Review of The Conversation (1974) by Danielle O — 05 Apr 2009

Not my favorite Coppola, but still really good. I had a bag full of mixed feelings after seeing this for the first time (yeah, I know. Shove it.) but after letting it settle for the rest of the day I feel that I've come to a conclusion. Personally, I found some parts of the movie to drag a bit, but looking back on it I can safely say that I don't feel that way anymore. Granted, I would like to see it a second time so this will do for now.

By far my favorite Gene Hackman role, though. I like him better as a paranoid freak than the hard-boiled detective in The French Connection, or the depressed detective in Night Moves. Harrison Ford was pretty sweet to see as this is his debut film.

And then we get to the surveillance part. Gene Hackman, one of the nation's best surveillance experts, starts to cross the boundary of surveillance and participation, after learning that lives may be at stake (we learn that during a previous job a few lives were claimed and Hackman doesn't want to go down that road of guilt again). By turning in the tapes he recorded would mean that he's contributing to the death of the couple he's tailing. Trust issues become a problem and a toilet spews blood. However, the best part of the entire movie (which, in my opinion, MADE the movie) has to be the very ending. During a phone conversation with Harrison Ford we learn that Ford and his director are keeping tabs (?) on Hackman, and have planted a bug in his apartment. Hackman frantically rips apart his place, eventually shredding the wallpaper and tearing up the floorboards. His apartment was once a place of solace and has now become Hell. It's all futile as nothing is found, which leaves Hackman more paranoid than ever, as he's been beat in his own game, and slowly begins to loose his sanity.

So these are my thoughts. I'd like to see it a second time though for my final opinion. However, this proves to be one tech-savvy paranoia thriller that's worth checking out. Leaves one hell of a lasting impression.