Chinatown (1974)

Last updated:
October 4, 2025

Roman Polanski’s Chinatown (1974) is a neo-noir masterpiece that redefined detective cinema. With its moody Los Angeles setting, morally gray characters, and devastating ending, it’s one of the most influential mystery films ever made.

Table of Contents

Detailed Summary

The Setup: A Routine Case Turns Mysterious

Private investigator J.J. “Jake” Gittes (Jack Nicholson) specializes in marital infidelity cases in 1930s Los Angeles. He’s hired by a woman claiming to be Mrs. Evelyn Mulwray to follow her husband, Hollis Mulwray, chief engineer for the city’s water department. Jake photographs Hollis with a young woman, and the story becomes front-page scandal.

Soon after, Jake discovers he was duped—because the real Evelyn Mulwray (Faye Dunaway) confronts him, threatening legal action. The case turns serious when Hollis Mulwray is found dead, supposedly by drowning, even though he was known to be terrified of water.

The Web of Corruption

Jake, suspecting foul play, starts digging deeper. His investigation uncovers a massive water scandal: Los Angeles’ public officials are secretly diverting water away from the city to dry up farmland, forcing farmers to sell cheap—so the land can later be bought by powerful investors and re-watered for profit.

Jake’s search leads him to Noah Cross (John Huston), Evelyn’s wealthy and manipulative father, who co-founded the city’s water company. Cross’s charm hides something much darker beneath his surface.

Secrets and Lies

As Jake investigates, he becomes romantically involved with Evelyn. He learns that Hollis had discovered the conspiracy but was silenced before he could reveal it. The young woman photographed with Hollis wasn’t his mistress, but something much more shocking—she’s Katherine, Evelyn’s daughter… and also her sister.

In one of cinema’s most famous exchanges, Evelyn breaks down and confesses the horrific truth:

“She’s my sister and my daughter.”

Jake, visibly shaken, realizes the depths of depravity surrounding him.

Movie Ending

The final act brings all threads together in tragic fashion. Jake deduces that Noah Cross orchestrated everything—he had Hollis killed to control both the water supply and Katherine, the daughter he fathered through incest with Evelyn years earlier.

Jake arranges for Evelyn and Katherine to escape from the city, planning to confront Cross one last time. However, when the police arrive at the rendezvous, things go horribly wrong. Evelyn, desperate to protect her daughter, shoots her father in the arm and flees by car.

As Jake shouts for her to stop, the police open fire, striking Evelyn in the eye and killing her instantly. The distraught Katherine is taken away by Noah Cross, who calmly walks off with her, unpunished and untouchable.

Jake is left standing in the chaos of Chinatown, powerless. His associate tries to comfort him, saying,

“Forget it, Jake. It’s Chinatown.”

This final line encapsulates the film’s bleak worldview—corruption, power, and evil not only survive but prevail.

Are There Post-Credits Scenes?

No, Chinatown has no post-credits scenes. The film ends abruptly after Evelyn’s death and Jake’s devastating realization, emphasizing its tragic finality.

Type of Movie

Chinatown is a neo-noir crime thriller, blending detective fiction with political corruption and moral despair. Its tone, visual style, and themes pay homage to classic 1940s film noir while injecting a modern, cynical edge.

Cast

Jack Nicholson as J.J. “Jake” Gittes
Faye Dunaway as Evelyn Mulwray
John Huston as Noah Cross
Perry Lopez as Lieutenant Lou Escobar
Diane Ladd as Ida Sessions
Darrell Zwerling as Hollis Mulwray

Film Music and Composer

Composed by Jerry Goldsmith, the haunting jazz score was written in just ten days after the original composer’s music was rejected. Goldsmith’s trumpet-driven main theme perfectly captures the loneliness and melancholy of Los Angeles under a golden, corrupt haze.

Filming Locations

The film was shot on location in Los Angeles, California, using many authentic 1930s-era buildings to maintain period accuracy. Key sites include the El Macondo apartments, the Los Angeles City Hall, and Catalina Island. The authenticity of these locations enhances the story’s grounding in real-world corruption and greed tied to the city’s history of water politics.

Awards and Nominations

Won: Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay (Robert Towne)
Nominated: 10 other Oscars, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor (Nicholson), and Best Actress (Dunaway).
Golden Globe Wins: Best Director, Best Actor, Best Screenplay.

Behind the Scenes Insights

Director Roman Polanski insisted on the tragic ending, rejecting writer Robert Towne’s more optimistic version.
Faye Dunaway and Polanski famously clashed on set; he reportedly pulled a hair from her head to fix a shot’s composition.
Jack Nicholson patterned Gittes after 1930s private detectives but added a modern touch of sarcasm and vulnerability.
The script was heavily inspired by real California water scandals, particularly the Owens Valley Water Wars.

Inspirations and References

The film draws from:

The Valley Water Scandal in early 20th-century Los Angeles.
Classic noir films like The Maltese Falcon and Double Indemnity.
The myth of Oedipus, reflecting the film’s themes of incest, truth, and blindness (Evelyn’s fatal wound).

Alternate Endings and Deleted Scenes

Writer Robert Towne’s original ending had Evelyn and Katherine escaping successfully, but Polanski believed that evil triumphing would make the story more powerful and realistic. No major deleted scenes have been publicly released, but early drafts had more emphasis on Jake’s past in Chinatown, which was later left ambiguous.

Book Adaptations and Differences

While not based on a specific novel, the film inspired the novelization of Chinatown by Robert Towne and an eventual sequel, The Two Jakes (1990). The sequel attempted to resolve Jake’s trauma from the events of the first film but was less acclaimed.

Memorable Scenes and Quotes

Key Scenes

Jake’s nose-slashing scene (performed by Polanski himself) — a shocking moment that symbolizes his vulnerability.
Evelyn’s emotional confession: “She’s my sister and my daughter.”
The climactic Chinatown confrontation ending in Evelyn’s death.

Iconic Quotes

“Forget it, Jake. It’s Chinatown.”
“You may think you know what you’re dealing with, but believe me, you don’t.”
“Politicians, ugly buildings, and whores all get respectable if they last long enough.”

Easter Eggs and Hidden Details

The recurring theme of eyes foreshadows the ending (Evelyn’s fatal eye wound).
“Chinatown” itself is symbolic—it represents moral confusion, a place where doing the right thing leads to tragedy.
Polanski appears in a cameo as the knife-wielding thug who cuts Jake’s nose.

Trivia

The word “Chinatown” is mentioned fewer than ten times but represents the entire film’s theme of corruption and futility.
Jack Nicholson’s bandaged nose became one of cinema’s most recognizable visuals.
The production design intentionally avoided showing the color red to enhance the sun-bleached look of 1930s L.A.

Why Watch?

Watch Chinatown for its masterclass in storytelling, haunting atmosphere, and moral ambiguity. It’s more than a detective story—it’s a meditation on corruption, innocence, and how good men lose when they confront systems of power.

Chinatown (1974)

Detailed Summary