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Out of Their Depth: Corruption, Scandal and Lies in the New Hollywood Season at Riverside...
Following the cultural upheaval and racial tensions of the 1960s, the early 70s saw America increasingly in social and political turmoil as opposition to the Vietnam war grew more violent following revelations of the brutality of American forces whilst at home the full scale of the Watergate scandal was beginning to be revealed. The certainties of modern American values were not only tarnished they were found to be mired in corruption, scandal and lies. We are delighted that season curator Andy Willis will once again provide another insightful recorded introduction to this film, and all films in this season.
Reported to be Coppola’s favourite of his films, THE CONVERSATION boasts an exceptional cast that includes Gene Hackman (The French Connection, Unforgiven), John Cazale (Dog Day Afternoon, The Godfather), Allen Garfield (Nashville, One From the Heart), Frederic Forrest (Apocalypse Now, Falling Down), Cindy Williams (American Graffiti, ‘Laverne & Shirley‘) and Michael Higgins (Angel Heart, The Stepford Wives) as well as featuring a notable early performance from Harrison Ford (Raiders of The Lost Ark, Witness). As well as the Palme D’or, the film won numerous other awards, including BAFTAs for Editing and Sound, recognising Walter Murch’s (The English Patient, Apocalypse Now) ground-breaking work.
THE CONVERSATION focuses on Harry Caul (Gene Hackman), a detached and paranoid surveillance expert who finds himself becoming a victim of the same modern technology he uses to destroy others. It begins with a seemingly routine job trailing an unfaithful wife and her lover. But when Harry visits the husband’s office to deliver the incriminating tapes he’s made of the couple, his client’s assistant tries to intercept him. Harry refuses to hand over the recordings and suddenly discovers that he may have captured a conversation about something that’s a lot more important than adulterous goings on.