Robert Duvall’s 94% RT Crime Masterpiece Is Better Than The Godfather

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Many consider Francis Ford Coppola’s The Godfather to be one of the best films ever made, and it truly is a landmark crime drama that shaped countless movies that followed. Although it’s a fantastic film and features a memorable performance by Robert Duvall, it isn’t actually his strongest work in the crime genre.

Actually, The Godfather isn’t even Robert Duvall’s strongest work with director Francis Ford Coppola in the crime genre. They teamed up again just two years later on The Conversation, a brilliant but often overlooked crime film that came after The Godfather revolutionized filmmaking.

The Conversation Is Even Better Than The Godfather

Francis Ford Coppola’s The Conversation is often considered his most personal film. This crime thriller centers on a solitary surveillance expert and explores themes of loneliness, paranoia, and guilt. While The Godfather offered a broad look at power and corruption, The Conversation is a more focused and subtle film, and many believe this intimate approach makes it even stronger.

Gene Hackman delivers a stunning performance in the 1974 thriller, The Conversation, arguably one of the best in cinematic history. He beautifully portrays the film’s isolated main character, and his nuanced acting is what truly elevates the movie – even surpassing the impact of The Godfather. His role isn’t just important; it’s absolutely essential to understanding the film’s core message and how the story unfolds.

Robert Duvall plays a shadowy character known as “The Director,” who is connected to a secret plot involving a recording of a couple’s private talk. The conversation suggests Duvall’s character will be involved in a future crime, but things aren’t what they appear. Throughout the film, we learn more about why Gene Hackman’s character, Harry Caul, is so withdrawn and haunted by guilt. Past mistakes have led him to a lonely, paranoid life, and he’s determined not to repeat them.

The Conversation Is A Character-Focused Emotional Epic

Many movie fans have overlooked The Conversation, which is a shame. The Godfather is rightfully celebrated, but The Conversation is equally deserving of praise. It boasts acting performances that are just as powerful as those by Marlon Brando or Al Pacino, and its intimate, tightly-focused story offers a great contrast to the epic scope of The Godfather.

Francis Ford Coppola’s The Conversation explored themes of surveillance and ethical dilemmas with remarkable foresight, but it didn’t achieve the same immediate success as The Godfather. Discovering The Conversation is a unique experience, and fans of Robert Duvall’s work in The Godfather should definitely seek it out – his performance in this often-overlooked film is equally impressive.

Many consider The Conversation to be the better film, and with the recent passing of two of its stars, Gene Hackman and Robert Duvall, it feels especially important to revisit this powerful story. It explores themes of moral and religious decline, the feeling of being watched, and the isolation of modern life.

Both Hackman and Duvall deliver captivating performances in The Conversation, though Hackman appears more throughout the film. Their work is a key reason why the movie remains so memorable. Francis Ford Coppola created several acclaimed films in the 1970s, and Robert Duvall appeared in each one, but The Conversation is arguably his most enduring achievement.

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Unveiling The Conversation: Coppola’s Hidden Gem
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2026-02-27 05:06