Scene Analysis - The Conversation

The film, The Conversation, intentionally employs an extremely limited perspective within the film's sujet. That perspective is almost entirely exclusive to the film's reclusive protagonist, Harry Caul.

As a renowned surveillance expert, although it has distanced him almost entirely from having a personal life, Harry's solitary nature has rewarded him with success by allowing him to remain detached from those he observes. He struggles to separate the neutrality of work with invasive curiosity, though, when he begins uncovering a murder conspiracy.

One scene that insightfully characterizes this is in the argument that Harry has with Stan while attempting to focus on the conversation. The scene intercuts between the man and woman's dialogue and Harry's dispute with Stan. It serves two essential purposes. There is the more obvious intention of progressing the storyline of the conspiracy for the audience, but there is also the less explicit unveiling of the development of Harry's character.

As the recorded dialogue plays, Stan cannot resist asking Harry nosy questions, provoking Harry. Stan's innocent inquiries cause Harry to grow defensive, insisting that what he is doing is work and not infringing on anyone's privacy. This examination of Harry's morality is punctuated by his demands that Stan abstain from cursing.

In the end, Harry earns his own privacy. With Stan gone, Harry finally indulges his curiosity by unscrambling what is clearly the most dramatic moment of dialogue, exposing the possibility of murder both for himself and the film's audience.