Gene Hackman Role Megapoll: Round 2a: The Conversation vs Superman II
 

The Conversation (1974)

https://www.originalfilmart.com/cdn/...g?v=1585310343

Superman II (1980)

https://www.originalfilmart.com/cdn/...p?v=1686689955

I'm going to put up the @NAF1138 signal. The Conversation needs defense and he'll do it far more justice than I.

The Conversation is one of the 25 (IMO, AFI says #54 which is too low, but still pretty impressive) greatest American films ever made and Superman II REALLY isn't. It's not like Superman 4 or anything, but it's just an ok superhero movie. Hackman isn't even the main villain.

People. Listen to me. If you have not seen The Conversation, you are missing out. It is streaming for just $3.99 on all the major streaming services, if you rent it and don't like it I'll venmo you the $4. Go watch it! It is even more relevant in today's political climate than it has been in probably 40 years.

Don't take my word for it Read up on it here! or read what Ebert had to say Here!!

Do not delay! If you are a Hackman fan this is probably his best roll. Not as iconic as Popeye, but his best performance by a lot. Go watch!

:thumbs:

Dude, you tempt me!

I'm serious. If I could just rent it for you in advance I would. It's a tense quiet movie, so find some time and get yourself into a dark room with nothing to distract you. It's great!

I voted for The Conversation because of NAf's earnest urging. And I will rent it this afternoon when I get off work.

I look forward to your report

I wasn't able to watch it - I had to take an urgent nap. I will definitely watch it soon!

Why don't we have a "sleepy" smiley? I'll try to remedy that soon, too.

This is the best thing that could possibly come from megapoll!

:bed: bed
:zzz: zzz

Awesome!

I just noticed several new (to me) smileys: :grim::potato::shrunk::tiny_lion:


And what's the difference between devil :devil: and rdevil :rdevil:?

Well, one's a robot...

I've never seen Mr. Potatohead before either!

@NAF1138,

I watched The Conversation. It was... odd. At first I was distracted by the fact that there was Shirley Feeney (Cindy Williams) from Laverne and Shirley. She played the female half of the conversation. Her boyfriend was the other half.

Then I watched Harry (Gene Hackman) gradually (gonna spoiler the rest.)

devolve into paranoid, obsessed man who wanted to protect Shirley from an evil man. His profession is fascinating, though. All the old-school tech of surveilling people. The women in his life are all un-serious relationships to him. Teri Garr! (I barely recognized her.) He pays her rent, but he doesn't really care about her. He pours his heart out to the "bimbo" type of girl that he dances with, by telling her that maybe he does love Teri Garr. But then the convention guys tease him with the recording they made of him telling her all that. He seethes with anger and kicks them all out, but still sleeps with the bimbo. I know he must be lonely. Then she steals his "conversation" tapes! He is seriously afraid that Shirley is going to be killed by her rich husband, and dreams? fantasizes? her murder. By this time I'm checking 'how long is this movie?' I'm getting tired of his obsession. The twist really got me, though. I didn't suspect that Shirley and her boyfriend were conspiring to kill the husband! I thought it was a bit of a trick to change the enunciation of that one line/word - I can't remember it exactly now - that was supposed to show us their guilt. But the best part was when the man on the phone says, "We'll be listening." Harry tears up his entire house looking for bugs. He lost his damn mind. Crazy flick. I'm glad I watched it. I thought Gene Hackman played it to the hilt! He was great. It's not the greatest movie he ever did, though. IMO.)

Thanks, NAF.

I'm glad you liked it! I think it's a really fascinating movie and Hackman is AMAZING in it. Very unlike almost anything else he ever did.

I need to watch that movie again. It's been a looong time since I saw it.