Harry Caul: I'm not afraid of death, but I am afraid of murder.
In the decade of the seventies few directors were as respected and talented as the legendary Francis Ford Coppola. Coppola’s career exploded early in the decade with the release of the monster hit The Godfather. Coppola then followed up its tremendous success with its sequel The Godfather part II. These films are considered classics now and two of the best of all time. In between these two giant successes for Coppola, is another film he directed worthy of equal praise. It is called The Conversation and it is a stunning thriller made with care and the skill of a master director.
The film is a thriller that focuses on an expert wire taper who is considered the best in his field named Harry Caul. The film begins with Harry taping a conversation between two young people in a busy city park for an unknown client. As he delivers the tapes events arise that make Harry feel very suspicious. He is led to believe that the tapes he made could lead to the possible murder of the two young people in the park. Fearing the death of someone because of his work he races to figure out the truth behind the tapes. Caul feels he must save the lives of the couple and save his own life as well.
In all honesty this plot outline may appear slightly vague but this film is not an easy film to follow in all respects. The films plot itself is vague and does not give us a clear picture about what is going on. At the end of the film many twist are made and most of the plot comes together in a sly way. Yet many questions are left unanswered. By the end of the film we are left in the dark about who betrayed who and whose side the characters are on. This may frustrate some viewers but I loved how there is not complete closure in the film. In an era where so many movies endings come so nicely wrapped it is refreshing to see a film like this that gives us enough pieces of the puzzle to figure out the big picture but to leave a few pieces out to create doubt in our minds. Those few missing pieces help create a mysteries aura around this film. As a viewer you are in the dark as much as Harry Caul is while he is figuring out the mystery. I also am being sketchy with some details because I don’t want to give away anymore of the plot then I need too. Trust me; you’ll want to discover the plot’s many twists yourself.
Coppola’s film is not a thriller with elaborate action scenes or huge payoffs every few seconds. It is more a film that is more concerned with mood and atmosphere then with creating false thrills. The Conversation is a film that takes its time to develop and trusts its audience’s intelligence to stay with it. It is a mystery that builds upon its self and when the big events fall into place it is well worth the wait.
On top of it all I have always thought the film to be a very interesting character study of a lonely and paranoid man consumed by guilt. Gene Hackman gives one of his best and most subtle performances playing the troubled wire taper Harry Caul. It is a performance that captures a very memorable character that has as many internal conflicts as he does external. Hackman plays Caul as a man that is constantly paranoid and hopelessly stricken with guilt. In the best scene of the movie Caul is forced to recall a case that has haunted him for the last few years. Harry explains that a conversation he recorded indirectly lead to the death of a man and his entire family. This scene is very meaningful to the film because it is when Harry realizes that potentially he may again cause the death of some one else because of his work. This scene sets up the main undertone of the film, which is guilt. Harry tries to close himself off from his work but this time he feels morally obligated to prevent the sins of the past from repeating themselves. Watching the film once again I found myself actually more interested in Harry Caul then with the story itself. His struggle with his personal flaws and demons only makes the film stronger. Harry Caul is a role that Hackman seems so right for. He plays this quiet and sometimes prickly man with masterful subtlety. In the beginning of the film it is hard to get an idea of who Caul really is. Through careful work from Hackman we get to see how truly alone and troubled Caul is. Hackman is one of America’s best actors. If you look back he has done strong work in many great films. Hackman has given fine performances in films as varied as Night Moves, Superman and The Royal Tenenbaums. This performance is easily near the top of all his great performances.
The Conversation is a film that also is a great success for Coppola as both writer and director. His directing is precise and he handles some complex scenes wonderfully. The opening scene in the park with the couple’s conversation being recorded is an expert example of film making. This opening scene is a technical achievement with all the elaborate editing and for its complex structure. The script that Coppola wrote is a complex and interesting one as well. The films complicated and diced up plot is all well thought out and executed wonderfully. Coppola’s eye for character development is also very evident in scenes like Harry’s dream where the viewer finds out truly what makes him tick.
For me the irony of the film is that it is so good yet thirty years after its release it is not talked about that often. It is a worthy film that any film maker would proudly call there own. Like many other directors Coppola’s bigger films over shadow his smaller films such as this one. When it was released in 1974 it was nominated for an academy award for best picture of the year. Ironically is lost to of all films, The Godfather part II. Honestly it was really a win-win situation for Coppola with both films being directed by him. The film also garnered rave reviews from most critics and won the coveted Golden Palm at the Cannes Film Festival. By no means was it a failure but it just was not as prominent as Coppola’s other films.
Now I am not saying that this film is better than The Godfather films but it is a wonderful little gem. It is a film that holds up well thirty three years after its release and still seems unique. After repeated viewings this film still fascinates me and has yet to become stale or bland in my eyes. The Conversation does not build itself on cheap thrills but instead goes for a more intelligent and psychological impact. Above all The Conversation is a smart film that builds its story carefully and weaves the viewer into its tangled web of mystery. You may not get all the answers you want but the film leaves you fascinated. Coppola creates one of the most sharply intelligent thrillers ever with one of Hackman’s best performances. The Conversation is a perfect balancing act between an interesting character study and a moody mystery. It may not be The Godfather or even Apocalypse Now but it is a great film carved into American film history by Francis Ford Coppola.
4/4 Stars
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