The Conversation

I want to go over to my place and start, you know, getting it on,

'cause I'm just tired of this all.

- Oh, that's terrible. - Yeah.

Did you ever take ballet?

Weak ankles. Do you have a quarter for them?

Yes, I do.

Well, what about me?

You'll see.

A lot of fun you are.

You're supposed to tease me, give me hints, make me guess, you know.

Oh, look. That's terrible.

He's not hurting anyone.

Neither are we.

Oh, God.

Every time I see one of those old guys, I always think the same thing.

What do you think?

I always think that he was once somebody's baby boy.

Really, I do.

I think he was once somebody's baby boy,

and he had a mother and a father who loved him.

And now there he is, half-dead on a park bench,

and where are his mother or his father, all his uncles now?

Anyway, that's what I always think.

How's he doing up there?

I always think how, when they had the newspaper strike...

We're getting better than 40%.

How about the second position?

It's not so good.

What have we here?

Okay, come on, you little babies, now, wet your lips there.

All right, give me some tongue. Just give me a little tongue there.

Come on.

Come on, just a little tongue outside.

Nice, wet French kiss now.

Come on, a nice wet one there.

Come on, come on. Pay attention to your recordings.

She's coming in loud and clear.

Look, Mark. Do you see him?

The man with the hearing aid like Charles?

- No. Where? - Right there, with the shopping bag.

Well, that's it for Paul. They spotted him.

Give me the phones.

He's been following us all around, and he's following us close.

It's nothing. Don't worry about it.

We're spending too much time together here.

No. Let's stay just a little longer.

I got burned, Harry.

- Yeah. - She looked at me.

Yeah, yeah, I know. We heard.

Oh, did we hear.

What do you think?

I got some good pieces, maybe 25%.

Oh, yeah?

Listen, Paul, I'll call you in a couple of days if I need you again, okay?

Hey, Paul, you going to the convention tomorrow?

You bet.

Hey, how about you, Harry?

Yeah. Maybe.

Little party like we did two years ago, huh?

Hey, Stan?

- I'll see. - Okay.

Here.

He's a nice guy for a cop.

You go.

I'll stay here a while.

Who's interested in these two anyway?

I don't know for sure.

- The Justice Department? - No.

I figure it must be the Infernal Revenue.

Their tapes always put me to sleep.

Since when are you here to be entertained? Here.

Sometimes it's nice to know what they're talking about.

I don't care what they're talking about.

All I want is a nice, fat recording.

Hello, Mr. Caul.

And happy birthday!

Happy birthday, Harry.

Happy birthday.

Hello.

Hello, Miss Evangelista?

Yes. This is Harry Caul from upstairs.

Yes. Well...

Thank you very much. Thank you.

Yes, well, you're really very nice.

Yes.

But...

I know...

Yes, I found it. Yes.

But what I wanted to talk to you about was, how did you put it in the apartment?

Right.

Well, what about the alarm?

Oh, you did?

Well, yes, I thought I had the only key.

Well, what emergency could possibly...

All right. Yes.

Well, see, I would be perfectly happy to have all my personal things

burned up in a fire because I don't have anything personal.

Nothing of value.

No. Nothing personal except my keys, you see.

Yes. Which I really would like to have the only copy of, Miss Evangelista.

Miss Evangelista, how'd you know it was my birthday?

Nah. I don't remember telling you.

Would you like to take a guess how old I am?

Forty-four. Well, that's a very good guess.

Miss Evangelista, as of today, my mail will go to a post office box

with a combination on it and no keys.

Good-bye.

Hey, Harry.

Morning.

Hey, man, there's an article in here about the convention.

- It mentions your name. - Oh, yeah?

Yeah. You're one of the notables who's going tomorrow night,

did you know that?

Yeah. I told them I'd be there.

Listen to this here.

Listen.

"Among those pre-eminent in the field expected to attend

"are Hal Lipsett and Harry Caul from San Francisco.

"Kenneth Sperry will speak on Surveillance and The Law."

Wait a minute. Listen to this. Where the hell is it?

"Also attending will be William P. Moran of Detroit, Michigan."

Since when did William P. Moran of Detroit, Michigan

become pre-eminent in the field?

Oh, he's very big there.

You want some coffee?

He's the guy that told Chrysler that Cadillac was getting rid of its fins.

It was a while ago, but it was a big thing at the time.

December 2nd, 1:00 p.m. Shopping bag, Unit A.

December 2nd, 1:00 p.m. Parabolic, Unit B.

December 2nd, 1:00 p.m. City of Paris, Unit C.

What do you think?

I don't know what I'm going to get him for Christmas yet.

He's already got everything.

He doesn't need anything anymore.

Well, I haven't decided what I'm going to get you yet.

...get him for Christmas yet.

He's already got everything.

He doesn't need anything anymore.

Well, I haven't decided what I'm going to get you yet.

Well, you better start looking.

Well, what about me?

You'll see.

A lot of fun you are.

You're supposed to tease me, give me hints, make me guess, you know.

Does it bother you?

- What? - Walking around in circles.

Oh, look. That's terrible.

He's not hurting anyone.

Neither are we.

Oh, God.

Every time I see one of those old guys...

Every time I see one of those old guys, I always think the same thing.

What do you think?

I always think that he was once somebody's baby boy.

No, really, I do.

I think he was once somebody's baby boy,

and he had a mother and a father who loved him.

And now there he is, half-dead on a park bench,

and where are his mother or his father, all his uncles now?

Anyway, that's what I always think.

I always think how, when they had the newspaper strike in New York,

more of those old guys died.

Fifty of them froze to death in one night.

Good afternoon. May I help you?

Yes. Extension 746, please.

One moment, please.

Director's office.

Yes, this is Mr. Caul.

I have the material and I'm calling for an appointment.

I'm sorry. The director has already left for the day.

We'll call you back tomorrow morning.

May I have your telephone number, please?

No, I'm at a pay phone, and I don't have a home telephone.

Hold on one moment, please.

- Mr. Caul? - Yes?

2:30 tomorrow afternoon.

2:30 in the afternoon? Is that payment in full?

Whatever was arranged.

Thank you very much. I'll be there.

- Harry? - Hello, Amy.

I didn't think you were coming.

I brought some wine

someone gave me as a birthday present.

I didn't know it was your birthday.

- Do you want some? - Yeah.

I do.

How old are you, Harry?

Forty-two.

Sweet.

Does something special happen between us on your birthday?

Like what?

Something personal.

Like what?

Like telling me about yourself, your secrets.

I don't have any secrets.

I'm your secret.

You do have secrets, Harry. I know you do.

No.

Sometimes you come over here, and you don't tell me.

Once I saw you up by the staircase, hiding,