The Conversation (1974)
Starring Gene Hackman, John Cazale, Frederic Forrest, Cindy Williams, Harrison Ford, Teri Garr, Allen Garfield, Elizabeth MacRae, Robert Duvall, Michael Higgins, Mark Wheeler, Billy Dee Williams, Ramon Bieri, Phoebe Alexander, Gian-Carlo Coppola, Robert Shields, Richard Hackman
IHBM9.5Masterpiece
Surveillance expert Harry Caul is hired by a mysterious client's brusque aide to tail a young couple. Tracking the pair through San Francisco's Union Square, Caul and his associate Stan manage to record a cryptic conversation between them. Tormented by memories of a previous case that ended badly, Caul becomes obsessed with the resulting tape, trying to determine if the couple are in danger.
My review · Reviewed 07/23/2010
I can't believe that I had not heard of this film until recently. In case you have not, it was one of Copola's early films. It stars Gene Hackman and John Cazale. Actually, Cazale was the reason that I had heard of the film. He made only a handful of films before dying of cancer. These films include the first two Godfathers, The Deer Hunter and Dog Day Afternoon. The film starts innocently enough - a simple scene between two secret lovers. What unfolds as the film goes on is quite extraordinary and often unexpected. I can't recommend it enough.