Crime
Drama
Mystery
Thriller
Private eye Jake Gittes lives off of the murky moral climate of sunbaked, pre-World War II Southern California. Hired by a beautiful socialite to investigate her husband's extra-marital affair, Gittes is swept into a maelstrom of double dealings and deadly deceits, uncovering a web of personal and political scandals that come crashing together.
Directors
Jack Nicholson
J.J. 'Jake' Gittes
Faye Dunaway
Evelyn Cross Mulwray
John Huston
Noah Cross
Perry Lopez
Lieutenant Lou Escobar
John Hillerman
Russ Yelburton
Diane Ladd
Ida Sessions
Roman Polanski
Man with Knife
Roy Jenson
Claude Mulvihill
Richard Bakalyan
Detective Loach
James Hong
Evelyn's Butler
Bruce Glover
Duffy
Joe Mantell
Lawrence Walsh
Roy Roberts
Mayor Bagby
Noble Willingham
Councilman
Rance Howard
Irate Farmer
Jesse Vint
Farmer in the Valley
Burt Young
Curly
Lee de Broux
Policeman
Directors
User reviews3
Review
Featured review
He nose you know!
Chinatown is directed by Roman Polanski and written by Robert Towne. It stars Jack Nicholson, Faye Dunaway, John Huston, Perry Lopez and John Hillerman. Music is by Jerry Goldsmith and cinematography by John A. Alonzo.
Private investigator J.J. Gittes (Nicholson) is working on an adultery case but quickly finds himself embroiled in murder and corruption.
The gathering of Polanski, Towne, Nicholson and Robert Evans (producer) put their respective skills together to craft one of the most lauded neo-noir films of all time. It's a searing picture awash with the staples of the film noir and gumshoe detective movies that graced cinema in the 40s and 50s. From the characterisations (suspicious femmes - mouthy coppers - sleazy kingpin - tough protagonist in a whirlpool of unravelling layers), to the hard boiled script, violence, sex and brutal revelations, it's a noir essential that only lacks chiaroscuro and expressionistic swirls to seal the complete deal.
Allegoraries unbound, iconography assured and dialogue now in the lexicon of legends, Chinatown is not to be missed, not just by fans of noir, but fans of cinema, period. 9.5/10
John Chard24 Sep, 2015
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Box office
Budget
$6,000,000Gross worldwide
$30,000,000More to explore
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