Directed by Roman Polanski with the screenplay written by Robert Towne, Chinatown stars Jack Nicholson in the lead role of J.J. "Jake" Gittes, a cynical private investigator who is caught in a web of deceit after being set-up in the opening of the film. The movie is a film noir set in 1930 Los Angeles, California with a backdrop in the land and water disputes during the time.
After receiving a phone call from Evelyn Mulwray(Faye Dunaway) to investigate and see if her husband Hollis Mulwray(Darrell Zwerling) is having an affair, Jake Gittes(Jack Nicholson) does what he does best and snaps a few photographs of Hollis with his mistress. But after it is revealed that the woman who propositioned Jake to expose his husband's affair was not the actual Evelyn Mulwray, Jake finds himself caught in a massive string of lies and deception, especially after Hollis is found dead and murdered in a local dam. Determined to uncover the killer of Hollis, Jake finds himself on a wild adventure as he tries to unravel the mystery behind Hollis' death with a long list of suspects that include Noah Cross(John Huston), Hollis' mistress Katherine(Belinda Palmer) and Claude Mulvihill(Roy Jenson) to name a few.
The scenic locales of the movie was gorgeous. I couldn't get over how wonderfully shot each scene was, and the backdrop was just so fitting and added to the experience. The plot itself was very complex, and took me a while to figure it out and get into it. Being a murder mystery however with a noticeable face in the role of the detective (Jack Nicholson himself) made the movie intriguing however. I really enjoyed how the mystery played out, and the ending definitely does not disappoint. The only complaint I really had with this movie was its length. Exceeding 180 pages in its script, the movie is long. It ran for an approximate 130 minutes and I found myself at times checking my watch to see how much longer this movie was going to be. Though the last 1/4 of the film picked up its pace in terms of action and excitement, I still felt that the movie could have been slightly shorter.
Jack Nicholson's role in this film was what made him a Hollywood leading man, and I must say that his acting was indeed very memorable. The plot is thick and intriguing all together, and I must say that I did enjoy this film a lot. One thing to take note of also is the script's sharp dialogue. In what may be one of the most widely known lines from this movie, "Forget it, Jake. It's Chinatown." The screenplay was very well written and the dialogue, perfect. I did however leave after watching this film to ponder on the thought as to why the movie is called "Chinatown". Given that only the final scenes are set in Chinatown, the movie received the title for metaphorical reasons. Chinatown is a place of Jake's past. It is a place and state of mind that will always come back to haunt him. Chinatown is a must-see, especially for any fans of Jack Nicholson and film noir.
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