This is one of those scenes that appeared in Premiere magazine's "Classic Scenes" feature, but for the text version, I went to Coppola's script (dated Nov. 22, 1972) in what was dubbed "THE FILM SCHEDULING/FILM BUDGETING WORKBOOK" which is a good insight into Coppola's writing and directing methods by comparing what's here to what's on the screen.
There's quite a bit of dialog missing (it's crossed out) and any changes to the words post-script are marked as green. Additions may be due to actors saying essentially the same thing their own way and there are little tweaks here and there. But, there was obviously an awful lot of work done "blocking" the actors—telling them where to be on-set for the shot—and bits of business that aren't even alluded to in the script—the "kissing" scene, Harry removing his arm from behind Amy's head and it "clunks" on the bed's headboard.
The excisions are interesting. Some of it may be that Coppola was just repeating information and subjects and rather than emphasize it, just leaving it there once. For example, that provides a nice link in the "secrets" section—editor Walter Murch may have just cut out that one section for clarity.
If the script was followed as written, it might have cast Terri Garr's Amy in a different light. In the film, she asks her questions once. In the script, she asks them twice, which could be too much. Gene Hackman's Harry Caul is a suspicious, paranoid man and her asking just the one time would already make him wary; twice would make him think she's part of some possible conspiracy to "get the goods" on Harry. Asking once could just be genuine curiosity about the man who pays her bed and board. Harry's mind is already made up, but the audience's isn't.
But, her singing the song ("When the Red, Red, Robin Goes Bob, Bob, Bobbin' Along") that he heard his surveillance target earlier singing really lights up his antennae. It couldn't be a magical coincidence, could it? (But, why would she drop so blatant a hint that she knows what he's doing?) It's just another question...and Harry doesn't like those.
Whatever Amy's past, she decides her future isn't with Harry. And that's the final, definitive answer to whether she's working for one of Harry's enemies, or competitors. She quits. And good for her.
The Set-Up: Surveillance expert Harry Caul (Gene Hackman) has spent the noon-time of his 50th birthday recording the conversation between two young executives (Frederic Forrest, Cindy Williams) for their company's CEO (Robert Duvall). A solitary man, Caul is constantly looking over his shoulder to see if he's being watched or surveilled. Some would think he's protective, cautious, but Harry just might be paranoid, as when he visits a woman he keeps (Teri Garr).
Action...roll tape.
46 INT. THE BUILDING - NIGHT 46
Harry stands at the base of the staircase, looking up.
He waits there a moment, almost hiding,
and then
continues up the stairs. He approaches the apartment
door very, very quietly. He takes a key out, not
making a sound, then opens the door quickly and looks
into the room. HARRY Hello, Amy.
CUT TO:
47 INT. THE ROOM - NIGHT 47
We can see through the open door. The room is semi lit, and small. There are a few personal things around in it; a small stereo on the floor, some photographs on the walls, but there is a feeling of impermanence about the room. A girl half-rises from a bed in the corner of the room; she has pale skin, perhaps 24 or 25 with curly hair, sort of pretty. She has fallen asleep in a faded silk Oriental robe. Her name is AMY.
AMY
I didn't think you were coming. Harry closes the door behind him. AMY
Oh.
HARRY
I brought this wine. Someone gave
me as a birthday present. AMY
I didn't know it was your birthday. She seems half-asleep, but genuinely happy that he
has come. AMY Yeah.
HARRY
I should have called.
Amy slips back under the covers. There is something
frightened and very vulnerable about her. AMY
(not reproachfully)
You never do. HARRY
You should go out more.
AMY
You don't like me to.
HARRY
I don't mind.
AMY
Then I wouldn't be here if you
came over.
HARRY
Want some wine?
Amy nods. Then she smiles.
AMY
Harry, how old are you? He moves to the kitchenette, starts to open the wine
bottle.
HARRY Forty-four. Forty...two. AMY
You're almost twice as old as
me. AMY That's sweet, when you were
my age, I was being born. Sweet. Harry gives her a glass of wine. She clinks it to his and they each take a sip.
AMY
Does something special happen between us on your birthday?
AMY
Like....um
AMY ...telling me about yourself.
Your secrets.
HARRY I don't have any secrets.
AMY
(looks at him knowingly)
I'm your secret, Harry. AMY (brightly)
Where do you live? Why can't I
call you there? HARRY
(lying)
I don't...have a telephone.
AMY
But you DO have secrets, Harry, I
know you do. AMY (giggles) Sometimes you come here: but
you don't let me know. AMY Once I saw
you down by the staircase, hiding.
And watching. This embarrasses Harry: but she keeps on teasing him.
AMY
I think you're jealous. You think
you're going to catch me at
something. Sweet. AMY (she sips)
The only thing you'll ever catch me
at is waiting for you. You know I know when you're coming over...I can always tell (she laughs) AMY You have a certain way of opening the door
when you come here. AMY First the key goes in real quiet. You sneak up,
very quiet, like a mouse. AMY Then the
door opens real fast, AMY just like you
think you're going to catch me at
something. At first I used to think
that it was a fireman coming to warn
me that the building was on fire. AMY(sincerely)
Oh, Harry, how could you ever be
jealous of me?
HARRY
I'm not jealous.
AMY Sometimes I even think that you're listening to me. When I'm talking on the telephone. I just feel that you're listening to me.
HARRY(uncomfortable)
What are you talking about?
AMY
What do you do all day, Harry? HARRY
I work.
AMY Where?
HARRY
I have my own business.
AMY
What kind of business?
HARRY
I don't like people to ask me
a lot of questions.
...and disappears into the
bathroom.
We HOLD on the closed door for a moment. AMY (o.s.)
"Wake up, wake up you sleepy head, AMY (o.s.)
...get up, get out of bed...
The door opens. Harry steps out, staring at her. HARRY
Why are you singing that?
AMY
It's pretty.
HARRY
Why that song?
AMY
What's the matter, Harry? HARRY Nothing. Just that...
HARRY Someone else was singing that song today. AMY
(playfully)
Who is she? HARRY Nobody.
AMY
(playfully)
Now,. I'M jealous.
HARRY
I don't know her...I...it's
something else. It's...it's just somebody at work. HARRY She reminds me of you.
AMY
You never told me where Where do you work ,
Harry. HARRY
Oh..Different places. Different jobs, HARRY A free lance musician.
AMY
Do you live alone, Harry Where do you live? AMY I mean, why can't I call you over there? HARRY Because I...because I don't have a telephoneAMY Do you live alone?HARRY
Why are you asking me all these questions all
of a sudden?AMY
It's your birthday HARRY I don't want people to ask me a lot of questions. AMY
...I want to know about you. AMY ...Oh...
HARRY but I don't want
to answer I don't feel like answering any more questions! He moves to to the kitchenette we can feel that he
doesn't want to stay here anymore. HARRY
Your rent is due this week. HARRY Here's the money for it.
He takes out some cash and puts it on a saucer on the
shelf. HARRY Food money, too.
She doesn't answer.He starts to go, then stops and looks at her. She seems very pale, very vulnerable, very delicate. HARRY You never used to ask me a lot of questions. AMY I was happy you came tonight, Harry.AMY When I heard you open up the door My toes were dancing under the covers.AMY But I don't think I'm going to wait
for you anymore.
Words by Francis Ford Coppola
The Conversation is available on DVD and Blu-Ray from Paramount Home Video.
The spider in the web is Uxbal (Javier Bardem, and he's amazing in this), part-time single father—his wife is a bi-polar, drinking, sluttish massage therapist and has lost custody of their two small children to him—and full-time black-marketer and employment agency for the disadvantaged. That's being polite. He works for a sweat-shop that ekes out its living by supplying warm bodies to various enterprises: the Senegalese sell crafts (and drugs) on the streets with increasingly ineffective bribes to the police in lieu of licenses, the Chinese make copies of movies and other cheap knock-offs, and...with Uxbal's brother's help...are farmed out for cheap labor on construction projects, which is the big score. He's sort of an HR guy, without regard to humanity or resources.
He also has an ability—as in The Sixth Sense, he "can see dead people." The recently departed are usually hanging around (sometimes literally) their bodies not knowing what to do or where to go, and Uxbal quiets their whispers, takes in their final words to help the grieving kin, and sends them on their way. For this, he receives a small fee from desperate families. Uxbal is teetering on the ledge of so many worlds, it is amazing that he is as balanced as he is, sheltering his children from the encroaching corruption—that he is a gateway to—from all sides.
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