30. Coppola Cast 12: The Conversation (1974)

After the massive success of The Godfather, Francis Coppola was finally able to make his passion project: a small scale personal film, The Conversation. Though Coppola first had the idea for the story of a surveillance expert that suspects the people he spied on are going to be murdered in the mid-60’s, The Conversation was made during the height of the Watergate scandal and released just after Nixon’s resignation, no doubt giving it a special resonance for audiences in 1974. We discuss Gene Hackman’s low-key performance, the contribution of Walter Murch, Catholic guilt, and how themes of privacy and surveillance keep The Conversation relevant today. We also marvel at the lineup at the 1974 Oscars and wonder if Adam Sandler has succeeded where Coppola did not. This episode’s Coppola wines were: Diamond Collection 2017 Black Label Claret and Diamond Collection Chardonnay 2018.