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The Conversation

Play trailer Poster for The Conversation PG,  1974,  1h 53m,  Mystery & Thriller Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist 94% 141 Reviews Tomatometer 89% 25,000+ Ratings Popcornmeter
94% Tomatometer 141 Reviews 89% Popcornmeter 25,000+ Ratings
Surveillance expert Harry Caul (Gene Hackman) is hired by a mysterious client's brusque aide (Harrison Ford) to tail a young couple, Mark (Frederic Forrest) and Ann (Cindy Williams). Tracking the pair through San Francisco's Union Square, Caul and his associate Stan (John Cazale) 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.
The Conversation

What to Know

Critics Consensus

This tense, paranoid thriller presents Francis Ford Coppola at his finest -- and makes some remarkably advanced arguments about technology's role in society that still resonate today.

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Critics Reviews

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David Wilson Sight & Sound Dec 22, 2025
An unqualified success, a complex, reverberating study of a man trapped by guilt. Go to Full Review
Rex Reed New York Daily News Sep 24, 2024
It is a superior movie, a dynamic social document, and an exemplary public service. In every way, a Kilimanjaro among motion pictures. Go to Full Review
Pauline Kael The New Yorker Sep 24, 2024
The Conversation is driven by an inner logic. It's a little thin, because the logic is the working out of one character's obsession, but it's a buggy movie that can get to you so that when it's over you really feel you're being bugged. Go to Full Review
Matt Brunson Film Frenzy Nov 26, 2025
4/4
Very much a piece of its time, snuggling up nicely to other paranoia thrillers like The Parallax View and Three Days of the Condor. Go to Full Review
Mike Massie Gone With The Twins Sep 25, 2025
10/10
This is nearly a one-man show, with Hackman giving an extraordinary performance as a conflicted soul whose personal beliefs, business ethic, and moral compass begin to unravel as he steadily uncovers clues about a mysterious, recorded conversation. Go to Full Review
Andy Punter InSession Film Apr 28, 2025
A
The Conversation doesn’t offer neat resolutions. Its famous ending is a haunting tableau of paranoia consuming itself, leaving the audience, like Caul, surrounded by questions. It’s a film that demands reflection, provoking debate decades after release. Go to Full Review
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Audience Reviews

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The Conversation

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Cast & Crew

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Francis Ford Coppola

Director

Gene Hackman

Harry Caul

John Cazale

Stan

Frederic Forrest

Mark

Allen Garfield

William P. "Bernie" Moran

Cindy Williams

Ann

Movie Clips

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The Conversation

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The Conversation

The Conversation (1974) The Conversation (1974) The Conversation (1974) The Conversation (1974) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis Surveillance expert Harry Caul (Gene Hackman) is hired by a mysterious client's brusque aide (Harrison Ford) to tail a young couple, Mark (Frederic Forrest) and Ann (Cindy Williams). Tracking the pair through San Francisco's Union Square, Caul and his associate Stan (John Cazale) 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.
Director
Francis Ford Coppola
Producer
Francis Ford Coppola
Screenwriter
Francis Ford Coppola
Distributor
Paramount Pictures
Production Co
American Zoetrope, The Directors Company
Rating
PG
Genre
Mystery & Thriller
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Apr 7, 1974, Original
Rerelease Date (Theaters)
Aug 9, 2024
Release Date (Streaming)
Oct 1, 2011
Box Office (Gross USA)
$143.4K
Runtime
1h 53m
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