History Film / TheConversation

''The Conversation'' is a 1974 {{psychological thriller}} film written and directed by Creator/FrancisFordCoppola and starring Creator/GeneHackman, with a supporting cast that includes Creator/JohnCazale, Creator/AllenGarfield, Creator/CindyWilliams, Frederic Forrest, Creator/TeriGarr, and Creator/HarrisonFord.

''The Conversation'' is a 1974 {{psychological thriller}} film written and directed by Creator/FrancisFordCoppola and starring Creator/GeneHackman, with a supporting cast that includes John Cazale, Allen Garfield, [[Series/LaverneAndShirley Cindy Williams]], Frederic Forrest, Creator/TeriGarr, and Creator/HarrisonFord.

* AffablyEvil: [[spoiler: Ann and Mark show a fair amount of depth and introspection in their conversation about killing her husband, hosting concern for a nearby homeless man, and reflecting on how their actions haven't hurt anyone yet]].
* AmbiguouslyEvil: [[spoiler: It's never unequivocally stated that Martin is working for Mark and Ann, and if so why he is, and his actions in intimidating Harry at the end could be out of some misguided form of loyalty to the Director]].

-->'''Harry:''' Why are you following me?
-->'''Martin:''' I'm not following you, I'm looking for you. There's a big difference.

* FourEyesZeroSoul: [[spoiler: Mark, who seems to be the more active force in the murder of the Director]].

** [[spoiler: If Martin was working with Mark and Ann]] then why did he ensure that the tape [[spoiler: was given to the director]] when it contained some, admittedly indirect, [[spoiler: clues about his impending murder]]?

* TwentyMinutesIntoThePast: When Harry listens back to the tape of Mark and Ann, we learn that it was made on December 2, 1972.

* AmbiguouslyEvil: [[spoiler: It's never unequivocally stated that Martin is working for Mark and Ann, and if so why he is, and his actions in intimidating Harry at the end could be out of some misguide form of loyalty to the Director]].

* ChekhovsGun: Though not shown explicitly in the film, it is implied that the eavesdropping device being demonstrated at the trade show is what is used to bug Caul at the end.

** What was in the hotel toilet?

* ArcWords: "He'd kill us if he got the chance." [[spoiler:[[OnceMoreWithClarity Enunciated at the end as:]] "He'd kill ''us'' if he got the chance," changing the meaning from fear the director will murder Ann to Mark justifying their plot to murder the director [[NotSoDifferent by pointing out that he's just as bad]].]]

The film is often mistakenly regarded as a reaction to the Watergate scandal. In reality, the resemblance was just a prophetic coincidence; the screenplay and filming were completed prior to the scandal hitting the press. Furthermore, Coppola explained in the DVD commentary that he was inspired by the earlier film ''[[Film/BlowUp Blowup]]'', which dealt with a similar premise, but with photography.

* ProperlyParanoid: Harry does everything possible to keep his privacy (to the point that it's a serious, relationship-shattering BerserkButton if someone starts to get too curious about his work and his personal history or even how old he is), including unlisted office number (and he calls from public phones if he needs to contact someone). By the end of the story, it's showcased that the company that contracted him spent time creating an extensive dossier on him and there is absolutely ''nothing'' they don't know about him and ''nowhere'' that he can go that they can't break in to steal stuff or bug it.

Harry Caul (Hackman) is a paranoid, socially-withdrawn surveillance expert in San Francisco who runs a personal business in which he spies on people's conversations at the behest of his clients and reports the information back to them. He is strictly professional in his activities, never questioning ''why'' his clients want those he surveys spied on, nor intervening accordingly. However, his latest assignment has been to spy on Ann (Williams), the wife of the director of a big company, and her lover Mark (Forrest). He hears in their recorded conversations the phrase: ''[[ArcWords "He'd kill us if he got the chance."]]'' He thus theorizes that Ann's husband suspects she is having an affair and is planning to murder her and Mark, and thereby is torn over whether to adhere to his non-intervention rule or do something.

[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/the_conversation_1974.jpg]]

''The Conversation'' is a 1974 {{psychological thriller}} film written and directed by Creator/FrancisFordCoppola and starring Creator/GeneHackman, with a supporting cast that includes [[Series/LaverneAndShirley Cindy Williams]], Frederic Forrest, John Cazale, Allen Garfield, Creator/TeriGarr, and Creator/HarrisonFord.

* YourCheatingHeart: Ann and Mark.

* {{Sidekick}}: Zigzagged with Stan, Harry's talkative, although somewhat less skilled assistant. He works for Harry and has some somewhat funny comments but tier relationship is strained and he quits to work for Bernie. He does seem to show concern and reconsider when Harry pleads that he needs help (given how he's being followed) and promises to treat him more fairly, but never actually assists Harry in anything else (merely going to the party at the warehouse with him and seeming on somewhat good terms with him for most of it), leaving it ambiguous whether he did come back to work for Harry or not.

* SpyCam: A couple of these (which are [[TechnologyMarchesOn high-tech by the standards]] [[TheSeventies of the film's era]]) are demonstrated in passing on the "surveillance experts'" convention.

* TroubleEntendre: Ann and Mark's conversation in the park [[spoiler: turns out to be them plotting the director's murder]].

* TheFaceless: Harry's employer, played by a very well known actor, is only ever seen in deep shadows. he Preist who hears Harry's confession also has his face obscured by the screen.

* TheCameo: [[spoiler:Robert Duvall]] as the Director.

* NoRespectGuy: Stan has been working with Harry for years, without getting much, if any, trust, friendship oor tips on bettering his own craft from him.

* AmbiguouslyEvil: [[spoiler: Its never unequivocally stated that Martin is working for Mark and Ann, and if so why he is, and his actions in intimidating Harry at the end could be out of some misguide form of loyalty to the Director]].
* ArcWords: "He'd kill us if he got the chance." [[spoiler:[[OnceMoreWithClarity Enunciated at the end as:]] "He'd kill ''us'' if he got the chance."]]