Chinatown EXPLAINED | Everything You Missed
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- Опубликовано: 31 янв 2023
- Chinatown EXPLAINED | Everything You Missed
Robert Towne's screenplay for Chinatown (1974) is considered by many to be one of the best scripts of all time. He even won an Oscar for Original Screenplay. One of the reasons the Chinatown screenplay is so good is all the clues that foreshadow the shocking ending. In this video, I'll cover the screenplay's story in detail to showcase as many of those clues as I can!
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TRANSCRIPT (HIGHLIGHTS ONLY):
Chinatown EXPLAINED | Everything You Missed
THE SETUP - ACT 1
Act 1 of Chinatown starts in Jake Gitte’s office:
COMMENTARY: That line of dialogue appears on Page 3 of the script. Pay special attention to what Jake said, because it’s essential to understanding the premise of the script. Jake said: “I’ll tell you the unwritten law… you gotta be rich to kill somebody, anybody, and get away with it…”
COMMENTARY: One of the important things to notice in the Chinatown script is all the minor details. The chauffeur washing the car actually says something about the Mulwray’s. As the rest of LA talks about the drought, the Chief Engineer of DWP has a chauffeur who’s washing his car. It’s little details like this that make this script so good.
COMMENTARY:
Hollis Mulwray’s death is Plot Point 1, which occurs around pg. 30. Plot Point 1 changes the direction of the story. Until this point, Gittes has been suspicious of Mulwray. But Hollis Mulwray’s death changes everything. Now, Gittes isn’t just involved in trickery. Now, he’s involved in a deeper ring of deceit. We’re left with the following questions:
Who was the fake Evelyn Mulwray and why did she want to take Hollis Mulwray down?
Who’s setting up Jake and his office?
What exactly is going on with the drought in Los Angeles?
How did Hollis Mulwray die?
And, since Mulwray is dead, what does that mean for Jake?
THE CONFLICT - ACT 2, PART 1
COMMENTARY:
For me, the reveal that Evelyn ran away from home-and was likely pregnant-is the MIDPOINT of the script. It’s on page 60. What’s interesting: This scene doesn’t appear in the film. But it sets up the second half in a way that has to deal with Evelyn’s secrets and what she’s hiding from Gittes. Up to this point, Gittes has assumed that Evelyn’s not a part of the conspiracy, but now there’s too much evidence suggesting that she’s hiding a lot of information from him.
At the Midpoint, we know:
Jake was set up to be a fall guy reporting on Hollis Mulwray’s affair…
Evelyn is Julian Cross’ daughter, and that Hollis and Julian were business partners…
Evelyn ran away from home to Mexico and was likely pregnant at age sixteen or seventeen.
Hollis Mulwray had an argument with Cross about something.
Hollis Mulwray most likely didn’t drown, he was murdered.
The DWP is dumping water during a drought, and they’re likely doing it to profit in some way…
But, we have some new questions:
Who is Julian Cross and what is he up to?
What’s Evelyn hiding about her past?
Is Evelyn wrapped up in this fraud? And how is she connected to Hollis Mulwray’s murder?
THE CONFLICT - ACT 2, PART 2
COMMENTARY:
Gittes telling Cross to meet him at Mulwray’s house is Plot Point 2. Why? Because it forces resolution to the story. Jake finds the glasses in the pond, realizes the pond is saltwater, and then calls Cross. This scene forces Gittes to:
Confront Evelyn (which may be the scene many people would call Plot Point 2)
It also means Jake will need to reveal what he knows to Escobar so he won’t arrest Gittes.
And finally, it means that Cross will now play a much bigger role in the ending.
And that brings us to:
THE RESOLUTION - ACT 3
And that’s it. That’s a full exploration of Chinatown. And if you go all the way back to page 3 of the script, Jake Gittes’ words to Curly ring true at the end of the script: “I'll tell you the unwritten law, you dumb son of a bitch, you gotta be rich to kill somebody, anybody and get away with it. You think you got that kind of dough, you think you got that kind of class?”
Curly didn’t have that kind of dough or class, but Cross has both. He’s rich and influential, so he’ll get away with it. Why? Because in Chinatown, where the film ends, of if you’re rich and influential-there’s no such thing as justice. 
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![[n월의 석진] Message from Jin : May 2024 💌](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/lupA4JxKA-4/mqdefault.jpg)
It’s interesting that some wanted a happier ending when so many things in the movie point to THAT ending. I didn’t notice until I read the script that by blocking the first cop, who was shooting at the tires, he caused the second cop (Louche….great name) to shoot high and kill Evelyn. That’s the kind of detail that can be missed unless you read the script.
Exactly! It’s perfection. I can’t see wanting it to end any other way.
Like Jake said… you end up hurting who you’re trying to help… in Chinatown… which is what he is doing in Physical Chinatown again…. But , also what he has done to ruin Evelyn in the metaphorical Chinatowntown…where cause and effect go away…. Uh
Noah Cross buys Lou... As he and Jack Nicholson talk about lou in the lunch scene
We saw this film for the first time in the 2000s and it was intense. The plot twist was a shocker. Fantastic deep dive into the script Jay. Well done. 😊
Thank you! I got a lot out of reading this one. Part of me doing a video like this means I get to dig really deep into the actual content!
@@HowStoriesWork it was fantastic and really a grear screen play.
Saw it and loved it when it was released. Have probably watched this amazing film 100 times over the years. Just fabulous! Plus Jack, Faye and John Houston!! What could be better?
The script is awesome but it was directed and polished by a master. It helps.
Absolutely true.
Chinatown's screenplay, as a stand alone, is considered to be the greatest ever written... As a Screenplay by itself.
Obsessed by this film for years... great summary
It’s so good. Love Chinatown! Thanks for watching and commenting!
I too am obsessed with Chinatown.
Why did Jake call Noah Cross ? He could have been a true hero.
@@mobiuspaw494 I think as much as he is disgusted by him, there is a part of Noah Cross in Jack… and a subservience to him
@@mobiuspaw494 My take is that Jake doesn’t trust anybody. In his attempt to “play both sides,” I think he’s trying to outsmart Cross, but he also thinks Evelyn is lying to him. Jake tends to assume he’s ahead of Evelyn and Cross, when in reality he’s consistently behind the eight ball. That’s what makes the plot so good. We think we’re right there with Jake until we realize everything is worse than we imagined.
Love this movie and the magical soundtrack.
Excellent video.
It’s so great! Thanks for the comment!
Totally appreciate this...best explanation of this movie, great job.
Thanks, Phil!
Great job. Thanks.
Thanks for watching and commenting!
excelent vídeo! really helpful. cheers from Brasil
Thank you! Bom dia! 🙌🏽
Act 3 analysis beginning at 33:00....you brought it home...really great job.
Thank you! It’s such a complex film (and screenplay). For sure one of my all-time favorites, particularly related to studying the craft. Thanks for watching/commenting!
@@HowStoriesWork no worries at all...our race to watch continues lol.
As little as possible...
Great movie 🍿 👌
My all time favorite movie. I've seen it about twenty times and always find some little detail or nuance that I'd missed previously.
Absolutely. It’s amazing!
It's interesting that 2 of the most complex movies(The Shining & Chinatown)star Jack Nicholson. Ĵack gives 2 completely different performances which shows his brilliance as an actor.
Absolutely. I totally agree. Pretty stunning!
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest is another great movie with Nicholson.
I thought Jake, who was familiar with Chinese people speaking English, mocked the worker at the house by repeating "glass" instead of "grass." Nevertheless, this is the best YT about a film I've ever seen! (That was just a quibble about glass/grass or I misunderstood you or the dialogue. It's interesting that water was bad for the glasses as well as the grass.)
Thank you!!! I appreciate you watching and commenting. I believe you’re right about that when it comes to the film. The script is where I think that it’s more obvious that he’s misunderstanding what the gardener is saying… but I’d have to verify that…
Me, too.
It's a salt water pond. That's why it's bad for grass.
Damn, they really did hide the setup line of dialogue for the theme of the film in the conflict of that one scene.
Crazy, right? So good!
I just started watching your video. I also have a copy of the script, where the pilot of the plane flying Jake Gittes to Catalina reveals the rumors of teenaged Evelyn's wild ways, possible pregnancy, and running away. I know it isn't in the film, but I wonder if Polanski filmed it? In your notes and your video, please change Julian Cross to the character's correct name, Noah Cross.
I use Julian Cross because, as you’ll note in the screenplay, that’s what his name is in the script. I also note that in the video. But I’m glad you’re reading the script because it’s AMAZING. I have a feeling Polanski didn’t film it. It would be a pretty expensive scene (comparative to the others in the film) since a seaplane, more actors, and all the safety requirements that come with that would be a concern. But as I was doing research, and listening to the screenwriter talk about it, I believe it was just cut. I don’t think they filmed it. But I could be wrong!
Thanks for watching and commenting!
@@HowStoriesWork I'll have to dig out my copy of the script and look again. I didn't remember that Noah was called Julian in the beginning. Noah, as related to the Biblical Noah and the great flood, seems so right. I think Polanski was correct in not cluing the audience in to a teenage Evelyn's wild past. It's better if she's a mystery woman right up until the end.
I totally agree. From an “understanding the film” standpoint, the scene really helps. But from a “great reveal moment” standpoint, the audience could definitely start to put that all together.
Chinatown is one of the deepest tragedies ever written. We only get hints of what happened with the woman in Chinatown he inadvertently caused the death of, but it happens again with Evelyn. Is Jake in some kind or purgatory, doomed to watch, and accidentally bring about, the same tragedy over and over?
Well said! Which only makes the oppression of the rich, powerful, and corrupt even worse!
@@HowStoriesWork In the final edit, they actually eliminated the line Jake says at the beginning about only the rich and powerful being able to get away with murder, I think because it clues the audience in right from the start who the real murderer is.
Yep. I think you’re right. It’s such a good script!
The “second guy” that cut Jake’s nose is Roman Polanski
Facts.
What was the Chinese insult Jake told Evelyn’s butler that shocked him so much?
💙🐾
It’s funny that you and Noah Cross both mispronounce the last name of Jake Gettis. This is a fantastic movie.
A couple things... First; I thought Cross's first name was Noah? I can't remember him being referred to as Julian in the film. (?). I wish you hadn't added the graphic explanations....it's hard enough to follow your narration!
Even after seeing the film at least 15 times, and listening to your entire summary, I'm STILL confused about Hollis Mulray's girlfriend and Evelyn's sister/daughter. Are they the same person? WHY is Noah Cross so determined to find "the girl"? I guess he might've had personal reasons for objecting to the affair, but once Mulray is dead, what does he care? Was he having sex with her too? I guess I'm missing something here... I'd appreciate it if someone could explain it to me.
The scenes you described that were cut definitely would have made the plot clearer; is there a person anywhere who can claim to have understood every nuance of the film on their first viewing? As I said - I STILL don't fully understand it.
BTW, the script is hardly the only thing about this film that makes it great. The lighting and camera work are terrific; Polanski loves his hand-held camera with a 50mm lens - he used that combination on Frantic - another excellent film.
I know, I should have clarified (I swear I did, but must have edited it out) that Julian is Cross’ first name in the script. But you’re right, it’s Noah in the film. I liked the graphics! LOL.
Yes, Hollis Mulray’s “girlfriend” is Evelyn’s daughter. Gittes just didn’t know it at the time. I think Noah just wants a relationship his daughter/granddaughter. I think the implication is that he feels he’s owed it. But since he’s a monster (since he had an incestuous affair with his daughter), nobody wants to let him be around his granddaughter. Hollis was trying to protect both Evelyn and her daughter from Noah.
I can’t imagine understanding it all after one viewing! That’d be nuts. But you’re right, the movie is awesome for MANY reasons! Thanks for watching and commenting!
NOAH Cross...where do you get Julian?
His name is Julian in the script. I mention that in the video. They changed it for the film.
Sorry..I guess I missed that. Good job on this.
@@HowStoriesWork
Watched this movie for the 1st time last night but I was left with a few questions. Your video nicely clarified all but one. Evelyn tells Jake that both she and Hollis were having affairs. Was Evelyn allowing Hollis to sleep with her daughter or was his affair with someone else?
GREAT question. Here’s my take: At that point of the story, Evelyn is lying. She’s trying to protect her daughter. In order to do that, she’s trying to divert attention away from the real problem: “Cross can’t find my daughter.” The easiest way to do that? Admit that she’s having an affair (she isn’t, but Gittes might believe it) and tell him she’s justified in doing so because Hollis was also having an affair (he wasn’t, but Gittes already has photos with Evelyn’s daughter, so he might believe it). The goal was to make it seem like the photos Gittes got of Hollis and Evelyn’s daughter was just Hollis having a fling with some random girl. Technically, she trying to send him on some other path. That’s my take. Thanks for watching and commenting!
@@HowStoriesWork Yep that makes sense. Thanks for the response.
So why did Cross kill Mulray?
Cross killed Mulwray for two reasons: (1) Mulwray was against the dam project to supply water to the farmland north of Los Angeles. The implication is that he knew Cross was running a scheme and was finally standing up to him, and (2) Hollis was hiding his daughter/granddaughter from him (though, it’s difficult to say whether or not Cross knew this for sure).
Hey thanks for responding. Here's another thing I don't understand... The newspaper clipping with the names of land buyers... When Gittes and Evelyn go to the Mar Vista retirement home, they see the names on the board, but they also meet some of the people listed in the newspaper obituaries. I thought the people were supposed to be dead? - Gittes makes that remark to Evelyn in the car, "They died two weeks ago, and a week ago they bought the land.... that's unusual." This is part of the plot that I just don't get; if Cross needs the people to be dead and out of the way, how is he accomplishing that? What if they live another 15 years?! I get he has a lot of power, but he can't be knocking off dozens of old folks, or waiting years for them to check out..
I think I noticed something odd about Mulvehill's role too. Gittes really gives him a hell of a beating at the Mar Vista club, with a lot of vicious-sounding punches to his head and face. But just a day later - or maybe two - when he and Cross meet Gittes by the Mulray's garden pond, he doesn't have a scratch on him. (At least I don't remember any bandages or anything.) (P.S. I don't think I'm ever going to completely understand this film.)
Why do you keep saying Julian? its NOAH Cross.
"John Huston as Noah Cross"
did they change the name for the movie? i must have missed you saying that if you did.
In the script it’s Julian. JULIAN. 🤣🤣🤣 They did change the name for the movie. I thought I said that in this video, but I think it was in a different video I did… Thanks for watching and commenting! What other movies should I explain?
Is this nitpicking?? After Gittes gets the call from Duffy that he's spotted Mulray and his girlfriend rowing a boat in Echo Park, Gittes and Walsh take pictures of them from another rowboat. HOW the hell did they get there so fast, AND in time to rent a rowboat? What, is Echo Park a half a block away from his office? Either Gittes has a supercharger in his car or Mulray takes a hell of a long lunch break.
You're overthinking it.
Evelyn war 15, mein Gott. So gut hast du dich wohl doch nicht mi dem Drehbuch beschäftigt....
Noah Cross.
In the movie, yes, but not in the script. In the script it’s Julian. I should have made reference to that in the video, but I think that’s in another one of my videos on Chinatown.
I never understand how that ending makes sense. Why would a policeman shoot her? They could have easily caught her car later, and it was a very risky shot, in a busy street, plenty of people around, the bullet could have hit a passer-by.
I think that was the whole point of the film.... that life is arbitrary and senseless and even meaningless. Also, the cop was aiming for the car's tires (let's hope) or - at this point - we know there are probably a few bad cops out there.
The policemen shoot at her because she is a murder suspect who just shot at someone. It couldn't have made any more sense than that.
@@obasaz4904 In a street full of people? If he misses or the bullet goes through her body it could easily hit a different person. Also, she's running away, not pointing a gun at someone, she's not an imminent danger to anybody, police should have chased her car instead of shooting to kill. It couldn't have made less sense.
@@ktom5262 But how is she not an imminent threat? A murder suspect just shot someone and was fleeing the scene. And the street was not full of people when the police shot at the car, only the sidewalks. So their actions were very reasonable.
At the end she did state that her father owns the police and since she was going against her father they made a choice to get her out the way and let the father win again by getting away with murder of mulwray and getting the daughter/granddaughter it shows what power and money can do.
....And... When Ida Sessions calls Gittes, she tells him to check the obituaries, where she says he'll find "one of those people". How would Ida Sessions know that kind of information about Cross's plan, if she was just a hired dupe? Why would they have told her? I think Robert Towne just needed to connect that part of the plot. Thanks.
The weakest part of the plot is why was Ida Sessions killed and by whom? If she was hired by Yelburton to pose as Mrs Mulray then it’s safe to assume she was killed by Mulvihill because she knew too much, but how would those who had her killed know that. Seems she’s just a convenient plot point.
Maybe she worked for that Family? Or was a caretaker at the old people home
@@aniket385Exactly. Or maybe Ida Sessions had a friend or a relative who worked at or lives/lived at the rest home. We just don't know, that's why it's brilliant.
I think Ida sessions is Noah cross's mistress. She admits to being a working girl later. In the film which means she is a prostitute or escort.
Ida Sessions says she's a "working girl" meaning prostitute or escort. She probably is Noah Crosses mistress or she works for Noah Cross in some way. She probably over heard or ease dropped on a conversation that Cross had about his plans to secure the land.
Am I mistaken or are you simply recounting the entire film orally? Like a story? Where's the analyses?
It’s not intended to be an analysis so much as taking the script and explaining how it all comes together. A lot of the complexity gets lost in the film, but going through the script in detail helps explain what’s happening in the film. The film (and script) is so dense that it requires almost a line-by-line breakdown of what’s happening. I think that’s why it’s so beloved. Just about everything impacts the characters or the plot.
@@HowStoriesWork Ok, but your title does say, "explained." This script is certainly beloved and very dense and complex. Thank you for your effort!
Did you watch the whole video? I guess I’d ask: What’s left that wasn’t explained? Did you have additional questions?
@@HowStoriesWork I've watched innumerable times, admired, studied, attended film classes and written essays (mostly A's), participated in numerous discussion groups all on this one film. In my humble opinion it is in the top 10 most significant and memorable English masterpieces of cinema. Any new analyses of my favorite films is of interest to me. Thanks again.
That’s cool! What’s your favorite interpretation of the work? What does the work say that makes you love it? I love noir and the characters and how they deal with these problems.
Why did he ask the resting home director if they accept Jews?
Phenomenal question. Here's my take: At that point, Gittes needs access to the retirement home grounds (in order to find more info on what's going on). I think he asks that question for one reason... He likely thinks, given the timeframe in which the story takes place, that the retirement home will either: (1) Be primarily for Jewish people, or more likely (2) Be a place for rich white bigoted white people. When he asks that question, he can respond one of two ways: (1) If the employee says, "Yes, of course, we have many Jews here." Gittes can respond with: "Excellent, her father is Jewish and you know how bigoted people can be." Or it can go like it does in the film. Either way, Gittes immediately becomes "on the same team" as the employee, who will be more likely to let them in and let them peruse the grounds. At least, that's how I see that scene playing out.
the plot lost me after around 15 or 20 minutes.
Yeah, one of the reasons I wanted to do an explainer video is that the plot is SO INTRICATE that it’s super hard to follow. And since I had just read the script AND watched the video, it made more sense to me.
You are terrible at explaining this movie
🤣🤣🤣 Your constructive criticism is super helpful! Thanks!
I disagree. I think the video creator did a magnificent job of explaining this movie.
Thanks,@@ivanjulian2532! I appreciate it!
Amazing video !!! Would love to collaborate with you @ razor cut information
Thanks for the comment! I appreciate it!