As the moviegoing world continues to mourn the loss of the greatGene Hackman, his wife Betsy Arakawa, and their pet dog, two of his excellent performances released 25 years apart may be more related than it seems. Francis Ford Coppola’sThe Conversationand Tony Scott’sEnemy of the Statestar Hackman as paranoid surveillance experts on opposite sides of the United States, with many critics believing they could be the same character.
As such, it’s worth wondering ifEnemy of the Stateis a low-key sequel toThe Conversation, or, as criticKim Newman suggests, an honorary continuation from one story to the other. Regardless of whetherEnemy of the Statewas designed to function as a sequel or loose continuation,Hackman gives outstanding performances in both films, offering enough variation in his two portrayals of Harry Caul and Edward Lyle that no easy answers are provided.
Enemy Of The State
Hackman as Harry Caul in ‘The Conversation’
Written and directed by Francis Ford Coppola,The Conversationtells the story of Harry Caul, a paranoid San Francisco surveillance expert drawn into a conspiratorial web upon overhearing a potential murder plot while spying on a couple. Hired by an unknown client called The Director (Robert Duvall), Caul follows a couple through Union Square and records their conversation on a wiretap, picking up drips and drabs of information that he believes communicate a direct threat to his life and others.
Wracked by the guilt of spying due to his Catholic upbringing, Harry plays saxophone in his spare time to blow off steam. As he continues to isolate the sounds of the conversation and filter out the background noises, Caul hears the phrase “He’d kill us if he got the chance,” furthering his dreadful paranoia and belief that his case has lethal stakes. Caul’s investigation brings him to a hotel where he thinks he will catch the Director killing his wife for having an affair, only to fall deeper into the web of mysterious intrigue.
Without spoilingthe twist ending,The Conversationis a character-driven conspiracy thriller that explores themes of isolation, disillusionment, personal privacy, and the cost-benefit of techno-surveillance. Hackman delivered an internally vexed performance that earned him a BAFTA nod, while Coppola earned Oscar nominations for writing and direction.
Hackman as Edward “Brill” Lyle in ‘Enemy of the State’
Directed by the late great Tony Scott,Enemy of the Stateis a highly entertaining conspiracy thriller made far ahead of its time. Will Smith stars as Robert Dean, a flashy D.C. lawyer who becomes the target of Congressman Thomas Reynolds (Jon Voight), after Dean inadvertently obtains video of Reynolds murdering NSA Assistant Director, Phil Hammersley (Jason Robards), in a public park.
Reynolds killed Hammersley to block a sensitive anti-terrorism bill that would expand the surveillance powers of the American government and strip citizens of their civil liberties. Made well before 9/11 and the subsequent Patriot Act that grantedthe U.S. Governmentsuch unparalleled powers to spy on individuals in the name of protection,Enemy of the Statewas far ahead of the curve in 1998 and remains as important as ever.
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As Reynolds deploys the full weight of various government agencies to find Dean and obtain the incriminating video evidence, one man can help Dean. His name is Edward Lyle, aka Brill (Hackman). A former NSA communications expert stationed in Iran during the Iranian Revolution, Brill knows the tricks of the trade and assists Dean in evading 24/7 surveillance by eliminating the tracking devices in his clothes and personal items.
‘Enemy of the State’ Is More of a Referential Continuation of ‘The Conversation’
Beyond the techno-surveillance theme,three key pieces of evidence support the theory thatEnemy of the Stateconnects withThe Conversation. The first is Caul and Brill’s workshops. InThe Conversation, Caul works in an industrial warehouse called The Shop, keeping his recording technology secret from the public.The warehouse is identical to the one Brill takes Dean to inEnemy of the State,called The Jar,to destroy years of evidence he has stored, replete with the same distinct chain-link fence and clunky recording audio/video equipment.
Once viewers spot Brill’s warehouse, connecting the character to Caul inThe Conversationbecomes obvious. One can assume that after getting mixed up with the murder plotin San Franciscoin 1974 (when the film was released), Caul left the country to work in Iran before returning home decades later. It’s possible Caul changed his name to Lyle (illegally or otherwise) and continued his surveillance work underground for the next 25 years. However, there’s neither a saxophone nor mention of the Catholic Church, two key characteristics defining Caul inThe Conversation. Perhaps he lost his religion and gave up his musical hobby.
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The second piece of evidence linking Caul and Lyle is a photo fromThe Conversationincluded inEnemy of the State. When government officials track Lyle’s identity, the photo from his time working with the NSA is of Hackman inThe Conversation. Tony Scott’s subtle wink and nod to Coppola’s conspiracy classic suggests Caul and Lyle are the same.
The third piece of evidence is the conversation recording itself.InThe Conversation, Caul eavesdrops on a man-woman couple ambling through San Francisco’s Union Square. InEnemy of the State,Tony Scott pays homageto the scene in a near-shot-for-shot replica, only this time, the recorded conversation is between Dean and his friend Rachel Banks (Lisa Bonet). The overhead shot of each couple dawdling through a public square is nearly identical in both films, indicating more of a referential homage than a story sequel.
While no definitive answers are provided,Enemy of the Stateexpands on the themes introduced inThe Conversation, telling a much larger story about government malfeasance. Hackman’s characters are nearly identical in both, further connecting the surveillance themes. However, there is no case-closing proof one way or the other, leavingEnemy of the Stateas more of a touching tribute than an official movie sequel toThe Conversation.Enemy of the Stateis available to rent onPrime Video, whileThe Conversationis available to rent onApple TV.
