A private detective hired to expose an adulterer in 1930s Los Angeles finds himself caught up in a web of deceit, corruption, and murder.A private detective hired to expose an adulterer in 1930s Los Angeles finds himself caught up in a web of deceit, corruption, and murder.A private detective hired to expose an adulterer in 1930s Los Angeles finds himself caught up in a web of deceit, corruption, and murder.
- Won 1 Oscar
- 21 wins & 24 nominations total
Richard Bakalyan
- Loach
- (as Dick Bakalyan)
James O'Rear
- Lawyer
- (as James O'Reare)
- Director
- Writers
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaAfter several takes that never looked quite right, Faye Dunaway got annoyed and told Jack Nicholson to actually slap her. He did and felt very guilty for it, despite it being Dunaway's decision. The shot made it into the movie.
- GoofsIn the orange grove scene, Gittes's car has its right front tire shot and deflated, yet it is not deflated when the car hits the tree.
- Crazy creditsThe film opens with the 1940's Paramount logo.
- Alternate versionsTV versions omit the "screwing like a chinaman" joke told by Jake.
- ConnectionsEdited into The Two Jakes (1990)
- SoundtracksI Can't Get Started
By Ira Gershwin and Vernon Duke
Recorded by Bunny Berigan and His Orchestra
(Courtesy of RCA Records)
Featured review
This is a top ten for me. I have watched this film several times, and each time I see why Jack Nicholson is one of our great American actors. It starts with a story of complexity but accessibility. Nicholson's Jake Gittes, running around with a slit in the side of his nose, put there by Polanski, investigates, gets careless, and realizes what he has stumbled upon. Fay Dunaway as Mrs. Mulray and John Huston and that voice: "Just find the girl." There are comic scenes and Nicholson has feet of clay, but he finally puts his personal integrity on the line. He moves into darkness and sees the underside. And then there is Chinatown with its secrets, politics, incest, all of that. It is such an intelligent movies. One of the reviewers said it was compact. That says it all. Every scene is necessary. It's too bad Polanski can't work in the U.S. anymore--he still releases a treasures every so often. To get back to the movie, all that leads to the climactic last several minutes has been prepared for with loving care by the director. It's so nice to know that there are films like this that people will watch into the latter stages of the 21st century. One of finest.
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Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Languages
- Also known as
- Barrio Chino
- Filming locations
- Production companies
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Budget
- $6,000,000 (estimated)
- Gross US & Canada
- $29,200,000
- Gross worldwide
- $29,231,954
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