Chinatown

Rating: 8/10 (11 July 2005)

From BAFTA and Golden Globe winning, and Oscar nominated director Roman Polanski this is a classic thriller. Basically JJ 'Jake' Gittes (BAFTA and Golden Globe winning, and Oscar nominated Jack Nicholson, in what many consider his "best-ever role", I personally love him in Cuckoo's Nest) is the private detective, who makes an honest living sticking his nose into others lives, specialising in matrimonial cases. He is hired by Evelyn Mulwray (Bonnie and Clyde's Oscar, BAFTA and Golden Globe nominated Faye Dunaway) when she suspects her husband Hollis (Darrell Zwerling), who built the city water supply system, of having an affair. He professionally photographs him with a young girl, but he does not realise in this scandal is that Mrs. Mulwray is an impersonator. When Hollis is found dead (drowned with salt water in his lungs), Jake is now in the middle of a case of deceit, murder, incest and municipal corruption, all relating back to the city's water supply. The memorable moments for me are Jake having his nose cut, finding out that Evelyn has a sister/daughter, because her villain father, Noah Cross (BAFTA and Golden Globe nominated John Huston) raped her, and the conclusion where Evelyn is driving away and shot in the eye. Also starring Perry Lopez as Lieutenant Lou Escobar, John Hillerman as Russ Yelburton Diane Ladd as Ida Sessions, Roy Jenson as Claude Mulvihill, Polanski as Man with Knife, Richard Bakalyan as Detective Loach, Joe Mantell as Lawrence Walsh, Diamonds Are Forever's Bruce Glover as Duffy, James Hong as Kahn and Burt Young as Curly. It won the Oscar for Best Writing, Original Screenplay, and it was nominated for Best Art Direction-Set Decoration, Best Cinematography, Best Costume Design, Best Film Editing, Best Music for Jerry Goldsmith, Best Sound and Best Picture, it won the BAFTA for Best Screenplay, and it was nominated for the Anthony Asquith Award for Film Music, Best Art Direction, Best Cinematography, Best Costume Design, Best Film Editing and Best Film, and it won the Golden Globes for Best Motion Picture - Drama and Best Screenplay - Motion Picture, and it was nominated for Best Original Score. Jack Nicholson was number 6 on The 100 Greatest Movie Stars, he was number 71 on The 100 Greatest Pop Culture Icons, he was number 63 on The 100 Greatest Sex Symbols, and he was number 7 on The World's Greatest Actor, Noah Cross was number 16 on 100 Years, 100 Heroes & Villains, the film was number 9 on 100 Years of Film Scores, it was number 74 on 100 Years, 100 Quotes ("Forget it, Jake, it's Chinatown."), it was number 16 on 100 Years, 100 Thrills, it was number 4 on Film 4's 50 Films To See Before You Die, it was number 19 on 100 Years, 100 Movies, and it was number 48 on The 100 Greatest Films. Very good!