"That's a nice-a donut."
Sunday, April 10, 2005
The Conversation
Sometimes a good movie gets overlooked in the theaters, only to be discovered later on home video. It is rare, and even tragic, when an excellent Academy Award-nominated movie is still overlooked and unappreciated after more than 30 years. I suspect part of that is because The Conversation was released in the same year (1974) as Roman Polanski's brilliant Chinatown and Francis Ford Coppola's other, but bigger, film The Godfather Part II. Even so, this is one of my favorite films of all-time.
The Conversation is a complex study of surveillance expert Harry Caul ("the best bugger on the West Coast") played by Gene Hackman, in what is surely his finest performance. The movie begins by following a couple around a crowded city park, and we soon realize that Harry and his team are recording what they are saying. Harry then effortlessly pieces the three sound recordings into the best possible mix. As he does this we are transported back to the original conversation, hearing only what Harry does, and this device becomes an integral part of the film. (And to that, special mention should be given here to Walter Murch, who effectively made sound another character in the film.) It doesn't matter to him why they are recording this couple, or what the couple did, or what is so special about a hotel room that is mentioned; he just cares about getting the best job done. But when he meets to collect his money and hand over the tape he starts to develop a conscience.
Things begin to quickly spiral out of control. What happened in that hotel room? And is Harry being watched or listened to? A key theme of The Conversation is that Harry, the man whose job is to eavesdrop on other people, is himself not very good at being secretive and private. Near the beginning, a neighbor easily gets inside his apartment - with the four locks and security system - to give him a birthday gift. And what happens at the end... well, you'll just have to see for yourself.
The Verdict: A+.
Michael Bentley 8:47 AM
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