Film 28 (9/19/2005)

Chinatown (1974)

Director: Roman Polanski

Recommended by: BacardiJim

Has Fentablar seen this before?: No.

Likely because I am originally from Los Angeles county, I have a fondness for films set in mid-20th century LA. For example: LA Confidential, Roger Rabbit (that’s right, Roger Rabbit), and Chinatown. Chinatown adds another appreciable "LA" layer to itself, which is the conspiracy relative to LA's history (in part).

Regardless of its setting, Chinatown is a rather chilling tale - but you don't realize how chilling until just before the film's climax when Evelyn (Faye Dunaway) reveals her horrible secret. This secret adds an excellent twist to an already enjoyable detective story, in which Jake Gittes (Jack Nicholson) means to unravel the mystery surrounding the Los Angeles water supply - as well as those who are in control of it.

By way of Robert Towne's excellent screenplay, Roman Polanski's cinematic skill and tact, and Jack Nicolson's magnificent acting, Jake Gittes in my opinion is one of the most well developed characters I have seen in film. For me, going into my memory of this film and picking out the individual pieces of Jake's character is like reaching into the candy jar after a successful night of trick-or-treating.

While this film is very entertaining and well-made, there is an overall philosophical theme within Chinatown, which is accentuated by the famous last line: "Forget it, Jake - it's Chinatown". I believe this line works along two themes which intertwine somewhat: first, whenever Gittes talks about his times in Chinatown he seems to always describe it with an enigmatic air, as though it was a mysterious place that would never truly be figured out - in the end, Jake is completely shocked by what has just happened and seems to want to stick around to try and figure it out, but the line is meant to remind him that some things aren't meant to be figured out; second, working in Chinatown is part of Jake's past, when he was younger - as his status improved, he left Chinatown, same with Lt. Escobar (Perry Lopez). They haven't forgotten Chinatown, but for them it belongs in the past, not to be relived because they have both metaphorically risen above it - the line therefore seems to also be reminding Jake of this.

Whatever you believe the line means, it and its connotations seem to be the film's ultimate gift to the viewer.

Ratings (scale of 1 to 5):

Plot Effectiveness: 5/5. A great, well-played story.

Cinematography/Shot Selection: 5/5. Polanski is a master. His subtle techniques are most impressive to me - for example, when Jake and Evelyn visit the nursing home and are speaking to the caretaker, in the background we see one of the residents pinch the nurse's buttocks, for which she lightly scolds him. Nothing that has anything to do with the story, but has a great deal to do with overall effect.

Overall Acting: 5/5. Nicholson, Dunaway and John Huston are spectacular.

Score/Soundtrack: 5/5.

OVERALL RATING: 5/5

~Fentablar~