Hollywood at its best

Rating: 10/10 (10 July 2007)

I know I'm stepping out on a limb here, but here goes: Chinatown is, in my opinion, the finest American film ever made. Yes, I know Citizen Kane and Casablanca are the top favorites of film historians, but I still hold my ground here. Superb in every aspect of film making -- acting, editing, direction, musical score, cinematography and on and on. Polanski captures the 1930's film noir in color, and pulls it off beautifully. Robert Towne's screenplay is used at the USC school of film making as an example of how to write. His work is simply astounding. Nicholson gives his finest performance -- even better than his superb offering in On Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. His Jake Gittes character is at the same time cynical and sympathetic. Dunaway has never been more mysterious, Huston has never been more ominous, and every supporting member of the cast is perfection personified. The closest any film maker has come to capturing such a mood and theme since has been the fine work of L A Confidential. Even if you don't like period pieces, mysteries, private eyes and conspiracy films, this movie deserves your accolades as an example of how films can and should be produced. There are only 50 or so American films that have reached perfection, and Chinatown is at the top of the list.