Chinatown

I watched a movie called Chinatown, directed by Roman Polanski, released in 1974. It stars Jack Nicholson, Faye Dunaway and John Huston. The story is about a private investigator, J.J. “Jake “ Gittes, played by Nicholson, who is hired by a woman who says she is Evelyn Mulwray to investigate her husband, Hollis Mulwray, who is the head of the Los Angeles Department Water and Power. Though things aren’t as they seem and Jake gets taken all over to find out what is going on.
The moment I began watching and as I watched, I was reminded of the noir style right away. It takes place in the 1940’s at least, though there is no indication of that (meaning no major mentions of dates or anything) but it does take place in that era. It is reminiscent of The Big Sleep with Humphrey Bogart, released in 1946, The Maltese Falcon, also with Bogart, released in 1941 and even a little Touch of Evil, with Charlton Heston, released in 1958, though Chinatown has its own flavor. I do like the fact that is in a sepia tone, lots of browns and off whites, to give it that musty look but still look as fresh today. Nicholson plays it cool as Jake and really brings a most powerful performance, top of his game in acting chops in this movie. Dunaway plays it cool as well and brings a vulnerability and mystery about herself as the character she plays which makes you keep guessing what her game is, if there even is one. John Huston (who incidentally directed the 1941 version of The Maltese Falcon), plays it devious as Cross, even with the little screen time he has.

The costuming was excellent, capturing that noir aesthetic but making it more with cleaner lines and sharper angles than an actual noir movie. The cars were spot on. The locations featured an older Los Angeles that has since been changed, I’m sure. The soundtrack, done by Jerry Goldsmith, is haunting as it is sultry, capturing the elegance of the period but also the seedy underbelly that reveals itself over the course of the movie. Polanski framed shots very well, was economical with close-ups and made you engage with the characters and with the movie itself, if that makes sense; immersing you in this mystery, making you part of the action.
I was assigned to watch this for a philosophy and film class when I was in undergrad and I have to say, at the time, 2007-2008, I hadn’t really watched that many movies, I was still learning. I am always still learning when I watch movies but after watching it again, after seeing many Polanski movies, many, many film noirs, and even some French films, I saw more in this than I had originally. Does that make a difference? It depends. See it first and then watch a few others, like the ones I mentioned, and then watch it again. You’ll be glad you did.