Chinatown (1999, DVD)

Here is a movie with two plots during the 1930s: (1) Why did Mr Mulray get murdered? and (2) What is going on with the Los Angeles Utility Board?

Jack Nicholson as Jake Gittes is the detective hired by a false Mrs. Mulray to find her missing husband. It turns out that the real Mrs. Mulray is Faye Dunaway, who shows up later. While trying to find Mr Mulray, Jake gets involved in the second plot that has to do with diverting water into the Pacific Ocean, when Los Angeles is thirsting for water. This is the movie, where Jake gets his nose slit open in a grisly scene by a ruthless hit man, Roman Polanski, who directed the movie.

Behind it all is Evelyn Mulray's father, Lucas Cross, played by John Huston, who looks and talks mean even in real life. He is buying up land around Los Angeles so that he can control the water supply and get even richer. How rich can you get?

But the even bigger secret has to do with Evelyn and her daughter. Jake, of course, ends up falling for Evelyn but can't figure out what is the deal with the daughter. Why is she hiding her and why are they trying to leave the country? I'm not going to give that secret away. But there is a classic scene in movie history where this secret is disclosed. Why it even spawned a pretty good sequel to this movie called "The Two Jakes."

I think that Faye Dunaway played her part well. She has a classic beauty that has been molded to look like the 1930s. Jack Nicholson is his usual brutish self, a sort of diamond in the rough, who muddles his way through the movie toward the ultimate truth. Both were cast perfectly in my opinion.

You must focus on this movie, or you will not understand what is going on. In fact, I have watched it at least 5 times. And I still learn something new every time.

It was nominated for many Academy Awards including Best Actress for Faye Dunaway, Best Actor for Jack Nicholson, Best Director for Roman Polanski, and Best Picture. None of them won. It did win an award for Best Screenplay. It is well worth watching.