Chinatown
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Chinatown

Year:
Duration:
130 min
Genres:
Drama | Mystery | Thriller
IMDB rate:
8.3
Director:
Roman Polanski
Awards:
Won Oscar. Another 21 wins & 22 nominations
Details
Country: USA
Release Date: 1974-06-20
Filming Locations: Trident Ranch (actor Walter Brennan's then-home), 3240 Sunset Valley Road, Moorpark, California, USA
Earnings
Budget: $6,000,000
Gross: $29,200,000 (USA)$30,000,000 (Worldwide)
Cast
Actor
Character
Jack Nicholson
J.J. Gittes
Faye Dunaway
Evelyn Mulwray
John Huston
Noah Cross
Perry Lopez
Escobar
John Hillerman
Yelburton
Darrell Zwerling
Hollis Mulwray
Diane Ladd
Ida Sessions
Roy Jenson
Mulvihill
Roman Polanski
Man with Knife
Richard Bakalyan
Loach
Joe Mantell
Walsh
Bruce Glover
Duffy
James O'Rear
Lawyer (as James O'Reare)
James Hong
Evelyn's Butler
Beulah Quo
Maid
Jerry Fujikawa
Gardener
Belinda Palmer
Katherine
Roy Roberts
Mayor Bagby
Noble Willingham
Councilman
Elliott Montgomery
Councilman
Rance Howard
Irate Farmer
George Justin
Barber
C.O. Erickson
Customer (as Doc Erickson)
Fritzi Burr
Mulwray's Secretary
Charles Knapp
Mortician
Claudio Martínez
Boy on Horseback (as Claudio Martinez)
Federico Roberto
Cross' Butler
Allan Warnick
Clerk
John Holland
Farmer in the Valley
Jesse Vint
Farmer in the Valley
Jim Burk
Farmer in the Valley (as Jim Burke)
Denny Arnold
Farmer in the Valley
Burt Young
Curly
Elizabeth Harding
Curly's Wife
John Rogers
Mr. Palmer
Cecil Elliott
Emma Dill
Paul Jenkins
Policeman
Lee de Broux
Policeman (as Lee De Broux)
Bob Golden
Policeman
Richard Warren
Driver (uncredited)
Did you know?
Trivia
When Gittes follows Hollis Mulray to the cliff top (where he leaves a watch under his tire) he passes a bar with an open door. One can hear "I Can't Get Started" by Bunny Berigan, the hit of August 1937.
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Although Los Angeles is given its modern pronunciation in the film ("an-je-les"), prior to the mid-1950s residents said the city's name with a hard G ("angle-es").
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Katherine Mulwray is raised believing that Evelyn Mulwray is her sister, but it is later revealed that Evelyn is her mother (or rather, both mother and sister). Shortly after the film was released, Jack Nicholson discovered that the woman he was raised to believe was his sister was, in fact, his mother.
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Goofs
When Jake arrives at Ida Sessions's apartment at 848-1/2 E. Kensington in Echo Park, the trees in front of the building shift back and forth while the building does not, indicating a poorly executed overlay.
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Among the items in Ida Session's pocketbook, which Gittes rummages through is a social security card which is 1970s style with blue and red ink, not the 1937 style which had only one color, and a different look.
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When Jake first goes to Mr. Mulwray's office and lets himself in to search it (at 20 minutes), he looks through the desk's drawers. Upon opening the third drawer (the drawer before the empty one), a magnifying glass is visible (as is the red toiletries box he will remove). The camera cuts to his face, and when it returns to the drawer, the magnifying glass is suddenly covered by a booklet reading "Alexandria- Los Angeles". It was not there originally, but after appearing, it remains until the drawer is closed.
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Quotes
Evelyn Mulwray: Tell me, Mr. Gittes: Does this often happen to you?
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Jake Gittes: How do you like them apples?
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Jake Gittes: May I speak frankly, Mrs. Mulwray.
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Faq
Q
What is the meaning of "Chinatown" and the last line of the movie?
A
As a young man, Jake was a police officer in Chinatown. He once tried to protect a woman, but as a direct result of his intervention, she was "hurt" (an implication that the woman died). As a result, Jake became cynical and apathetic. Over the course of his investigation in the film, Jake again tries to protect a woman, and once again, she is killed as a direct result of his intervention."Forget it, Jake; it's Chinatown" is an encouragement to Jake to forget this set of circumstances, just as he "forgot" the circumstances surrounding his time in Chinatown. The dramatic irony of this is that the viewer knows that Jake has never forgotten what happened in Chinatown, and that he will probably never forget the events depicted in the movie, inevitably leading to him becoming even more cynical and apathetic than he was already.
Q
How much sex, violence, and profanity are in this movie?
A
For detailed information about the amounts and types of (a) sex and nudity, (b) violence and gore, (c) profanity, (d) alcohol, drugs, and smoking, and (e) frightening and intense scenes in this movie, consult the IMDb Parents Guide for this movie. The Parents Guide for Chinatown can be found here.
Q
Is "Chinatown" based on a book?
A
No. Chinatown is based on an original screenplay written by Robert Towne. A sequel called The Two Jakes (1990) was also based on a screenplay by Robert Towne and stars Jack Nicholson (who also directed it).
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Photos from cast
Nandu Hinds
lovely yellow and white daisys clipart rose flower pink coloring drawing