Plot: In 1930s Los Angeles, a PI investigates the mysterious death of the LA Water Commisioner
Stars: Jack Nicholson, Faye Dunaway, John Huston, Diane Ladd
Chinatown has everything a great film-noir needs except wit, pacing, and action. Chandler wisecracks are missing and replaced by vulgar jokes. Memorable lines? None. Gone too is the sense of danger and excitement found in
Double indemnity, Maltese Falcon, or
The Big heat. Instead we get a film that is deliberate, sometimes slow to the point of dullness. The plot meanders; with too much focus on land deals and water rights. We even get a trip to the Owen’s Valley. And action? Well, we do get a knife to Nicholson’s nose, but mostly it’s just talk, talk, talk.
The film copies the old film noir’s - but forgets what made them great. But it does improve on them, in some ways. The color photography is great. The acting is too, particularly Nicholson and Faye Dunaway. And movie tries to be more realistic. Nicholson is no super-hero and no smarter than he should be.
But the greatest flaw is it exaggerates film-noir's “dark and gritty” aspect to the point of absurdity. If the older films had adultery, premarital sex, and (implied) homosexuality,
Chinatown gives us not just incest, but double incest. If the old movie villains were cold-blooded gangsters and criminals,
Chinatown gives us a villain who murders his own Son-in-law, and destroys entire Valleys. If the old films showed us police/poltical corruption, this movie gives us the police shooting the Heroine to death (for no reason) and letting the Villain go off to make millions and commit incest.
Except for Nicholson and Dunaway, everyone is painted in dark colors, and the whole world is a black joke wrapped inside a pretentious riddle.
“Forget it Jake, its Chinatown”. It’s quite a trip from Walter Neffs friendship with Keyes, or Marlow and Sam Spade getting justice.
But then the movie was made by Polanski, a man guilty of child rape, and who fled the USA to avoid punishment. And has been applauded and showered with riches. Maybe Noah Cross is a Polanski self-portrait.
Worst supporting actorA tie between Polanski and John Huston. As a "hood", Polanski is no more menacing than a 12 y/o kid. Huston has a great voice/physical presence but can’t act. He’s Johnny one-note stone-face. Special mention goes to several clichéd “Hicks” and a Mexican boy on a horse.
Best Supporting ActorDiane Ladd as “Ida Sessions”
Best quoteEvelyn Mulwray:
Hollis seems to think you're an innocent man.Jake Gittes:
Well, I've been accused of a lot of things before, Mrs. Mulwray, but never that.
Worst QuoteA pointless 226 word racist “Joke” that had them rolling in the aisles in 1974
Best Scene
Nicholson’s first couple meetings with Dunaway
Worst SceneIn a campy scene worthy of SNL, Nicholson slaps the truth out of Dunaway. “She my daughter, She’s my sister,” She’s a topping and a floor wax! Special mention to two useless scenes: (1) Nicholson gets beat up by farmers and (2) talks to a child on horseback.
Rewatchablity
Low. Once you know the plot, and all the twists and turns, Chinatown seems even more padded out and slow then it did the first time. In fact, on 2nd watch, the movie is shown to be hollow and souless. A plot held together by bubble gum and toothpicks. One begins to notice things. Like what's the point of Nicholson wearing a bandage on his nose, or the weird exaggerated veils and outfits the women wear. And how dull so many scenes are, and how bad the supporting actors are. And how fake the film's version of 1930s LA is. It comes off as a 70s Hollywood copy of a 40s Hollywood copy of reality.
