A neo-noir film directed by the revered but controversial director Roman Polanski, it was a project that Polanski was unsure about because it would involve him returning to Los Angeles for the first time since his wife's murder. The strength of the script persuaded him to come back and take up the project. The film was known for cementing Jack Nicholson's position as a top Hollywood actor as he was seen as a rising star at the time of the film's release.
Evelyn Mulwray hires J.J. Gittes (Jack Nicholson), a private investigator, to watch her husband to see if he is cheating on her with another woman. After he photographs her with a young woman he thinks he has solved the case but the photos in the newspaper make the real Evelyn Mulrway (Faye Dunaway) come forward saying that Gittes can expect a lawsuit. After realising he was set up, Hollis Mulwray is murdered and Gittes realises he was set-up for a reason and that the answer possibly lies in Hollis' opposition to building a new dam near Los Angeles.
 |
| Jake Gittes (Jack Nicholson) and Evelyn Mulwray (Faye Dunaway) |
Jack Nicholson is superb as the cocky and self-confident private investigator, the entire story follows what Jake does and there is rarely a scene that he is not present. We never know anything different in this story that Jake and that is part of the secret as to why it is such a superbly crafted story. We're not waiting for him to find out what we already know, we are trying to guess as much as he is. Roman Polanski even pops up in a cameo role as the henchman who slices Jake's nose for being a nosy kitty cat.
A superb film that will be considered for my top 10.
4/4 sublime mystery that unfolds beautifully
No comments:
Post a Comment