The Conversation

The Conversation

7/4/1974 1h 54m 7.5/10

Overview

A paranoid, secretive surveillance expert has a crisis of conscience when he suspects that the couple he is spying on will be murdered.

Director

Francis Ford Coppola

Top Billed Cast

Gene Hackman

Gene Hackman

Harry Caul

John Cazale

John Cazale

Stan

Cindy Williams

Cindy Williams

Ann

Frederic Forrest

Frederic Forrest

Mark

Allen Garfield

Allen Garfield

William P. 'Bernie' Moran

Michael Higgins

Michael Higgins

Paul

Reviews

CinemaSerf

CinemaSerf

5/27/2023

7/10

Gene Hackman is superb here as "Harry" - a super-efficient surveillance expert who discovers in the line of duty that a couple he is monitoring might well be about to be murdered. It becomes clear that the couple - Cindy Williams & Frederic Forrest are having an affair but that is just the tip of the conspiratorial iceberg in this tautly scripted/directed effort from Francis Ford Coppola. It's a slow burn, at times it certainly does drag, but the subtleties with which the cat and mouse swap places, alongside some great supporting roles from John Cazale and Harrison Ford make it quite an enthralling watch - and certainly one of Hackman's best, most emotionally charged, performances.

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