In 1974, in between creating The Godfather and The Godfather, Part 2, Oscar-winning writer-director Francis Ford Coppola made a film that was just as seminal as the Mafia dramas: The Conversation. It was in many ways a small picture, starring Gene Hackman (in a brilliant performance), and including some people on the brink of stardom, Cindy Williams (pre-Laverne & Shirley), Teri Garr (pre-Young Frankenstein) and Harrison Ford (pre-Star Wars and Raiders). The Conversation won the top prize as the Cannes Film Festival.
Now, AMC has given Tony Krantz (24), the go ahead to produce a pilot based on the film. It'll be set in the early 1970s and remain true to the film's premise: the story of Harry Caul, a professional sound man, a guy who can plant bugs and catch conversations using tape recorder and surveillance equipment, but is isolated and uncomfortable with human contact. In the film, Harry hears a conversation between a young couple and is unsure whether the information he's heard -- or thinks he's heard -- should be handed over to his client.
Francis Ford Coppola's small scale masterpiece The Conversation may soon be an ABC series with Coppola himself serving as executive producer. The series will take place in the present day and center on surveillance expert Harry Caul, played in the original film by Gene Hackman. The series will reflect on advances in surveillance technology, including digital spying. Christopher McQuarrie, screenwriter of The Usual Suspects and director of The Way of the Gun is writing the pilot along with Band of Brothers writer Erik Jendresen. Tony Krantz (24) is on board as a producer. The plan is to have a specific story for each episode, with an over-arching storyline centering on the various government agencies tracking Caul. The men behind the new series are currently attempting to close a deal with Touchstone Pictures and Krantz's Flame Ventures to serve as studios for the new show. Given the talent behind this, I could see it really taking off. It'll be interesting to see who they get to play Caul. 
Scott Grimes
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