Reel SF

San Francisco movie locations from classic films

San Francisco movie locations from classic films

The CONVERSATION (1974)

 The Movie

     Director Francis Ford Coppola conceived and wrote The Conversation after being inspired by Antonioni's 1966 classic 'Blowup'.  He had difficulty funding it and put it aside when he was picked to direct the first Godfather movie.  Thanks to its huge success he was able to return to The Conversation and made it before he did the second Godfather.  Filming commenced in late 1972 and the movie was released in Los Angeles on April 7, 1974.  Its hauntingly contemplative solo piano compositions by David Shire can be heard here and here.

The Story

     Harry Caul (Gene Hackman) is a surveillance expert hired by a business tycoon to snoop on his young wife (Cindy Williams) and her lover.  Not surprisingly perhaps, Caul is paranoid about privacy and keeps everything so close to the vest that it drives away both his assistant (John Cazale) and girlfriend (Terri Garr).  Listening over and over to the surreptitious recordings he becomes convinced that the young couple are going to be murdered, in part because of the information he has provided.  Deeply troubled but unable to get involved he then discovers that those behind the plot are spying on him.  The tables are turned; he has a hard time dealing with it and his world rapidly spirals out of control ...

The Locations

  1. Snooping In Union Square  Union Square

  2. Harry Caul's Apartment  700 Laguna Street, #206/207, Hayes Valley

  3. Harry Caul's Workshop  1616 16th Street, Suite 360, Potrero Hill

  4. Caul Makes A Call  Sutter Street at Polk,  Polk Gulch

  5. Too Many Questions  Casa Madrona, 110 - 116 Frederick Street, The Haight

  6. Take The Money or Run?   One Embarcadero Center, 301 Clay Street, Financial District

  7. A Breakthrough  1616 16th Street, Suite 360, Potrero Hill —- St. Patrick’s Church, 756 Mission Street, Soma

  8. At The Convention  St. Francis Hotel, 335 Powell Street, Union Square

  9. 10-28   St. Francis Hotel garage, Union Square  ---  Lombard Street between Webster and Divisadero, Cow Hollow

  10. Prophetic Dream  Alta Plaza Park,  Pacific Height

  11. Payday At The Director's Office  Suite 4150, One Embarcadero Center, 355 Clay Street  ---  One Maritime Plaza, 300 Clay Street, Financial District

  12. "Room 773, Jack Tar Hotel"  Jack Tar Hotel, 1101 Van Ness Avenue at Geary, Western Addition

  13. A Shocker   21-Hayes bus stop, Grove at Laguna --- One Embarcadero Center, 301 Clay Street, Financial District

  14. Media Frenzy   Sutter Street at Polk,  Polk Gulch  ---  One Embarcadero Center, 301 Clay Street, Financial District

  15. Meltdown   700 Laguna Street, #206/207, Hayes Valley

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