Review of The Conversation (1974) by Brett C — 14 Jan 2014

Spoilers present in this review...

We live in an age where personal technology has pretty much become something of a necessity in our lives. How do we know that no one is listening to our conversations or watching us while we are in our homes. Francis Ford Coppola's The Conversation explores the culture and life of a man, Harry Caul, who works in 'surveillance'. This film was made between the Godfather films and released on 1974, the same year The Godfather II was released.

Harry Caul is to do a voice recording job on a couple's conversation on Union Square and give the tapes to director, the man who hired him. There may be more to it than just a conversation and he becomes personally involved as he doesn't want something from the past repeat itself. The film also explores this man who, definitely is one of the best in the profession, have become so isolated and guarded. Caul is afraid that someone might be listening or watching him. A certain areas of the film, it also speaks about the technology and how something that may seem like a normal object may be bugged and recording/observing you. The topics of this film, I find very interesting as it relates to the technology that is currently used today and some of us are maybe too naive to think that someone might actually be listening. Coppola has made a wonderful script and using a protagonist who has been mentally and emotionally damaged by his own work.

Not a bad year for Francis Ford Coppola. Two films released in one year and both were nominated for Best Picture and one won the Palme d'Or at Cannes; one is very personal and indie, and the other is a big sequel to the best film of the 1970's. The Conversation was clearly something that he always wanted to make but the studios don't think it would be any good or they think he is not good enough of a director, so he made The Godfather and that made them think twice. The Godfather felt very grand, and Coppola wanted to make this film more subtle and quiet. This film is definitely slow when comparing to Coppola's other works but it works well with the subject and story that the film explores. In my first viewing, this was not something I loved and if I reviewed it then, it would have been a 3.5/5, but after a few months I watched it again and the film felt different, there was so much more to it than I thought there was. This film is so enjoyable and the last half hour is so frightening, in a subtle way, that it would be in your minds a few hours after the film is finished.

Coppola wanted the photography to be very simple but it's simplicity is effective. The film's opening has a great shot that starts at a height and slowly gets closer and closer to the important characters, and the film ends with a slow panning shot as Hackman sits in the corner playing the saxophone. The photography doesn't try too hard to show off something and this is because it is not needed. I like that this film does not try to show off like The Godfather or be heavy like Apocalypse Now.

The score of the film, by David Shire, is also very stripped and simple. The score is driven by the piano and at times is supported by a saxophone. It is so stripped down that sometimes you may not even notice it's playing in a scene. There is a particular moment at the hotel where something happens and this static noise that adds to the imagery makes that scene so frightening.

Gene Hackman is incredible in this film, his portrayal of this closed off character was great. He is the main focus of the film and the supporting cast doesn't seem to out play him. Coppola wants the film to follow Caul as he listens to the tapes and uncovers things. The film overall has a great cast, it has actors like Harrison Ford, Robert Duvall, John Cazele and Cindy Williams. Cindy Williams, I was surprised broke off my impression of her from when I saw her at American Graffiti. Nevertheless this is a Hackman show and he delivers, this is possibly his best role.

Many may not regard this as Coppola's masterpiece but it is a well made film about paranoia and the advancement of spyware technology. I felt this is one of his strongest films and just edges out The Godfather by a little. It is definitely one of the strongest films of the 1970's and should not be missed.