A private detective hired to expose an adulterer in 1930s Los Angeles finds himself caught up in a web of deceit, corruption, and murder.
From the opening credits, “Chinatown” immediately feels like something special. The haunting score and tinted cinematography by acclaimed Academy Award winner Vilmos Zsigmond will captivate viewers before the action even begins. The film opens with Jake Gittes (Jack Nicholson) delivering bad news to a client named Culey (Burt Young) about his wife’s infidelity, complete with graphic 8×10 photos. Shortly after, a new client, ostensibly named Evelyn Mulwray (Diane Ladd), awaits Gittes in the next room. She hires Gittes to spy on her husband Hollis (Darrell Zwerling), whom she believes is unfaithful.
After following Mulwray – the LA chief engineer for the Department of Water and Power – to various reservoirs and the seaside, Gittes eventually photographs the married man with a young woman in a rowboat in Echo Park. The news and photos are leaked to the press, causing a front-page scandal. Gittes is pleased with another successful investigation under his belt until the real Evelyn Mulwray (Faye Dunaway) shows up at his office with her lawyer. She correctly indicates that they have never met, that she never hired him, and that she plans to sue Gittes.
In addition, during the surveillance, one of Gittes’ associates photographs Hollis Mulwray meeting with Noah Cross (John Huston) and appearing to argue. Huston was third-billed on the credits, and for good reason – he takes on a pivotal role in the story. Of particular note is Huston’s ability to come off as a sleazy father figure in an eerily realistic performance.
Set in the historically accurate backdrop of LA’s need for a reliable water supply, the diversion of fresh water to the ocean piques the attention of Gittes. When Hollis Mulwray is found drowned, the intrigue rachets up a notch. The medical examiner, a former colleague of Jake’s, inadvertently reveals an outdoor drowning death near the LA River – another odd occurrence in a community struggling with drought. The more Jake investigates, the less sense things seem to make.
John Hillerman, perhaps best known as the majordomo for Robin Masters (voiced by Orson Welles) in the “Magnum PI” television series, plays a deputy LA water department official. He knows more than he tells. Meanwhile, Mrs. Mulwray harbors a terrible secret that informs the entire narrative.
The plot revolves around the issue of water rights and access—in this instance, orange groves near Los Angeles. The theme is timely because access to water in the U.S. and elsewhere will be the focus of many public policy issues in the years ahead. While luxury items like diamonds may be a girl’s best friend, people can live without them. They can’t live without water.
Detective techniques consistent with the 1930s, such as placing wind-up watches in front and behind the wheels of a car to establish a timeline, introduce interesting elements into the story. Similarly, Jake smashes a car’s taillight at night to make it easier to follow his quarry around town.
Compared to most films, it’s unusual to see the protagonist spending half the runtime with a bandage over his nose, which obscures Nicholson’s very marketable movie star face. The only other example that comes to mind is the Thomas Haden Church character in “Sideways,” after he is bashed in the nose repeatedly with a motorcycle helmet wielded by Sandra Oh.
As much as anything, the period pieces – antique cars, haute couture, and the magnificently preserved mansions – lavishly adorn the screen. The production design by Richard Sylbert – whose other credits include “Dick Tracy,” and “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” is magnificent, as if a time machine has transported viewers back to the year 1937.
It is fitting that John Huston, who wrote the screenplay and directed “The Maltese Falcon,” based on the Dashiell Hammet novel, should play a crucial supporting role. “The Maltese Falcon” was among the earliest of the noir genre, and its influences are apparent here.
Despite 11 Academy Award nominations, only Robert Towne won – in his case, for Best Original Screenplay. However, some of the dialog, particularly in the closing scenes, comes off as clumsy and unimaginative. It’s more than a little tempting to make a mental comparison to “LA Confidential,” a better film, also full of twists and surprises throughout.
“Chinatown” is a vehicle showing off Jack Nicolson in his prime. Nominated for Best Actor, he would have to wait until “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” the following year to win the first of his three Oscars. Directed by Roman Polanski, “Chinatown” remains a classic work of cinema for all time.
Available on New Limited Edition 4K Ultra HD™ June 18th
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