A paranoid, secretive surveillance expert has a crisis of conscience when he suspects that the couple he is spying on will be murdered.A paranoid, secretive surveillance expert has a crisis of conscience when he suspects that the couple he is spying on will be murdered.A paranoid, secretive surveillance expert has a crisis of conscience when he suspects that the couple he is spying on will be murdered.
- Nominated for 3 Oscars
- 14 wins & 17 nominations total
Elizabeth MacRae
- Meredith
- (as Elizabeth Mac Rae)
Ramon Bieri
- Man at Party
- (uncredited)
Gian-Carlo Coppola
- Boy in Church
- (uncredited)
George Dusheck
- TV Anchor
- (uncredited)
Robert Duvall
- The Director
- (uncredited)
Richard Hackman
- Confessional Priest
- (uncredited)
- …
George Meyer
- Salesman
- (uncredited)
- Director
- Writer
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaThe blue Mercedes limousine that Cindy Williams is sitting in near the end of the film was won by Francis Ford Coppola on a bet with Paramount Pictures. Coppola had complained about the station wagon he shared with five other passengers during the filming of The Godfather (1972). Studio executives told him that if The Godfather had grossed a certain amount, they would spring for a new car. After The Godfather became the highest grossing film of all time, Coppola and George Lucas went to a dealer and picked out the Mercedes, telling the salesman to bill Paramount Pictures.
- GoofsWhen Caul is in Stett's office alone, he walks over to the desk and picks up one of Stett's wife's cookies. He smells it and puts it back in the dish and then looks through the telescope. When Stett returns, he hands Caul the money and takes the tapes. When the film cuts to a shot of Caul thinking about the arrangement, the cookie reappears. Caul puts this cookie back in the dish, too.
- ConnectionsEdited into The Green Fog (2017)
Featured review
It's hard to believe that Francis Ford Coppola made this film in between the first two Godfather films. He completely owned the 70's in terms of just making hit after hit after hit. The Conversation is just another critically acclaimed film in his long list of all time greats. But it was also an impeccably timed film as it was right at the heart of the Watergate scandal at the white house along with the world finding out and freaking out about wiring and bugging homes. And there's something to be said about films that speak to real life scenarios.
The story centers around Mr. Caul, played by Gene Hackman, who goes into a mental frenzy after bugging a couple walking in a park. I love the way the film starts, having the credits roll as we watch and listen to them walk in and around this park. The process of tapping the targets was interesting but I would have liked to have seen more of that process. What we do get is a look into how much a process like this can get to a person. And how much just the way someone says something can change an entire conversation. The emphasis on words becomes extremely important throughout this film. We get many scenes with Hackman showcasing the horrors of doing something like this puts you through. As of matter of fact this movie can be looked at as a hidden horror film. But at it's core, it's a politically charged mystery thriller.
We also get supporting performances from John Cazale, Harrison Ford, Teri Garr, and even Robert Duvall. It's Hackman's film, but everyone gives a good performance. Complimented by a haunting score by David Shire, The Conversation is one of the more disturbing films that isn't supposed to be disturbing. It goes to show you just how small you can be even when you feel like you're in charge.
+Hackman's hopeless and disturbed performance
+Haunting score
+Supporting cameos and performances
+Ominous feeling
-Like to see more of the bugging process
8.3/10
The story centers around Mr. Caul, played by Gene Hackman, who goes into a mental frenzy after bugging a couple walking in a park. I love the way the film starts, having the credits roll as we watch and listen to them walk in and around this park. The process of tapping the targets was interesting but I would have liked to have seen more of that process. What we do get is a look into how much a process like this can get to a person. And how much just the way someone says something can change an entire conversation. The emphasis on words becomes extremely important throughout this film. We get many scenes with Hackman showcasing the horrors of doing something like this puts you through. As of matter of fact this movie can be looked at as a hidden horror film. But at it's core, it's a politically charged mystery thriller.
We also get supporting performances from John Cazale, Harrison Ford, Teri Garr, and even Robert Duvall. It's Hackman's film, but everyone gives a good performance. Complimented by a haunting score by David Shire, The Conversation is one of the more disturbing films that isn't supposed to be disturbing. It goes to show you just how small you can be even when you feel like you're in charge.
+Hackman's hopeless and disturbed performance
+Haunting score
+Supporting cameos and performances
+Ominous feeling
-Like to see more of the bugging process
8.3/10
- ThomasDrufke
- Apr 18, 2015
- Permalink
Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Language
- Also known as
- La conversación
- Filming locations
- American Roofing Co. Building - 1616 16th Street, Potrero Hill, San Francisco, California, USA(Interior and exterior of Harry's workshop)
- Production companies
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Budget
- $1,600,000 (estimated)
- Gross US & Canada
- $4,830,780
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $5,494
- Jan 16, 2022
- Gross worldwide
- $4,864,950
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