buena Vista Home Entertainment (2004) (Italy) (DVD)
• CIC Vídeo (Brazil) (video)
• CIC-Taft Home Video
• Carlotta Films (2000) (France) (re-release)
• Manga Films (2004) (Spain) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Intrada  score album released by (limited edition) (uncredited)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

113 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono | Dolby Digital (restored version)

Certification:

Spain:18 | Portugal:M/12 | South Korea:15 | Brazil:14 | Argentina:13 | 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 (PCA #23756) | West Germany:16

Filming Locations:

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

Company:

Directors Company, The

Trivia:

David Shire's original music was composed prior to production and played for the actors prior to their scenes to get them into the proper moods.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Harry Caul is in the elevator, you see the woman come in and three buttons are pushed. After stopping on a floor, a cut back to the shot of the woman and only one button remains lit whereas two should still be lit.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Passerby:Well, I want to go over to my place and start, you know, getting it on...
Ann:Oh, that's terrible.
Mark:Yeah. Do you ever, uh... ballet?
Ann:Be thankful. Do you have a quarter for them?
Mark:Yes, I do.
Ann:[gives it to street band]
Ann:What about me?
Mark:You'll see.
Ann:A lot of fun you are. You're supposed to tease me, give hints, make me guess, you know.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Dean Tavoularis, le magicien d'Hollywood (2003)

Soundtrack:

Take Five

One of the 1970s best!

'The Conversation' sadly doesn't get mentioned as much as Coppola's other (more flamboyant) seventies movies ('The Godfather' parts one and two, 'Apocalypse Now'), even though it as good as, if not better than the aforementioned. In fact if someone argued that this was his greatest achievement as a director, I would be hard pressed to disagree.

'The Conversation' bears many similarities to Antonioni's 'Blowup', another superb movie that requires multiple viewings to really appreciate. Both movies are very much of their time, and therefore 'The Conversation' is fuelled by the keywords of the decade it was made in - paranoia and deceit. The other main difference between the two movies it that 'The Conversation' is not only a head trip but also a taut and suspenseful thriller. Post Simpson/Bruckheimer audiences may not have the attention spans to appreciate it, but that is their failing, not this movie's.

Gene Hackman gives one of the finest performances of his career here as the complex and troubled surveillance expert Harry Caul, one that is possibly rivaled only by his too little seen gem 'Scarecrow'. And the supporting cast is first rate, and includes the late John Cazale, a favourite of Coppola's, Harrison Ford, Frederick Forrest, Cindy Williams, Teri Garr, and (an uncredited) Robert Duvall. Last but not least a superb turn from the underrated Allen Garfield, an actor who has appeared in many odd movies, from 'Get To Know Your Rabbit' to 'Destiny Turns On The Radio'. He is dynamite here, in a role originally intended for the legendary Timothy Carey, as a pushy rival bugging expert.

'The Conversation' is hypnotic, multi-layered and haunting. See it whatever you do.