Trailer

The Conversation (1974)

PG   |    |  Drama, Mystery, Thriller

The Conversation (1974) Poster

A paranoid, secretive surveillance expert has a crisis of conscience when he suspects that the couple he is spying on will be murdered.

7.8/10
99,362
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85 Metascore

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  • Francis Ford Coppola and Gene Hackman in The Conversation (1974)
  • Gene Hackman in The Conversation (1974)
  • Gene Hackman in The Conversation (1974)
  • Gene Hackman in The Conversation (1974)
  • Robert Duvall and Cindy Williams in The Conversation (1974)
  • Gene Hackman in The Conversation (1974)

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Awards

Nominated for 3 Oscars.

Another 14 wins & 13 nominations.

Reviews & Commentary

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User Reviews
2 November 2005 | ccthemovieman-1
7
| You Have To See This More Than Once
This is one of those films I'm glad I gave a second chance because it got much better, and has continued getting better with each viewing (I've now seen it four times).

I know a few other people who watch this and ask, "What's the big deal?" Well, do what I did and give it another chance. Here's a tip: put on the English subtitles. It helps understand what is going on, as the taped conversations are often difficult to discern. Then, you might discover what I did: a fascinating character study, one that did not bore me as it had on the first viewing.

It's the study of a paranoid loner who is suffering a guilty conscience over the work he has done over the years, and what tragic consequences could happen with the latest project he's involved with. Without giving anything away, the loner's fears are realized in a shocking ending, but not in the way he imagined.

Gene Hackman, as always, does a super job of acting. He dominates the film as the main character, "Harry Caul." The topic matter - high-tech surveillance - was intriguing, too. After watching this film, I wondered what kind of surveillance tools are available now, 30 years after this film was made.

Metacritic Reviews

Critic Reviews

Did You Know?

Trivia

Gene Hackman's character was to have been named Harry Call, but a typing error led to his being named Harry Caul, and the name stuck because Coppola liked how the meaning of the word caul (a birth defect causing a membrane to surround the head) related to the character.

Quotes

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: What about me?
Mark: You'll see.
Ann: A lot of fun you are. You're supposed to ...

Goofs

At the party in Caul's workshop, Stan describes the targets of a job only as "two people". At that time, Caul was at the far side of the shop, leafing through photos of them, many yards away - and obscured by fellow attendees and equipment - from a woman in the group who later asks, "What did they do...the boy and the girl?" Even had she been able to see the photos, there was no way she could have connected them with the subjects, no way she could have known their gender nor age. (She may however, knew about the job and merely slipped her tongue.)

Soundtracks

I Remember You
(1941)
Music by Victor Schertzinger
Lyrics by Johnny Mercer

Storyline

Plot Summary

Synopsis (WARNING: Spoilers)

Genres

Drama | Mystery | Thriller

Details

Release Date:

12 April 1974

Language

English

Country of Origin

USA

Filming Locations

California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$1,600,000 (estimated)

Gross USA:

$4,420,000

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$4,432,180

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