Is any fictional character more perfect for today’s chaotic and isolationist times than Gene Hackman’s ‘Harry Caul’, from the ‘The Conversation’? Harry is one of film’s great characters, a security expert obsessed with his own security and privacy. 

The film is by Francis Ford Coppola and was tipped out of Oscar for Best Pic by ‘Godfather II’, another of Coppola’s films (Chinatown was also up that year – a bit of a golden era). The films might be famous but I doubt many could name the winners of Best Actor, Best Actress, from that year, but I remember as a kid seeing the movies they were in and loved them both. 

Art Carney in ‘Harry and Tonto’ (okay, I had assumed a western when I went but still loved it) topped Al Pacino, Jack Nicholson, Albert Finney and Dustin Hoffman – not a bad effort for a bloke best known as the idiot sidekick in ‘The Honeymooners’ (and what a great show that was). Ellen Burstyn won Best Actress in ‘Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore’, another top flick. But both pics seemingly long forgotten. 

But I digress. 

I had not seen ‘The Conversation’ since I was about 16 and was keen to see it again – our local SBS had it on the other evening. I am a huge fan of Gene Hackman. Always have been – if the stories are true, he could have been in Godfather II. Coppola was obviously a big fan of his and allegedly offered him the role of Don Corleone, although even as a big fan of Hackman, who could ever imagine anyone but Brando. Hackman apparently turned it down. Is that true? Who knows? I sometimes suspect that if they draw up a list of a dozen possibles for a role, they all claim they knocked the role back. But some rumours do persist. 

Other great ‘Hackman’ career moves included, allegedly, knocking back Redford’s role in ‘Ordinary People’, Robert Duvall’s role in ‘Apocalypse Now’, Robert Shaw’s role in ‘Jaws’, Nicholson’s role in ‘Cuckoo’s Nest’, Richard Dreyfus’s role in ‘Close Encounters’, although apparently pretty much every actor in Hollywood declined that. And apparently, the producers of the Brady Bunch tried hard to get him for the series, as Mike Brady. Weird. Even weirder, Coppola pushed hard for Brando to take the Harry Caul role, ahead of Hackman. Who knows. 

But Hackman always said that Harry Caul (Coppola always claimed that the name was a typo and that he had intended it to be ‘Call’, which he liked for a bloke who bugged phones) was his favourite role (he plays a similar sort of character in ‘Enemy of the State’). 

For anyone who has not seen ‘The Conversation’, make sure you do. It is a ‘small’ movie, very low key, but a cracking one. As well as Hackman, Robert Duvall (curiously uncredited) and John Cazale are part of a terrific cast – Cazale is one of the most unappreciated actors of his generation, probably as he did so few films but the Godfathers, this, Deer Hunter and Dog Day Afternoon. Not many actors could say that every film in which they appeared was nominated for Best Picture. 

All of which is a massive digression even by my standards. Basically, it was a top flick to watch while enjoying a cigar. 

Sadly the cigar, the Upmann Magnum 46, did not step up and match the pic. Some maturity, opened nicely with some honey, leather and dark chocolate. A mid bodied smoke. Lots of early flavour. It was looking far more promising than it proved. Some complexity. Then it went a little ragged. A fairly simple cigar. There were some creamy coffee notes one could find, if you looked hard enough, in the second half. But overall, it went very much downhill in that second half. Full of distressing dirty notes. 86, being generous. Shame, as the first half was enjoyable.

The drinks, the Cardrona Distillery Rose Rabbit Orange Liqueur was a nice touch. This is a Kiwi creation where the distillery has soaked locally grown oranges in an unaged malt whisky spirit. 44% but you’d never know it. A nice, slightly sweet touch. Pears, lemons, but obviously mostly orange notes. Dry herbs. A refreshing style. Not cheap at around $110, but certainly worth a go for those interested in something different. 

And with it, the Blanton’s Single Barrel Special Reserve Bourbon. At just $65, stunning value. Amazing stuff. This is a top-quality bourbon. Caramel and honey abound. A raisiny sweetness. Hints of nougat. Maturity, complexity, balance and length. This puts many much more expensive bourbons to shame. 

As far as a match between cigar and drink, the cigar, when it was in the early and therefore enjoyable stage, great with the Bourbon, good with the White Rabbit. 

To be honest, a glass of that bourbon and the film would have been enough for me. 

KBG