The Conversation

Such focused, unhurried thrillers where the psychological analysis of the main character is as important as the crime plot are no longer made by the American movie industry these (fast) days. Which is a pity. If I’m not wrong, there is not a single firearm in The Conversation. The role of an introverted freak seems to be written specifically for Gene Hackman, and Robert Duvall’s brief appearance is also great. The appropriateness and necessity of the final scene in the context of the preceding plot could be debated, but it doesn’t spoil the wonderful overall impression. Coppola was a true master of filmmaking back then. (17.03.2015)

More than a thriller story, this is a portrait of a character and a portrait of a time that combines the absolute loss of privacy, voyeurism, and the fragility of the personal sphere. Harry Caul listens to the lives of others and denies his own. Desperately afraid of being betrayed or interrogated, he is disguised as a perfect chameleon in an apartment full of impersonal things, with a mistress who knows nothing about him, with a colleague with whom he cannot establish a closer relationship, and with a phone that no one knows. He confesses not only to God, but even to Him, it is careful and half-hearted. Yet he is unable to escape the hunter-prey paradox, just as he, as an ordinary person, gives way to emotions and tries to avoid the tragedy that his work could lead to. In a particularly cold and withdrawn form, The Conversation metaphorizes modern times as an era in which everyone can listen and manipulate, but are themselves fragile and vulnerable (as if Harry's transparent raincoat wants to support this interpretation). It is not actually possible to determine who is listening and who is being spied on. Coppola chooses an artistically sophisticated form full of sharp shapes, uses complex work with the narrator (various angles of retrospectives) and a fantastic soundtrack and reserved cameras. The Conversation is truly a film about listening, and in the end, a chilling parable of a man who loses all his privacy. With a little exaggeration, any modern person can feel like a desperate Harry in a broken apartment, watched by the eye of an invisible camera. If it weren't for the sleepy introduction, it would be cut like a gem. But even so... Magnification for the world of sound. Famous minimalist Hackman. A film very ahead of its time. A masterpiece. (06.03.2007)

Coppola and Hackman both said once that The Conversation was their favorite movie of their entire careers. With Hackman this is completely understandable, in view of the perfect performance he gave. But not so understandable with Francis. The Conversation is unarguably well-directed, excellently thought out, has lots of great scenes, the topic is still relevant today, but... Overall, it’s “just" a good thriller. (08.07.2007)

The first half of the interview is a great look at a lonely, principled man who is so committed to his work that he doesn't even realize how paranoid he is becoming and how distant he is becoming from his surroundings. The second half is in the spirit of a gripping psychological thriller. I was completely absorbed by both of them. Gene Hackman proved once again why he is one of my favorite actors. And Francis Ford Coppola again confirmed his reputation as an exceptional director - I really liked, for example, how he shot almost the entire film as if with hidden cameras, which culminated in the very last shot. I'm glad that this masterpiece, still relevant after almost forty years (unfortunately?), has finally appeared on DVD - with bonus features that are really rich by today's poor standards (and by the standards of such "old" films). (19.02.2012)

The script is certainly original and the twist is perfectly thought out, but the whole film came across as terribly tired and boring, something I'm not going to forgive Coppola for. To me, a clear example of untapped potential. (03.04.2012)

A beautiful example of what it means to live in separation, but something else is to be completely alone and lose everything. A wonderfully and terrifyingly self-destructive film, which shows how talented Coppola was as a director and screenwriter. The use of sound here is absolutely in line with the needs of the film, which only enhances the overall effect. (30.09.2015)