In the sun-baked sprawl of 1930s Los Angeles, a private detective uncovers a web of deceit so tangled it defies the imagination, reminding us why neo-noir endures.
Chinatown stands as a towering achievement in American cinema, a film that masterfully revives the hard-boiled detective genre while infusing it with the moral ambiguity and psychological depth of the 1970s. Released in 1974, it captures the essence of Los Angeles’ shadowy underbelly, blending historical intrigue with timeless human tragedy.
- Explore the intricate plot rooted in the real-life California water wars, revealing how fiction mirrored scandalous history.
- Unpack the stellar performances, particularly Jack Nicholson’s career-defining turn as the flawed J.J. Gittes.
- Trace the film’s enduring legacy, from Oscars to its influence on modern thrillers and its place in collector’s lore.
Chinatown (1974): Echoes of Deception in the Desert City
The Thirsty City and Its Hidden Schemes
Los Angeles in the 1930s was a metropolis built on illusion, a desert paradise conjured from aqueducts and ambition. Chinatown plunges us into this world through the eyes of J.J. “Jake” Gittes, a private investigator whose routine case spirals into a labyrinth of corruption. Hired by a woman claiming to be Evelyn Mulwray, Jake photographs her husband Hollis, the chief engineer of the city’s water department, in a compromising embrace with another woman. What begins as salacious adultery unravels into something far more sinister: a plot to monopolise the region’s water supply.
The screenplay by Robert Towne meticulously weaves historical fact into its fiction. The film draws directly from the California Water Wars of the early 20th century, where Los Angeles officials, led by figures like William Mulholland, diverted water from the Owens Valley, leaving farmers destitute. Towne’s narrative amplifies this with fictional flourishes, such as Noah Cross, the tyrannical magnate played with chilling menace by John Huston. Cross’s scheme involves drying up the Valley to buy it cheap, then flooding it anew for profit. This backdrop not only grounds the story in authenticity but elevates it to a cautionary tale about unchecked power.
Director Roman Polanski enhances the tension through deliberate pacing and visual motifs. The arid landscapes, shot by John A. Alonzo, shimmer under harsh sunlight, contrasting the cool interiors where secrets fester. Oranges recur as symbols of tainted wealth—Evelyn’s sister/daughter lives amid citrus groves, and Cross peels one menacingly during interrogation. These details immerse viewers in a noir world where every shadow hides a lie.
Jake Gittes: The Detective Doomed by His Past
Jack Nicholson’s portrayal of Jake Gittes anchors the film, transforming the archetypal private eye into a man haunted by failure. Unlike the infallible Sam Spade or Philip Marlowe, Jake bears scars from a botched case in Chinatown years earlier—a vague trauma that Polanski leaves tantalisingly undefined. This ambiguity humanises him; his tailored suits and clipped sarcasm mask vulnerability. When the real Evelyn Mulwray appears, Jake’s obsession blinds him to the truth, leading to catastrophic missteps.
The character’s arc unfolds through pivotal confrontations. In one unforgettable scene, Noah Cross probes Jake about his “sister and daughter,” forcing a slip that exposes Evelyn’s incestuous family secret. Nicholson’s reaction—a frozen stare beneath his bandaged nose—conveys dawning horror without a word. This moment exemplifies the film’s dialogue, sharp and loaded, where Towne’s script crackles with subtext. Jake’s mantra, “You can do anything you want and nobody’s going to do a damn thing about it,” encapsulates the film’s bleak worldview.
Supporting players deepen the ensemble. Faye Dunaway’s Evelyn exudes fragility and steel, her wide eyes betraying layers of pain. Her breakdown under Jake’s questioning, revealing the ultimate taboo, delivers a gut-punch twist that redefines the mystery. John Huston’s Cross embodies patriarchal evil, his avuncular charm curdling into monstrosity. Even bit roles, like the Boyle Heights henchman played by Roman Polanski himself, add gritty authenticity.
Water as Metaphor: Power, Greed, and Betrayal
At its core, Chinatown uses water as a metaphor for elusive control. The Valley’s reservoirs run dry at night, a sabotage mirroring the characters’ emotional desolation. Hollis Mulwray’s murder—drowning in a dry riverbed—symbolises futile resistance against entrenched interests. Towne researched obsessively, consulting historians and poring over court records, to ensure the plot’s plausibility. This historical fidelity distinguishes Chinatown from pulpier noirs, lending it prophetic weight amid 1970s scandals like Watergate.
Polanski’s direction amplifies thematic resonance. Low-angle shots dwarf characters against vast skies, underscoring individual impotence. The score by Jerry Goldsmith, with its haunting piano and oboe, evokes isolation. Sound design captures the drip of faucets and rush of hidden pipes, turning everyday elements ominous. These choices craft a sensory experience that lingers, much like the film’s exploration of inherited sin—Cross’s perversion passed to Evelyn’s child.
The ending shatters noir conventions. Jake uncovers the truth too late; Evelyn dies in a hail of bullets, her daughter spirited away by Cross. The final line—”Forget it, Jake, it’s Chinatown”—delivered by the weary lieutenant Escobar, resigns to systemic corruption. This fatalism shocked audiences expecting redemption, cementing Chinatown’s status as adult entertainment for a cynical era.
Production Perils: From Script to Silver Screen
Chinatown’s journey to fruition was fraught. Towne’s original script ran over three hours, prompting studio cuts. Polanski, fresh from legal troubles in Europe, clashed with producer Robert Evans over tone—Polanski insisted on unrelenting darkness, rejecting Towne’s happier ending. Principal photography in 1973 captured real LA locations, from Mulholland Dam to Chinatown’s bustling streets, enhancing verisimilitude.
Challenges abounded: Nicholson’s nose was genuinely slashed by a thug extra, achieved with a real razor for authenticity. Dunaway endured grueling emotional scenes, drawing from her own turbulent life. Post-production battles saw Towne walk off, leaving Polanski to finalise the cut. Despite turmoil, the film premiered to acclaim, winning Towne an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay while controversially losing Best Picture to The Godfather Part II.
Marketing positioned it as prestige noir, with posters featuring Nicholson’s bandaged face. Box office success—over $29 million on a $6 million budget—proved audiences craved intelligent thrillers. For collectors today, original posters and scripts fetch premiums at auctions, symbols of its cult elevation.
Legacy: Ripples Through Cinema and Culture
Chinatown redefined neo-noir, influencing films like L.A. Confidential and Mulholland Drive. Its DNA appears in TV series such as True Detective, with labyrinthine plots and flawed protagonists. The 1990 sequel, The Two Jakes, faltered without Polanski, underscoring the original’s alchemy. Revivals, including 2014’s AFI screening, reaffirm its vitality.
In retro culture, Chinatown thrives among cinephiles and vinyl enthusiasts—Goldsmith’s soundtrack remains a sought-after LP. Home video releases, from LaserDisc to 4K UHD, preserve its visual splendour for collectors. The film’s themes resonate amid modern water crises, from Flint to Cape Town, proving its prescience.
Cultural echoes abound: parodies in The Simpsons, references in The Sopranos. It embodies 1970s cinema’s shift from New Hollywood optimism to paranoia, bridging classics like The Maltese Falcon with postmodern deconstructions. For nostalgia buffs, rewatching evokes the era’s grit—cigarette haze, wide lapels, and unflinching truths.
Roman Polanski in the Spotlight
Roman Polanski, born Rajmund Roman Liebling Polański on 18 August 1933 in Paris to Polish-Jewish parents, endured unimaginable hardship early on. His family returned to Kraków in 1936, where the Nazi occupation shattered their lives. Polanski survived the Holocaust by evading the Kraków Ghetto, scavenging and posing as Catholic, while his mother perished in Auschwitz. This trauma profoundly shaped his worldview, infusing films with paranoia and loss.
Post-war, Polanski honed his craft at the Łódź Film School, debuting with short films like Two Men and a Wardrobe (1958). His first feature, Knife in the Water (1962), a tense psychological thriller, earned international notice and an Oscar nomination. Emigrating to England, he directed Repulsion (1965), a harrowing study of madness starring Catherine Deneuve, followed by Cul-de-sac (1966), blending black comedy and isolation.
Hollywood beckoned with Rosemary’s Baby (1968), a satanic horror masterpiece with Mia Farrow and Ruth Gordon that grossed $33 million and won Polanski a Producers Guild nod. Tragedy struck in 1969 with the murder of his pregnant wife Sharon Tate by the Manson Family, prompting his retreat to Europe. Chinatown (1974) marked his return, though legal woes—including a 1977 statutory rape charge—forced permanent exile from the US.
Polanski’s oeuvre spans genres: Tess (1979), an Oscar-winning adaptation of Thomas Hardy’s novel; Pirates (1986), a swashbuckling flop; Frantic (1988) with Harrison Ford; Bitter Moon (1992), erotic thriller; Death and the Maiden (1994), political drama; The Ninth Gate (1999), occult mystery; The Pianist (2002), Holocaust survival epic earning him Best Director Oscar; Oliver Twist (2005); The Ghost Writer (2010), political intrigue; Venus in Fur (2013), chamber piece; Based on a True Story (2017); and An Officer and a Spy (2019), Dreyfus Affair drama. His style—claustrophobia, moral ambiguity, meticulous framing—remains unmistakable.
Jack Nicholson in the Spotlight
John Joseph Nicholson, born 22 April 1937 in Neptune City, New Jersey, navigated a convoluted family history—raised believing his grandmother was his mother—before emerging as Hollywood’s premier iconoclast. Discovered via his aunt’s beauty pageant connections, he debuted in uncredited roles, gaining notice in Roger Corman’s low-budgeters like The Little Shop of Horrors (1960).
Breakthrough came with Easy Rider (1969), earning his first Oscar nod as biker poet George Hanson. The 1970s solidified stardom: Five Easy Pieces (1970), Carnal Knowledge (1971), The Last Detail (1973)—all showcasing anti-heroic rebellion. Chinatown (1974) crowned this run, with Nicholson’s Gittes blending charm and pathos. One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (1975) won him Best Actor Oscar, followed by The Shining (1980), Reds (1981, supporting Oscar), Terms of Endearment (1983, Best Supporting), Prizzi’s Honor (1985), and Ironweed (1987).
The 1990s brought Batman (1989) as the Joker, A Few Good Men (1992)—”You can’t handle the truth!”—and As Good as It Gets (1997, Best Actor Oscar). Later roles included The Departed (2006, supporting Oscar nod), The Bucket List (2007), and his final film How Do You Know (2010). With over 80 credits, 12 Oscar nominations, and three wins, Nicholson’s gravelly voice, manic grin, and defiant persona defined generations.
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Bibliography
Finch, C. (1979) Robert Towne: The Hollywood Screenwriter Who Defined a Generation. Grove Press.
Polanski, R. (1984) Roman. William Morrow.
Towne, R. (2000) Chinatown: The Script and the Legend. Doubleday.
Thomson, D. (2010) Biographical Dictionary of Film. Alfred A. Knopf.
Zanuck, D. (1974) Production notes for Chinatown. Paramount Pictures Archive. Available at: https://www.paramount.com/archives (Accessed 15 October 2024).
Goldsmith, J. (1974) Chinatown Original Soundtrack liner notes. Varèse Sarabande.
Katz, S. (1991) The Film Director’s Art. Simon & Schuster.
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