Deep, Dark Noir...Sunny on the Surface

Rating: 10/10 (4 March 1999)

Roman Polanski's CHINATOWN, is a must for fans of L.A. CONFIDENTIAL, although that film does not hold a candle to this. Not only does it have style, but it has as much substance, something rare in most movies. And yes, it is a product of the 1970's, the first decade when films showed the influence of their predecessors. This is an homage to film-noir, of course, but it elevates the genre to a whole new level because of its deep psychological themes. I could discuss the plot, which is as thick as a dictionary, but 1000 words is not enough to encapsulate this fantastic movie.
Jack Nicholson plays JJ Gittes in an understated, Bogart-type way, however he is still a difficult man to figure out. The film ends, fittingly, in Chinatown, where Gittes got his start in this business. We don't know what went wrong with him there, something hinted at while in bed with Dunaway's Mrs. Mulwray, but it must have been messy. The ending is a stunning payoff to what has transpired. It is unexpected and it is sad. Dunaway turns in a deceptively great performance as the tortured femme fatale. Notice her mannerisms whenever her father is brought up. First time viewers will cringe when they find out why she acts this way.
Legendary director John Huston plays the father, Noah Cross, one of the most reprehensible characters in recent memory. You sense evil when he's on-screen and he is symbolic of the drought in L.A. The man is soulless and insane. Polanski brings together a great cast of stars and then unknowns to create an ever-unfolding plot that turns left when you expect a right. He even puts himself in the mix, taking a piece out of Gittes snoopy nose.
It is also beautifully photographed, with golden daylights remembering a more golden age, and serene sunsets and nights. Underneath is the evil of murder, theft, and incest. Think of all of the elements. Its like a Hitchcock filmography of props: B/w photos, dead decoys, bi-focal glasses, water basins, broken taillights, the eye of a fish, bandaged nose, a sister, and a daughter. Jerry Goldsmith's musical score echoes loss and tragedy as everything comes to a rousing, murderous halt in CHINATOWN.
(NOTE: This film should be seen in its widescreen format on video. Each shot is almost portrait-like and watching the pan-and-scan cropped version is like pressing your nose against the glass and watching.)