Chinatown
1974
*****
Director: Roman Polanski
Cast: Jack Nicholson, Faye Dunaway, John Huston, Perry Lopez, John Hillerman, Burt Young, Darrell Zwerling, Diane Ladd, Belinda Palmer
In Roman Polanski's film noir masterpiece, private investigator Jake Gittes follows a potentially unfaithful husband and uncovers a conspiracy that revolves around the water supply in Los Angeles. Excellent performances, a beautiful recreation of the time and place, and razor-sharp dialogue are among the reasons this film has become a classic. Robert Towne won an Academy Award for his screenplay, which is now considered to be one of the finest ever written. Jack Nicholson directed a belated sequel The Two Jakes (1990).
