One of the darkest of the retro private dick movies and one of the seminal American films of the 1970s, Roman Polanski's detective yarn Chinatown sees murder and scandal emerge from the drought of 1930s Southern California. An odyssey taking in corrupt city fathers, damaged women and dirty water, it was the perfect project for Jack Nicholson in all his disaffected glory.
Private eye Jake Gittes (Nicholson) is hired to follow water commissioner Hollis Mulwray, only to see him turn up dead at the bottom of a reservoir. Realising he has been used, Gittes confronts Mulwray's widow, Evelyn (Faye Dunaway), a woman who seems to have plenty of secrets of her own, not least her ambiguous relationship with her father, Noah Cross (John Huston).
Although maybe not an expert on writing about films I must say I love Roman Polanskis Chinatown. It contains all the gritty elements which makes a Film Noir, or should... more >
Although maybe not an expert on writing about films I must say I love Roman Polanskis Chinatown. It contains all the gritty elements which makes a Film Noir, or should I say Neo - Noir? Its gritty blackness of mysterious shadow to the colour filled fruit groves. The Femme Fatal character played by Faye Dunnaway is completely self destructible. She holds the film so well, and I will always praise her for the fantastic performance in this film. Of course another favourite is John Huston, who almost from the respect of Film Noir lover steals the show, in his almost cameo appearance. Many may not know him, but know of his films -beginning the wonderful cycle of Film Noirs in the Nineteen Forties with The Maltese Falcon. In Chinatown he plays a miserable old sod, and plays it so very well. So if you enjoy a good film, with more twists and turns than any rollercoaster this is the one to watch. < less
