Incomparable Script

Rating: Null/10 (11 June 2004)

The first time I saw this film 30 years ago, I was puzzled by all the attention it was getting from the critics. I thought it was just an interesting period piece about a wise guy gumshoe who stumbled onto a confusing scheme to steal water in 1930s L.A. But after every subsequent viewing, my fascination with it has deepened. Robert Towne's script is a compelling study of human depravity and the lonely struggle some people make to at least stem its effects. What seems like a very stylish turn in the private eye genre is actually a reflection of the deepening cynicism that American society was undergoing at the time it was made. If you've only seen this masterpiece once, give it another look. And another. If you love great movies, you'll fall under its disquieting spell. (David Thomson's novel "Suspects", is a very well done exploration of the mood and themes prevalent in "Chinatown".)