Movie Review – The Conversation

The Conversation (1974) – A reclusive surveillance expert (Gene Hackman) faces the demons from his professional past when a current assignment reminds of of a job that resulted in three deaths years before.  He becomes obsessed with the recorded conversation he has made and it’s possible outcome.

Francis Ford Coppola wrote and directed this one and has called it his personal favorite of all his movies.  It was made as part of the most commercially successful period of his career and arguably the most creative.  Coppola had won an Oscar for Best Screenplay in 1970 for “Patton”, then produced George Lucas’s directorial debut  in “THX 1138” (a film that was a flop at the time but has become a science fiction cult hit) in 1971.  In quick order we come to “The Godfather” in ’72, producing Lucas again in “American Graffiti” in ’73, this movie and the Robert Redford “The Great Gatsby” (screenplay) , and”The Godfather Part II” in ’74 and “Apocalypse Now” in 1979.  I have quite a few favorites on that list (in fact, just skip “Gatsby” and I’ll take all the rest).

This was a story that Coppola had been trying to sell in Hollywood for years.  It is an intense, introspective and claustrophobic story of a man chasing an idea down a rabbit hole.  Hackman’s character, Harry Caul, tries to believe that he is completely divorced from the results of his work.  It’s all about the technology and the recording.  Nothing else is his responsibility.  His religious faith doesn’t allow him to believe that.  In defense he has simply withdrawn from any kind of  intimate human contact.  The director makes repeated visual references to the “other world” quality of the life Harry is trying to lead.

There’s is a really outstanding supporting cast here, with lots of familiar faces.  Harrison Ford plays the smarmy corporate assistant, Terri Garr is Caul’s sort of girlfriend, who eventually asks too many questions.  John Cazale (Fredo from “The Godfather”) is Caul’s frustrated assistant.  Cindy Williams is one of the people recorded in the conversation of the title, Robert Duvall plays the mysterious corporate head at the center of the dispute (in an uncredited role) and veteran character actor Allen Garfield (aka Allen Goorwitz) plays Caul’s professional competition.

This is a can’t miss combination – great director at the top of his game, wonderful script, solid cast.  Visually, this is a stunning movie.  They capture the anxiety and separation of Harry Caul.  What also jumped out at me is the quality of the soundtrack.  David Shire’s work here is fabulous.

This is the kind of movie when you want to make sure you will have no interruptions as you watch it.  Every minute is worth your undivided attention.

Rating – ***** Highest Recommendation