Francis Ford Coppola writes films.
Francis Ford Coppola ( [ pronˈkoʊpələ ] born April 7 , 1939 ) , also credited as Francis Coppola , is a semi-retired American film director , producer , and screenwriter . After directing The Rain People ( 1969 ) , he co-wrote the 1970 film Patton , earning the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay along with co-writer Edmund H. North . The Conversation is a 1974 American mystery thriller film written , produced and directed by Francis Ford Coppola and starring Gene Hackman with supporting roles by John Cazale , Allen Garfield , Cindy Williams , Frederic Forrest , Harrison Ford , Teri Garr and Robert Duvall .