STAR RATINGS EXPLAINED
Unmissable
Excellent
Good
Poor
Tragic

FILM DETAILS

Certificate 15

Cast Gene Hackman John Cazale Allen Garfield Frederic Forrest.

Directors Francis Ford Coppola.

Screenwriters Francis Ford Coppola.

Running Time 113 minutes

LATEST FILM REVIEWS Seasoning House, The Renoir Stories We Tell East, The Shun Li And The Poet 5 STAR REVIEWS Stories We Tell My Neighbour Totoro Gatekeepers , The Stoker In The House

The Conversation
Francis Ford Coppola's great, landmark American film of the '70s. And we're not talking The Godfather Parts I and II

Tweet

Plot
Solitary surveillance expert Harry Caul, indifferent to the subjects of his eavesdropping until the furtive confidences of illicit lovers arouse guilt and longings that draw him into a murder plot and corporate conspiracy.

Review
The same year Francis Coppola made The Godfather Part II, he also wrote and directed another great, landmark American film of the '70s. A tense, paranoia thriller,The Conversation is also a disturbing exploration of privacy and personal responsibility in the age of technological intrusion. Gene Hackman finds bittersweet poignancy in solitary surveillance expert Harry Caul, indifferent to the subjects of his eavesdropping until the furtive confidences of illicit lovers arouse guilt and longings that draw him into a murder plot and corporate conspiracy.

Groundbreaking sound design by Walter Murch and the know-how of advisor Hal Lipset (who examined the notorious gap in Nixon's White House tapes) enhance the realism; compelling dialogue and Hackman's finely portrayed internal struggle give it the fascination of a recurring dream.

Verdict
A masterful study in psychology that touches on issues accutely prevelant today.


Reviewed by Angie Errigo

Write Your Review
To write your review please login or register.

Your Reviews

Average user rating for The Conversation

Doesn't get much more boring

Boring 2 hours, with a lame twist tacked on to try and save the film, it fails ... More

Posted by david hayes at 14:27, 03 May 2013 | Report This Post

Brilliant!

tp://www.imdb.com/title/tt0071360/]The ConversationTechnically this might just be the best Coppola picture I`ve seen to date. Paranoia all over the place in this brilliantly shot film that has a wonderfully slow pace, something that fits the script very well. Gene Hackman is excellent as the surveillance expert who goes slightly mad. The sound has a big part in this and it`s brilliantly mixed. A masterpiece in every way. /b] ... More

Posted by TheGodfather at 22:43, 22 May 2012 | Report This Post

Well...

Certainly well told, in that the direction can sometimes be very paranoid in nature like the main character's perception of the world. And the big reveal is quite impressive in its cleverness. But it was drawn back by the way all the parts outside of the hotel room or his apartment were drawn out which I really don't like in films. Well made but shouldn't have been nominated for Best Picture, especially against The Godfather Part II, Chinatown and The Towering Inferno. ... More

Posted by Mr. Fincher at 19:11, 06 April 2012 | Report This Post

The godfather of paranoia thrillers. Compelling stuff.

The skilled Coppola and terrific Hackman make me wonder why this classic has been so ignored. ... More

Posted by !xHoTRoDx! at 21:56, 08 July 2010 | Report This Post

Terrifying!

I've seen and enjoyed many horror films in my time, ranging from the genuinely scary classics Alien, The Exorcist and The Shining through to various video nasties and slick '90s shockers such as Misery and Silence of the Lambs. But I've rarely been so unnerved as I was as this slow, low-key, down-beat bugging drama reached its climax. OK, the twist at the end is fudged and cheated as far as the viewer is concerned, but it makes sense in terms of the plot and characters. One of the most troubling... More

Posted by MDL at 23:50, 03 February 2008 | Report This Post

Beautiful filmmaking

A Coppola and Hackman best ... More

Posted by jamdodge1 at 19:40, 23 May 2007 | Report This Post

Beautiful filmmaking

A Coppola and Hackman best ... More

Posted by jamdodge1 at 19:40, 23 May 2007 | Report This Post

Just for the sting in the tail the finale applies, it becomes a memorable film that is further testimony to Coppola's mark on 70's cinema. ... More

Posted by mufcgeorge7 at 00:52, 04 February 2006 | Report This Post

amazing

amazing,need i say more ... More

Posted by doncopey1 at 22:51, 03 January 2006 | Report This Post

CURRENT HIGHLIGHTS
		The Beginner's Guide To Monsters University's Newcomers Let director Dan Scanlon and producer Kori Rae be your guides
		Exclusive: Will Yun Lee On The Wolverine He'll admit to playing Kenuichio Harada - but does his character have another name?
		David S. Goyer And Zack Snyder On Man Of Steel Secrets Spoiler warning: The writer and director spill some super-sized beans...
		The Empire Podcast: Joss Whedon Special Much ado about Avengers 2...
		Full Q&A: Steven Spielberg And George Lucas On Hollywood's Future 'We're in a mess but of the chaos will come some amazing things'
		Man Of Steel Interviews: Henry Cavill, Amy Adams, Zack Snyder, Michael Shannon & Antje Traue The cast and director of the Superman reboot spill the beans...
		Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa Trailer Breakdown What happens when the chat hits the fan?

Get the Empire iPad edition today Subscribe and save up to 44% on annual digital subscription Print & digital packages Buy single issues Subscribe to Empire magazine today Get six issues of Empire for £15 and save up to 37% All subscription offers

Follow @empiremagazine