It's Jake, Chinatown.

Rating: 8/10 (5 January 2008)

A beautifully crafted film noir that's earned the right to be called a classic. Masterfuly directed by Roman Polanski who makes cunning use of the widescreen, gets all the details unerringly right and creates a disturbing atmosphere of widespread corruption. John Alonzo's cinematography, Jerry Goldsmith's score, Sam O'Steen's editing, and the set and costume design are all flawless. Robert Towne's Oscar winning screenplay is a beauty though the ominous references to Chinatown become a bit obvious and heavy-handed, and the ending, apparently wanted by Polanski, makes the characters seem more the victims of contrivance than fate. Polanski gets effective performances from Dunaway, Huston, Diane Ladd, and Belinda Palmer. And Nicholson, who's in every scene, shows why he's a star even if I find him more effective in the wise guy aspects of the role than in the scenes where he's supposed to show vulnerability. Though I don't rank it as highly as Polanski's The Pianist, Knife in the Water, or Rosemary's Baby, Chinatown is highly recommended.