Four-Star Films : ‘The Conversation’

This endlessly intriguing and challenging 1974 release is one of Francis Ford Coppola’s finest and least-known films. Gene Hackman stars as a professional wiretapper who becomes obsessed with a seemingly inconsequential lover’s conversation in this deceptively cool and clever variation on Antonioni’s “ Blowup” that oozes paranoia and despair. It won Coppola the grand Prize at the Cannes Film Festival (Cinemax Wednesday at 12:30 p.m.).

Other four-star films airing this week:

Rebel Without a Cause / A&E;, early Monday, 2 a.m.

To Have and Have Not / TMC, Tuesday, 11:10 a.m.

8 1/2 / TMC, Thursday, 11 a.m. and early Friday, 5:30 a.m.

The Heiress / AMC, Thursday, 3 p.m.

Shane / TNT, Thursday, 5 p.m.

Hannah and Her Sisters / TMC and Bravo, Saturday, 10 a.m., 6 and 10:30 p.m.