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Chinatown
1974 130 min United States of America R 16+
★8.8
Crime, Mystery, Thriller
Director: Roman Polanski
Trailers
EN
Teaser
EN
Description
Private eye Jake Gittes lives off of the murky moral climate of sunbaked, pre-World War II Southern California. Hired by a beautiful socialite to investigate her husband's extra-marital affair, Gittes is swept into a maelstrom of double dealings and deadly deceits, uncovering a web of personal and political scandals that come crashing together.
Budget:
$6M
US Gross:
$29.2M
Worldwide:
$30M
Starring
Jack Nicholson
Actor
Faye Dunaway
Actor
John Huston
Actor
Awards
Golden Globe 1975
— Best Screenplay
Academy Awards 1975
— Best Original Screenplay
Golden Globe 1975
— Best Picture (Drama)
Golden Globe 1975
— Best Picture (Drama)
Golden Globe 1975
— Best Director
Golden Globe 1975
— Best Supporting Actor
Academy Awards 1975
— Best Picture
Academy Awards 1975
— Best Actor
Academy Awards 1975
— Best Production Design
Academy Awards 1975
— Best Director
Academy Awards 1975
— Best Costume Design
Academy Awards 1975
— Best Sound
Academy Awards 1975
— Best Film Editing
Academy Awards 1975
— Best Score for a Drama
Golden Globe 1975
— Best Actor (Drama)
BAFTA 1975
— Best Picture
BAFTA 1975
— Best Actress
BAFTA 1975
— Best Supporting Actor
Academy Awards 1975
— Best Cinematography
BAFTA 1975
— Best Director
BAFTA 1975
— Best Screenplay
BAFTA 1975
— Anthony Asquith Award for Film Music
Academy Awards 1975
— Best Actress
Golden Globe 1975
— Best Original Score
BAFTA 1975
— Best Actor
BAFTA 1975
— Best Cinematography
BAFTA 1975
— Best Production Design
BAFTA 1975
— Best Costume Design
BAFTA 1975
— Best Film Editing
Key opinion
Chinatown is widely regarded as a definitive neo-noir masterpiece, praised for its intricate screenplay, authentic period atmosphere, and the commanding presence of Jack Nicholson. While a minority of viewers find its pacing slow or its cynicism hollow, most consider it a quintessential work of cinema that subverts genre expectations.
| Screenplay | Robert Towne’s Oscar-winning screenplay is consistently lauded for its intricate construction and its masterful evolution from a simple adultery case into a grand conspiracy. | |
| Acting | Jack Nicholson’s performance as Jake Gittes is highly acclaimed for anchoring the film with a blend of charisma, moral authority, and vulnerability. | |
| Production | The production design and cinematography effectively create a deeply immersive and authentic recreation of 1930s Los Angeles. | |
| Theme | The film is frequently identified as a subversion of traditional noir, particularly for its pessimistic ending and the rejection of the standard hero's victory. | |
| Acting | Faye Dunaway’s portrayal of Evelyn Mulwray divides opinion, with some viewing it as a powerful performance and others finding her characterization inconsistent or technically uneven. | |
| Pacing | The film's deliberate, atmospheric pacing is hailed as a masterclass in tension by most, while some modern viewers find it exhausting or lacking sufficient momentum. |