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Gene Hackman, John Cazale, Allen Garfield, Frederic Forrest, Cindy Williams ... see more see more... , Teri Garr , Harrison Ford , Phoebe Alexander , Timothy Carey , Michael Higgins , Elizabeth MacRae , Robert Shields , Mark Wheeler , Robert Duvall

Made between The Godfather (1972) and The Godfather Part II (1974), and in part an homage to Michelangelo Antonioni's art-movie classic Blow-Up (1966), The Conversation was a return to small-scale art... read more read more... films for Francis Ford Coppola. Sound surveillance expert Harry Caul (Gene Hackman) is hired to track a young couple (Cindy Williams and Frederic Forrest), taping their conversation as they walk through San Francisco's crowded Union Square. Knowing full well how technology can invade privacy, Harry obsessively keeps to himself, separating business from his personal life, even refusing to discuss what he does or where he lives with his girlfriend, Amy (Teri Garr). Harry's work starts to trouble him, however, as he comes to believe that the conversation he pieced together reveals a plot by the mysterious corporate "Director" who hired him to murder the couple. After he allows himself to be seduced by a call girl, who then steals the tapes, Harry is all the more convinced that a killing will occur, and he can no longer separate his job from his conscience. Coppola, cinematographer Bill Butler, and Oscar-nominated sound editor Walter Murch convey the narrative through Harry's aural and visual experience, beginning with the slow opening zoom of Union Square accompanied by the alternately muddled and clear sound of the couple's conversation caught by Harry's microphones. The Godfather Part II and The Conversation earned Coppola a rare pair of Oscar nominations for Best Picture, as well as two nominations for Best Screenplay (The Godfather Part II won both). Praised by critics, The Conversation was not a popular hit, but it has since come to be seen as one of the artistic high points of the decade, as well as of Coppola's career. Its atmosphere of paranoia and suspicion, combined with its obsessive loner antihero, made it prototypical of the darker "American art movies" of the early '70s, as its audiotape storyline also made it seem eerily appropriate for the era of the Watergate scandal. ~ Lucia Bozzola, Rovi

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PG, 1 hr. 53 min.

Directed by: Francis Ford Coppola

Release Date: April 7, 1974

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DVD Release Date: December 12, 2000

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Flixster Reviews (2,005)

  • mumby1988
    April 28, 2013
    mumby1988
    The 1970s was the decade in which Francis Ford Coppola could not fail. The Godfather and its sequel both won him Best Picture at the Oscars, and at the end of the decade he pulled Apocalypse Now out of the mire and made it a masterpiece. Nestled in between these films is The Conv... read moreersation, nominated for Best Picture alongside The Godfather Part II but somewhat overlooked ever since. While it might not quite meet their epic standards or match their lofty ambitions, it remains a haunting character study and a great, slow-burning psychological thriller.

    What marks The Conversation out from Coppola's other words of the period, and from its other contemporaries, is its understatement. Everything about the film is methodical and reserved: the way it is assembled, and shot, and edited, every aspect coils neatly around the central narrative like a tightly-wound spool of tape. All of the main performers are dialling down, resisting any urge to raise their voice or give a bigger reaction than the slightest twitch or glance. Even John Cazale, the loose cannon in Godfather II, holds back from letting off any steam.

    The film is first and foremost Gene Hackman's piece. He is brilliant in the central role, a complete contrast from his commanding performance as Popeye Doyle three years earlier. He shrinks into the role just as Russell Crowe does in Michael Mann's The Insider, hiding behind the glasses like they were blinds on a window, and wearing the mac like a suit of armour.

    Hackman's genius with the character lies in how he makes him seem completely natural. Harry Caul is a man who rarely lets his guard down, taking extensive precautions over every part of his life. The obvious trap for any actor to fall into is to play every such precaution as a conscious thought; this would result in the performance becoming that of an actor thinking about what to do, and it would quickly become jarring. Hackman, on the other hand, allows Caul's obsessive nature to wash over him - he acts like he isn't aware of it, which in turn makes it natural for the character.

    The Conversation is a film about loneliness and isolation, driven by a character that revels and specialises in both these things. Coppola explores the various conflicts in Caul between the need for intimacy and the opposing need to keep at arms' length to avoid giving anything away. This is explored on a personal level, in his relationship with his landlord; a business level, in his scenes with Harrison Ford; a sexual level, in his stunted love affair; and a religious level, in his Catholic faith and the moral implications of his work.

    The film also explores how technology intrudes upon our lives and erodes whatever sense of self or personal space we have. It's easy to call it a conspiracy thriller, considering its historical placing around the Watergate scandal, but it's far more of a cautionary tale or moral parable. The society we live in may be more technologically advanced than Caul's, insofar as we have moved on from reel-to-reel tape recorders. But issues surrounding privacy and the manipulation of personal information are still very much at the forefront, making The Conversation feel more than a little prophetic.

    Another big theme in The Conversation is paranoia, contrasting the personal paranoia of Caul with the corporate paranoia of his mysterious employers. Caul's conversations with his competitors are immensely terse and evasive: they all work in the same industry, but Caul won't reveal any of his secrets. We aren't sure whether Caul is being delusional as to their true motives, or whether there really is more to them than meets the eye. The moment where Caul finds out he has been bugged at the party is a crushing blow for him: it demonstrates how tragic a figure he is, afraid of everyone and everything, and even more afraid to show it.

    The film reinforces its paranoid atmosphere through its visual choices. The majority of the scenes are in faceless office buildings or empty warehouses - places that are so functional and drab that the tiniest unusual sound or out-of-place detail can deeply unnerve us. Caul always has to go through other people to get what he wants, to the extent that we don't meet "the Director" until the final third of the film.

    It could be argued that Coppola is using this set-up to make a point about the nature of filmmaking. Caul is the actor, who is desperate to give the best performance he can to preserve and further his reputation, and he doesn't take kindly to being lied to or not being paid in the proper manner. The Director is distant and bad-tempered, refusing to speak to the actor directly until the latter's persistence becomes unbearable. The film doesn't dwell on its self-reflexive aspect like Mulholland Drive or Berberian Sound Studio, but it's still an interesting way of looking at it.

    Like the medium itself, The Conversation is a film which follows and magnifies the tiniest details. Its story deals with a plot point that many faster-paced spy thrillers would handle inside of 20 minutes. Because we are not given any idea about the intentions of the Director, we are placed in Caul's position, obsessively scrolling back and forth through the tapes, locating and deciphering hidden meanings. What seems at the start like a normal, innocuous conversation becomes more loaded and ingrained with meaning, and the more we look and listen, the more threat comes out.

    On top of its examination of paranoia, The Conversation also deals with the subject of voyeurism. Caul is a devout Catholic who fears eternal damnation and constantly wrestles over whether his occupation is ethical. He wonders whether his professional eavesdropping is helping people or leading to horrible deaths, remarking during the dream sequence: "I don't fear death; I do fear murder". The deaths of three previous clients haunt Harry: he cannot ever bring himself to absolve himself of what happened, let alone accept the Lord's forgiveness.

    As before, what makes The Conversation interesting in this regard is its restraint. In Blue Velvet, David Lynch explored voyeurism through striking and surreal imagery, intending to pull the viewer straight into a nightmare, under the pretext that they couldn't and cannot look away. Coppola, on the other hand, is more immediately suggestive, surrounding the viewer with the slow-moving and mundane to make the murder all the more shocking.

    Having built up a small cauldron of suspense, the ending of The Conversation is really quite beautiful. After being threatened over the phone by The Director's right-hand man, Caul suspects his apartment has been bugged and promptly tears it apart. When he finds nothing, he sits among the ruins and plays his saxophone, as the camera tracks back and forth and the credits roll. Caul resigns himself to his fate - having worked so hard to avoid detection, only to be bugged anyway, he decides that this is inevitable. Someone is always listening, and sometimes they won't want to hurt you, so the best thing to do is to carry out living and let things take their course.

    The only real flaw with The Conversation is its dream sequence. Having worked so hard and held back for so long, the film shifts to a more Gothic sensibility and gives us a lot of disappointing, expository dialogue. Much like the dream sequence in Alfred Hitchcock's Spellbound, it feels like it has been helmed by another director (and in Hitch's case it was - Salvador Dali supervised the whole thing). It doesn't completely derail the film, but it doesn't bring a great deal to the table either.

    The Conversation is a great slow-burning thriller and one of the best films of Coppola's career. Its story may appear more simple and straightforward than either The Godfather or Apocalypse Now, but it still has a wealth of ideas to intrigue and unnerve the audience. Hackman's performance contains some of his very best work, and he is complimented wonderfully by John Cazale and a rare villainous turn from Harrison Ford. You'll certainly have a lot to talk about afterwards - just be careful where you choose to talk about it.
  • fb619846742
    April 12, 2013
    fb619846742
    A fantastically plotted and acted paranoid thriller which features Gene Hackman's best performance in his highly decorated career as a lonely surveillance pro who finds himself in a dilemma when he suspects the people he is listening in on might be targeted to be killed at some p... read moreoint soon. Francis Ford Coppola had potentially the best movie year of any director ever in the history of cinema, nailing "The Godfather Part II" as well as this splendid piece, which is suspenseful all the way through and fittingly tragic seeing what happens to Hackman's character. A terrific film, and one that should definitely be seen.
  • axadntpron
    November 23, 2012
    axadntpron
    Coppola, the maniacal poster child of the new hollyood era, sure had an exceptional run in the early 1970s. While most would point to the Godfather series as being the pinnacle of his creative endeavors, I would at least like to present exhibit B-The Conversation.

    Although not ... read moreas epic in scope or as poignant as the first two Godfather films, The Conversation is a quiet, powerful look at the paranoid American. As civilization "progresses" and technology improves by leaps and bounds every year, we as a people discover more ways to not only loosen our ties that bind humanity together, but we also become more adept at keeping tabs on our opponents.

    Harry Caul could even be seen as the everyday American in 2012. Technology allows him to be well-versed in the lives of others, but at the end of the day, seldom is known about what makes him tick. He is a shrewd surveillance expert. His hands are not drenched in the blood of others. Yet, his work offers such intrusion into the lives of others, that deep down he knows he is in some ways culpable for the crimes committed because of his life's work.

    What starts as just a well-crafted thriller, evolves into a psychological thriller about the conscience of a man who is so immersed in the minds of his fellow man, that he hasn't yet fully figured out his own.

    These themes are augmented by David Shire's entrancing piano score. It slowly builds tension and really adds to the mental terror experienced by the protagonist. I was really impressed by Hackman's performance as well. Delivering a performance as layered as an onion, and from what I understand, something very different from Hackman's real life personality.

    Maybe I was just starved for something meaty to chew on. But this film helped me realize just how much of a creative force Coppola was in the early 70's.
  • cosmo313
    April 7, 2012
    cosmo313
    I think it's fair to say that Francis Ford Coppola pretty much owned the 70s. In a row he made The Godfather, this film, The Godfather part II, and then a few years later made Apocalypse Now. Not only that, but he co-wrote Patton and produced THX 1138 and American Graffiti. I thi... read morenk I've made my point, especially since all of these films are critically lauded, and deservedly so.

    With this film, we follow Harry Caul, a top surveillance man whose life revolves around his work, which is primarily spying on others. He takes his work very seriously, and has basically no social life. He lives a spartan existence, and in contrast with invading other peoples's privacy, keeps his own life tightly guarded. During a routine wiretapping job, he becomes obsessed with the conversation he is recording, mostly due to misinterpreting the emphasis on certain words he hears. This leads him to try to prevent what seems like an inevitable tragedy, but ultimately finds him way over his head in a situation no one wants to be a part of.

    Taking cues from Antonioni and Watergate, this is a slick, albeit surprisingly low-key and muted psychological paranoid thriller. It's quintessential 70s from the aesthetics, to the style, and the ovrall tone. It's got universal themes, which makes it timeless, but it definitely fits the mold for a typical 70s film, and that's definitely not a bad thing.

    The film is perhaps a tad overrated. I am giving it an extra half star though, because I love the approach and techniques, This is a film where sound (in general, but especially with editing and mixing) is crucial, and this is Example A of how to do this sort of thing right. I would have liked to known more about Harry, and gotten some more penetrating insight into his character, but there's just enough that comes through all the subtlety that I cna't complain too much.

    Hackman is great, and is nondescript look is wonderful. John Cazale once again proves that he was the best character acotr ever, especially since every film he was in during his short career was great, as were his performances. Teri Garr is pretty attractive in a very retro way, and it's fun seeing Ford in a shadowy type of role. There's a nice uncredited cameo that I won't surprise, but the choice is a good one.

    All in all, a fascinating film about guilt, paranoia, and obsession. The style and techniques trump substance, but this is far from a shallow film. As I said, it's just very understated. Sometimes though, this is the best way to do things.
  • garyX
    March 20, 2012
    garyX
    An obsessive surveillance expert becomes convinced that a sound recording he has made could result in the murder of a young couple. The Conversation is a very, very clever film. It's got the kind of intelligent, original "twist in the tale" premise that Christopher Nolan has made... read more his own and technically it's marvellous. A really creative use of sound design and artful direction from Coppola is augmented by an excellent central performance by Hackman making for a film that has much to be admired. The main problem is the detachment and sterility of the subject matter. It's very difficult to warm to such an emotionally cold and compulsive central character and as such it's all a little uninvolving; you can see exactly WHY Coppola made all the creative choices he did but that does not necessarily mean it's an entertaining film to sit through. Very enjoyable on an intellectual level, but light entertainment The Conversation is not.
  • blkbomb
    June 30, 2011
    blkbomb
    Every time I see a great Francis For Coppola movie like The Godfathers, Apocalypse Now, and The Conversation I think how'd this guy make Jack, but I guess that's beside the point. The Conversation is a very slow moving but oddly hypnotizing film. Gene Hackman gives a great low-ke... read morey performance as audio-surveillance expert Harry Caul. The music in this film is perfect for how slow and powerful the plot is. What I love about it, is how what we think we are watching, what we think is obviously going to happen is completely wrong. A truly great film from a great director.
  • fb1341085175
    June 9, 2011
    fb1341085175
    Another great film on paranoia from the best decade for American cinema.
  • danperry17
    May 30, 2011
    danperry17
    My first impulse upon finishing this was to put it back in the DVD player and watch it again. (Which I did, a week later, when I thought I'd had long enough to process and re-approach.) It's a stunningly good movie, and in many ways, it's left me speechless. I've been trying to t... read morehink of what to say about it for about a month, and I'm still not there. If nothing else, I can say that this film makes its money in one clear way, and that's in how it shifts effortlessly from piece to piece of the complicated, dangerous, exceedingly private life of Harry Caul (Gene Hackman) without ever losing the thread of the story. It's a heartfelt character study built on rare, true intrigue, and I think it might be Coppola's best - yes, better than the Godfather! I can see myself watching it over and over again, and puzzling over the details. A timeless masterpiece of a film, required viewing for all.
  • ajv2688
    January 1, 2011
    ajv2688
    Although much of the movie may be quiet and somewhat slow paced, it's really an intense thriller, and very worth watching. I loved this movie, and I highly recommend it.
  • RossCollinsUK
    December 27, 2010
    RossCollinsUK
    What happens when a private surveillance expert suddenly starts getting doubts over the morality of their work. This dry 70s flick never really amounts to much. Early important role for Harrison Ford.

View All The Conversation Reviews

Critic Reviews

Variety Staff
October 18, 2008
Variety Staff, Variety

A major artistic asset to the film -- besides script, direction and the top performances -- is supervising editor Walter Murch's sound collage and re-recording. Full Review

Don Druker
August 12, 2007
Don Druker, Chicago Reader

Coppola manages to turn an expert thriller into a portrayal of the conflict between ritual and responsibility without ever letting the levels of tension subside or the complicated plot get muddled. Full Review

February 9, 2006
Time Out

A bleak and devastatingly brilliant film. Full Review

Nora Sayre
May 21, 2003
Nora Sayre, New York Times

Haunting and bothersome.

Roger Ebert
February 27, 2001
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

A taut, intelligent thriller. Full Review

Brian Holcomb
November 21, 2011
Brian Holcomb, CinemaBlend.com

A film OF the 1970s, The Conversation is rooted in the new American anxiety of the time, the idea that behind every ideal was a rotten, festering truth. Full Review

Walter Chaw
November 15, 2011
Walter Chaw, Film Freak Central

The Conversation is for me the masterpiece of American cinema. Full Review

Amber Wilkinson
November 8, 2011
Amber Wilkinson, Eye for Film

Coppola may have made films of a more spectacular nature but here he makes a virtue of a introversion - so that the film's horror moment is all the more vibrantly terrible when set in relief. Full Review

Radheyan Simonpillai
June 11, 2009
Radheyan Simonpillai, AskMen.com

Coppola shows off his arty aspirations by doing for audio technology what Antonioni did for photography. But The Conversation is a different animal entirely, steering clear of the existential dilemmas... Full Review

March 27, 2009
Film4

There's a strong case to be made for The Conversation being Coppola's greatest film. Which, when you consider what else he's made, is high praise indeed. Full Review

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    • Harry Caul: [upset, walking over to Martin seated] What are you doing here?
    • Martin Stett: Take it easy I'm just a messenger. I brought you a drink
    • Harry Caul: I don't want your drink. Why are you following me?
    • Martin Stett: I'm not following you I'm looking for you. There's a big difference.
    • Stanley: What a STUPID conversation.
    • Mark: He'd kill us if he got the chance.
    • Harry Caul: I'm not afraid of death... I am afraid of murder.
    • Stanley: Nice guy to be a cop.
    • Meredith: A job. You're not supposed to feel anything about it. You're just supposed to do it. That's all. Relax, honey.
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The Conversation Trivia

  • In what movie does Jim Carrey have this conversation with his character's son? "My teacher says that real beauty is on the inside!" "That's just something that ugly people say..."  Answer »
  • This Francis Ford Coppola masterpiece features one of the greatest lines in film history: "He'd kill us if he got the chance"  Answer »
  • Four of the following are songs that were also titles of movies starring Elvis Presley. Pick the one which was not the title of a movie.   Answer »
  • In Enemy of the State, the picture of a younger Gene Hackman shown in a white shirt and tie, supposedly from his NSA file, is actually taken from which Earlier Hackman film?  Answer »
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