Pretty good crime detective film, with a hidden plot that has the viewer guessing. And one of the better and darker films of the 1970's.

Rating: 10/10 (6 April 2007)

"Chinatown" is certainly one of the better films of the 1970's, though the plot is at first a little hidden causing the viewer to search for it. Only this ends up being a pretty dark and clever mystery. "Chinatown" is set in bright and sunny Los Angeles, California during the 1930's, and many scenes are memorable from the sets used like the houses, and the backdrop of the California skyline and desert. Jack Nicholson is Jake Gittes a veteran private eye who takes cases of people who believe that their significant other has cheated. Only one day he finds a funny thing is about to happen when he receives a report from a Mrs. Mulwray that her husband is cheating. Only later Gittes finds out that this wasn't the real Mrs. Mulwray! And soon upon investigating this claim, he learns that Mr. Mulwray is tied to a dispute over land and water in the L.A. valley, and as was so common in the 1970's this is tied to political corruption and civil servant scandal. More light is shed after Gittes finds the real Mrs. Mulwray(Faye Dunaway) and the discovery of Mr. Mulwray dead only deepens the mystery. Just when the plot seems to be clear the film throws the viewer off again showing that Mrs. Mulwray's father is playing a clear role in this torrid land and water mess as John Huston gives a fine performance as Noah Cross. Mostly "Chinatown" is a film of secrets, and political corruption with a plot that keeps the viewer guessing, certainly one of the better and darker films of the 1970's. Jack Nicholson is fantastic as always making this a classic because his performance was straight to the point, and Roman Polanski did a fine job directing this it was well adapted from Robert Towne, and one of the memorable scenes of all time is when Polanski's character cuts Jack's nose with a knife! Overall a pretty good detective mystery film.