BEFORE: Another one of the "True Classics" that I should have seen before, but haven't. I used to work at the NYU Library Media Center, and people came in and watched this one just about every day - me watching bits of it over their shoulders doesn't count. Neither does reading the MAD magazine parody version... As an extra bonus, John Huston, the director of last night's film "Prizzi's Honor" appears in this film as an actor.
THE PLOT: A private detective investigating an adultery case stumbles on to a scheme of murder that has something to do with water.
AFTER: After watching a number of films about government scandals and big business ripoffs, about the only thing more boring would be a detective film about land zoning and the Los Angeles water supply - but that's just what we've got here. Jack Nicholson plays J.J. Gittes, a 1930's detective who specializes in cases of marital infidelity - but his latest case, investigating a cheating husband, is not what it appears to be, and he ends up uncovering a web of deceit and corruption.
The title of the film ends up being somewhat ironic (or is it incongruous?) since none of the movie takes place in that neighborhood - Nicholson's character used to be a cop on the Chinatown beat, and his experiences there are referenced several times, but no scenes are set there...
Without revealing anything about the ending, it is a rather dark one - speculation about this centers on the fact that director Roman Polanski was still mourning his murdered wife, actress Sharon Tate. This was in fact the last American film that Polanski directed before fleeing to France to avoid prison - make of that what you will.
Also starring Faye Dunaway (last seen in "The Thomas Crown Affair"), John Huston, Diane Ladd (last seen in "Christmas Vacation"), John Hillerman (last seen in "High Plains Drifter"), and Burt Young (last seen in "Rocky V"). Cameo by Roman Polanski himself.
RATING: 5 out of 10 orange trees
JACK-O-METER: 5 out of 10 - While Nicholson appears in almost every scene, he's really subdued here, as opposed to, say, "Carnal Knowledge". He essentially plays it straight, like the noir detectives of old, except for a few times where he's cursing or telling an off-color joke.
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