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- 1974
- PG
- Paramount Pictures
- 1 h 53 m
- 1974
- PG
- Paramount Pictures
- 1 h 53 m
Summary Wiretapper Harry Caul (Gene Hackman) becomes concerned about recordings he made for a client.
Directed By: Francis Ford Coppola
Written By: Francis Ford Coppola
- 1974
- PG
- Paramount Pictures
- 1 h 53 m
- 1974
- PG
- Paramount Pictures
- 1 h 53 m
The Conversation
8.3
Where to Watch
Summary Wiretapper Harry Caul (Gene Hackman) becomes concerned about recordings he made for a client.
Directed By: Francis Ford Coppola
Written By: Francis Ford Coppola
Where to Watch
Top Cast
Metascore
Universal Acclaim
Based on 17 Critic Reviews
87
94% Positive
16 Reviews
16 Reviews
6% Mixed
1 Review
1 Review
0% Negative
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
Metascore
Universal Acclaim
Based on 17 Critic Reviews
87
94% Positive
16 Reviews
16 Reviews
6% Mixed
1 Review
1 Review
0% Negative
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
For much of The Conversation you think you’re watching a person unraveling, but then the horrifying ending—where the editing and sound design become really sinister—reveals that the movie has been deconstructing the audience as well.
Under Coppola's direction it succeeds on a variety of levels; as sheer thriller, as psychological study, as social analysis, and as political comment. [08 Apr 1974, p.78]
User Score
Universal Acclaim
Based on 150 User Ratings
8.3
86% Positive
129 Ratings
129 Ratings
10% Mixed
15 Ratings
15 Ratings
4% Negative
6 Ratings
6 Ratings
User Score
Universal Acclaim
Based on 150 User Ratings
8.3
86% Positive
129 Ratings
129 Ratings
10% Mixed
15 Ratings
15 Ratings
4% Negative
6 Ratings
6 Ratings
Unfortunately, it appears with every passing day that the great American paranoid political thrillers of the 60's and 70's, with its strongest work bookended by 'The Manchurian Candidate' (eerily foreseeing the JFK assassination) and 'All the President's Men' (placing a coda of closure on the Watergate scandal), simply haven't aged a day, and are as timely as ever in conceptualizing the palpable fear that ordinary citizens have in those in control of their destinies, namely the police and government of their communities. It's the American ideal that any person born, regardless of circumstances, is in control of their destiny, and that with hard work, guile and determination, can make something of himself. Whether that was ever the case is questionable, but it seems more than ever that the people in power are in control of way more than we could ever suppose, or would ever want to know.
This was a nice smaller-scale film that, incredulously, Coppola was able to dish up in a run that is one of the finest a director would ever have, up there with Hitchcock's in the late 50's-early 60's, and Melville a decade later. It's definitely excellent work by Hackman (along with his Popeye Doyle in the pair of great 'French Connection' movies), and is up there with the greatest dissertations ever about the double-edged sword of surveillance, namely De Palma's 'Blow Out' and Antonioni's 'Blow-Up'.
As a human being, I only wish this film wasn't as important as it is.
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Great film.
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The Conversation perfectly encapsulates the disaffection, alienation, and paranoia infecting America’s body politic in the era of Watergate, the wiretapping scandal that brought down the Nixon administration, though the timing of the film’s release was coincidental.
Gene Hackman excels in Francis Ford Coppola's tasteful, incisive 1974 study of the awakening of conscience in an electronic surveillance technician.
The Conversation could have used a great deal more vulgar curiosity about its own plot and its own characters. Coppola's good taste has been misplaced on this occasion, but he remains one of our most promising new filmmakers nonetheless. [20 June 1974, p.78]
i like the part where the guy is showing off his amazing multinational house phone and he for some reason decides that a feature he'd like to either joke about or actually make is playing a harmonica into the receiver. i could never tell if this was just 'april fools' or some kind of weird feature but it's certainly a weird man moment.
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1974's The Conversations shows us once again why Francis Ford Coppola was the god, and definitive filmmaker of the 70's because he presents us, yet again, a masterpiece.
This movie is mysterious, thrilling, exciting, yet slow and also sometimes dragging in pace, which is the only complaint i can think about. The leading man, called Harry Caul, as he is portrayed by Gene Hackman, is an expert wiretapper and one of the most affecting, tragic and interesting characters in the history of cinema.
The writing is superb, it keeps you guessing, and the camera work is methodically slow and beautiful.
At the first viewing, you might be a bit confused or 'bored' because you have some sort of a clue what's going on but it doesnt seem all that interesting, but when the final moments hit towards the end of the film, you see the full picture, which makes latter viewings even more rewarding.
The Conversation is yet another masterwork by Francis Ford Coppola
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Great understated performances, especially from Hackman. Seemingly still has best in class audio design which is crazy for the era it was made in. Its interesting overall but I would not call it gripping.
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A slow-moving character driven thriller drenched in paranoia, masterful sequences, sound design, and incredible performances. But the second act is quite a slog to sit through. It ultimately picks up with a great payoff, but even the jazz sequences with the sax feel awkward and forced. Overall, hard to recommend for modern viewing, but it is an important piece of cinema nonetheless.
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Studied this in film studies and it is my least favourite film of all time. I despise this slow paced film, so dull. I'd rather spend time with Anton Chigurh.
0/10 - Ben Hazelden
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Awards
Golden Globes, USA
• 4 Nominations
Academy Awards, USA
• 3 Nominations
BAFTA Awards
• 2 Wins & 5 Nominations
