Review of The Conversation (1974) by Jay L — 31 Jan 2011

Acclaimed by the masses for his work on The Godfather, Director Francis Ford Coppolla delivered this tragically overlooked film between the first two installments in his Godfather saga. The Conversation is a conventional 70's thriller, the beginning scene is awesome and the ending is spectacular and worth the wait. In between the movie is an intensive character study on a lonely surveillance expert who has some serious paranoia problems, he trusts no one, has no friends, and loses his only co-worker. It's a fresh take on the conventional thriller film, the twist at the end is insane, one that you won't see coming at all.

Gene Hackman plays the surveillance expert brilliantly, it just seemed to me to be a strange role to play, strange and difficult. Hackman gave a stunning performance here, not a role he has been accustomed to playing. John Cazale also stars in the film, he was a Coppolla regular at the time. This was one of his last films before his tragic death. So much talent gone at such a young age. The acting was brilliant and the story entertaining, The Conversation won awards for it slick and cunning sound editing and direction. If also took home best picture 1974.