A film-noir masterpiece

Rating: 10/10 (12 October 1998)

Chinatown is the only film-noir movie I've seen that uses sunlight ironically. If film-noir by definition deals with dark subject matter, what's all the brilliant sunlight for? Robert Towne's script is a perfect assemblage of complexity and coherence; the plot twists are never misleading and add to the story, not detract from it. Director Polanski was also lucky enough to catch Jack Nicholson in his prime; he is perfectly cast as slimy and yet vulnerable Jack Gittes. Faye Dunaway is also superb. She was in her prime too, with Bonnie and Clyde behind and Network yet to come. There is genius in not showing Chinatown (the place) until the end of the movie; it represents the idea that all dirty secrets reveal their tragic consequences only after a miserable and dogged search for truth. A must-see for true film buffs.