The Two Jakes (1990)

The sequel to Chinatown finds Jake Gittes investigating adultery and murder... and the money that comes from oil.

Director:

Jack Nicholson

Writers:

Robert Towne (characters), Robert Towne

Stars:

Jack Nicholson, Harvey Keitel, Meg Tilly

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Jack Nicholson	...	J.J. 'Jake' Gittes
Harvey Keitel	...	Julius 'Jake' Berman
Meg Tilly	...	Kitty Berman
Madeleine Stowe	...	Lillian Bodine
Eli Wallach	...	Cotton Weinberger
Rubén Blades	...	Michael 'Mickey Nice' Weisskopf
Frederic Forrest	...	Chuck Newty
David Keith	...	Det. Lt. Loach
Richard Farnsworth	...	Earl Rawley
Tracey Walter	...	Tyrone Otley
Joe Mantell	...	Lawrence Walsh
James Hong	...	Kahn
Perry Lopez	...	Captain Lou Escobar
Jeff Morris	...	Ralph Tilton
Rebecca Broussard	...	Gladys

Storyline

Los Angeles 1948: private eye Jake Gittes shall convict the client Jake Berman's wife of adultery. But instead of making her a scene like planned, Berman shoots her lover in affect - or was it murder? Gittes is surprised when he learns that the dead was Berman's companion, who now inherits his share of the company. Of course the police doesn't believe it was affect and suspects Gittes too. The dead lover's widow manages to force Gittes into investigating against his own client... The trace leads back to an old case in Chinatown.

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Plot Keywords:

adultery | murder | orange grove | sequel | widow | 

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Taglines:

They say money makes the world go round. But sex was invented before money.

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Genres:

Comedy | Crime | Drama | Mystery

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

10 August 1990 (USA)

Also Known As:

Cinikus hekus

Filming Locations:

City Hall - 200 N. Spring Street, Downtown, Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$19,000,000 (estimated)

Gross:

$10,005,969 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

88 Productions, Paramount Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

137 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby (35 mm prints) 70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Harrison Ford and Roy Scheider were Robert Towne's choice for the part of the older Jake Gittes.

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Goofs

Set in 1948, Jake strolls past an automatic teller machine.

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Quotes

Jake Gittes: I'm trying to be a gentleman here. Now, get on your knees, put your ass in the air, and don't move until I say to.

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Connections

Referenced in My Gym Partner's a Monkey: Ain't Too Proud to Egg/The Two Jakes (2006)

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Soundtracks

"Don't Smoke In Bed"
Written by Willard Robison
Sung by Peggy Lee

User Reviews

It's not the classic Chinatown is, but it's a very good movie.

Most reviews pull The Two Jakes to pieces, except for a very well-considered one by Roger Ebert (find it at the Chicago Sun-Times).

Of course, it's not the classic Chinatown is, but it's a damned good movie. It's about the past, how it pervades our lives for the rest of our days, and how we assimilate it into our futures.

Many have complained that the film is convoluted, that when the key revelation comes (I ain't givin' that away) you miss the impact of it. I strongly disagree with this. I for one had actually figured out the revelation before it happened - this didn't bother me because I wanted so much for it to be what I had thought it was going to be. And when it comes, it's so subtle you could almost be forgiven for missing it. It's lovely, so comforting in a very ironic way.

All I'll say is, pay attention to the scene where Jake (Nicholson) goes to see Kahn (the unmistakable James Hong). Something about the flowers...

Anyway, I'm drifting. The Two Jakes is subtle, well-crafted, and when all is revealed, so very simple. The 'convoluted' events in the plot serve to illustrate what a single, simple desire can cause.

Just watch it. Bear in mind the events and characters from Chinatown, but only so that you have a back story for these characters and not a standard to which they should be compared.