The Conversation

1974
AA
1h 53m

IMDb RATING

7.7/10

128K

YOUR RATING

POPULARITY

2,529

Gene Hackman, John Cazale, and Allen Garfield in The Conversation (1974)

Play trailer1:56

4 Videos

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Conspiracy Thriller Psychological Drama Psychological Thriller Drama Mystery Thriller

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

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

7.7/10

128K

YOUR RATING

POPULARITY

2,529

See production info at IMDbPro

Nominated for 3 Oscars
- 14 wins & 17 nominations total

Meredith
(as Elizabeth Mac Rae)

Teri Garr

Harrison Ford

Martin Stett

Mark Wheeler

Receptionist

Robert Shields

The Mime

Phoebe Alexander

Lurleen

Ramon Bieri

Millard
(uncredited)

Gian-Carlo Coppola

Boy in Church
(uncredited)

George Dusheck

TV Anchor
(uncredited)

Robert Duvall

The Director
(uncredited)

Richard Hackman

Confessional Priest
(uncredited)
…

George Meyer

Salesman
(uncredited)

Director
- Francis Ford Coppola
Writer
- Francis Ford Coppola
All cast & crew
Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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Storyline

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Did you know

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Trivia
Francis Ford Coppola had written the outline in 1966, but couldn't get financing until The Godfather (1972) became a success.

Goofs
When Caul is in Stett's office alone, he walks over to the desk and picks up one of Stett's wife's cookies. He smells it and puts it back in the dish and then looks through the telescope. When Stett returns, he hands Caul the money and takes the tapes. When the film cuts to a shot of Caul thinking about the arrangement, the cookie reappears. Caul puts this cookie back in the dish, too.

Quotes
[repeated line from the recording]
Mark: He'd kill us if he got the chance.

Connections
Edited into The Green Fog (2017)

Soundtracks
Sophisticated Lady
(1932)
Music by Duke Ellington

User reviews491

Featured review

8/10

Edward Snowden in Flares...

Perhaps more aptly titled 'The Conscience' as Gene Hackman suffers intense psychological trauma at the prospect the product of his professional life could result in consequences he's previously struggled to accept. As good a performance as any reflecting mental torment and anguish.

However, if he had any awareness of the future world that awaits and the actions governments would take to surveil its citizens with impunity - he really would have something to worry about.