Director: Roman Polanski
Starring: Jack Nicholsen, Faye Dunaway
Jack Nicholson stars in the influential mystery classic as private detective J.J. Gittes. Gittes is contacted on the telephone by a mysterious woman claiming to be Evelyn Mulray. She tells him to spy on her husband, Hollis Mulray, who is an engineer for the LA water department. Clues lead Gittes to believe that Hollis is cheating on Evelyn, but that is only the tip of the iceberg. Gittes finds himself caught up in a government scandal concerning the Los Angeles reservoirs and is inexorably drawn into a morass of deceit and drama as he tries to trace the clues that lead him to a final confrontation in Chinatown.
Nicholson delivers a star performance, suggesting the greatness to come, and Faye Dunawaye is more than adequate for her part. The story twists and turns at an exciting pace. Clearly the film paved the way for a number of modern thrillers, and it's easy to see why subsequent directors were so inspired by it. This is a classic movie that should not be missed and it is the kind of film just about everyone can enjoy.
Perhaps the film seems a little dated now, but it is still, no doubt, a masterpiece by Polanski, one of the greatest directors of our time.
-Jack Lewers
Rating-----9
