The Conversation

Archived Review
December, 2004

The Conversation
Coppola, 1974



In return for direction the Godfather films, Coppola was allowed to make any film of his choice with no studio intervention. He chose to make The Conversation which he wrote and directed himself during his prime years as a director. He created a masterpiece character study while simultaneously producing a film whose use of visual and sound editing was a work of art.

The sound design was actually the most surprising element of the film for me. I had heard a bit of praise about the sound here and there, but wondered what was so special about the sound from a movie made in the seventies. However, in one of the best scenes of the movie, Harry Caul, the main character played by Gene Hackman, is trying to make audio surveillance tapes audible. While he is doing this Coppola cuts to the footage of a man and a woman in a park walking around (the one’s who were being recorded), but what we hear is the garbled audio that Harry Caul is trying to unscramble. As we see them walk around, we hear the tape which Caul is trying to unscramble. The movie will cut back to him playing with the dials, improving the quality, and then back to the couple as the audio improves. I thought the scene was simply brilliant as well as being very innovative – and this sort use of sound recurs during the entire film!

The script, written by Coppola as I mentioned, is equally fascinating for a number of reasons. It deals with a top surveillance specialist recording a conversation between a man and a woman in a park. He does not know who they are, and does not care. His job is just to record them. However, Harry Caul over hears something he shouldn’t have, and he is drawn into what his employer wants this tape for. What makes this script so unique is its relevance. This film was made in the 70’s, and took place in the 70’s, but it is so much more relevant now then ever. If they could do that back then, what can they do now? It’s scary.

But the fabric of the film is the frankly pathetic character of Harry Caul. His exposure to the capabilities of surveillance has left him shattered and paranoid. He doesn’t like talking to people and his life has essentially been ruined because of his job, and ironically his job is the only thing he has left. He is so alone and withdrawn; I can’t help but feel sorry for him. I particular like the sequence when he is on his little bed, and the tape is running; the woman says something about how she feels sorry for a homeless guy on the bench… about how he used to be someone’s baby with a mother and father and the camera is focuses on Harry Caul.

Gene Hackman is in one of his best roles for this film; his performance is incredibly restrained and feeble, and he is able to portray the gloomy character Caul with near perfection. Hackman is an excellent actor and has been in slew of films, but this is without a doubt one of his best, and most overlooked, performances.

I should also mention that the movie has one of the most shocking and brilliant scenes ever – the hotel sequence. I won’t give any of it away, but the scene is one of my all time favorites. The ironic and sad ending and final shot is also a classic. The camera simply pans back and forth…back and forth, with Caul’s broken character just sitting on the floor. Amazing.

The Conversation is another Coppola masterpiece. Everything about it is incredibly well crafted, but at the heart of it all it’s simply a very sad yet fascinating character study. It’s got just a classic gem of a script. Not only that, but we also get the incredible hotel sequence. The entire movie is just like a surprise that came out of no where. Everyone always talks about The Godfather movies and The Conversation is usually overlooked, but despite the brilliance of The Godfather, I feel this gems needs more exposure because it is a certifiable masterpiece of cinema.