The Conversation (1974)

Boring

I was totally surprised at how great this film.You could feel your paranoia rise as the film went on and as you gradually learned the details of the real situation.

Story: It's very simple but honestly that is fine.

The film may be flawed, but its message is not.

The 1974 Francis Ford Coppela drama/mystery thriller "The Conversation" was lacking in several respects, which I think you'll agree are all inexcusable and, should you decide to watch this movie, will leave you feeling alone and soulless. First off, it's clearly a rip-off of 1998's Enemy of the State. Yes, I know it came roughly 25 years earlier, but I am convinced they perfected time travel technology and actually stole the idea from Tony Scott. I mean he came up with Final Destination, Gladiator, and Spy Game. How cool is that! Jack Black warned Tony Scott when he made Enemy of the State that the creation of the movie would cause a rift in time, and all of existence in the universe would be micturated down the drain. Case in point: Soul Plane. Speaking of which, The Conversation is conspicuously Jack Black-less. I think any sane person's review of any movie should have the category of "Jack Black presence to screen ratio", which should factor heavily into the final score for any movie, including those which were made before his birth. Take for instance The Jackal, which was no Shallow Hal, mind you, but made big gains for the best and most pornographic Jack Black death scene ever. FFC's The Conversation is rife with problems and errors. Firstly, long, cumbersome periods of character development. You'll notice that Enemy of the State solved this problem by leaving the third dimension out of the characters--this helped save time and budget money for explosions. Which brings me to my next gripe: no explosions in The Conversation. Enemy of the State weighs in with a lofty dozen or so explosion, "BLOWING" The Conversation away in this category. Pun intended! Finally, there is no murdering in the Conversation until a mind-numbing two hours into the movie. Enemy of the State also wins in this category, getting to the murder straightaway. I think that Francis Ford Coppela could really learn a lot from Tony Scott about how a good movie should be made. His lack of modern technology has made his movie look sooo 70's, man. As far as The Conversation is concerned, I would say watch it only if you are not interested in seeing a movie riding on a hollow wave of special effects and Hollywood hype. Of course it goes without saying that everyone is only interested in that. ;-)

Granted the technology of this Coppola production is now old, Watergate era eavesdropping stuff, but it is the acting and the story that are important. Those are still solid. Legend has it Marlon Brando was the first choice to play this lead role, but turned it down which was not a rare thing for him to do.Gene Hackman got chosen to do a role of an expert on bugging people and listening to their conversations to get important information. The roie is a very subtle and downplayed role as he is not a hero, not flashy, but a spy doing the gritty work. Hackman is brilliant. He has a spartan apartment and leads a very ordinary existence.When he goes to a convention of buggers (buggars) there are folks there who know him so well they speak of him like he is a legend of this grit work. Then, things go horribly wrong for him, and the story takes a dark turn. This is a movie of solid drama and acting. Hackman shows his chops in this one and the script and production are just great.

Francis Ford Coppola remarked that The Conversation is the most personal project he's done, and that really comes across on screen. I suggest that any movie lover watches this movie attentively and with appreciation for the personal nature of this project.There are many that have reviewed this movie and called it "overrated" "boring", "slow-moving" etc.I don't think that that is very fair. It is clear from the nature of their reviews that they're not "giving the director their time". That is to say, if you sign up to watch a movie, you must realize that you are giving some of your life to the running time of the movie and the Director. What's important is what the Director does with that time, not what he does with your very personal expectations and wants out of the movie.With all of that in mind, The Conversation is great. It is a character study, a morality tale, a comment on technology and society, and a thriller all wrapped into one movie. And YES, Coppola takes his time building it and it is a bit slow-moving. But that doesn't make it bad at all. It is Coppola's personal story to tell, and he goes about telling it the way he likes.Go in understanding that, and you'll enjoy The Conversation.

Some have Said that this is Director Coppola's most Underrated Movie. Nominated for Three Oscars (including Best Picture), and Critically Acclaimed, it is a Weak Case. "Tucker: A Man and His Dreams" (1988) is Probably His most Underseen and Overlooked.Gene Hackman is the Focal Point of this Character Study with Technology as Villain, and the Viewer is Drawn to Hackman's 'Harry Caul" in every Scene. As a Dull, ironically Conversation Less Surveillance Pro, with His Outdated Clothes and Oddball Demeanor, He Nevertheless is a Magnet that Attracts Attention in the Frame.Paranoia was Beginning to become a National Personality Trait by the Mid-1970's, what with the Trifecta Assassination Coup in the Sixties (Kennedy, King, and Kennedy), the Vietnam War, and Watergate, it comes as No Surprise.One of the many Interesting Shots, is of Harry's Team on the Job situated in an Upper Floor Opened Window, pointing what Looks like a Rifle (complete with scope) and it is non other than a Directional Microphone. Privacy Killed by Technology with Elitist Efficiency and Disregard for Citizen's Rights.A Good Cast and Crackerjack Production make this Cerebral Cinema at its Best. Captivating, Suspenseful, and Extremely well Crafted, this Film is a Testament that Captures the Time with its Mood, Understatement, and Sharp Characterizations.A Must See for Anyone Interested in Cinema as Art and Social Criticism, Fine Acting, and Especially for Affectionados of the "Slow Burn".