Chinatown
Chinatown is a 1974 American neo-noir mystery film directed by Roman Polanski from a screenplay by Robert Towne. It stars Jack Nicholson and Faye Dunaway in the principal roles, with supporting performances by John Huston, John Hillerman, Perry Lopez, Burt Young, and Diane Ladd. The film's story is inspired by the California water wars: a series of disputes over southern California water at the beginning of the 20th century that resulted in Los Angeles securing water rights in the Owens Valley. The Robert Evans production, released by Paramount Pictures, was Polanski's last film in the United States and features many elements of film noir, particularly a multi-layered story that is part mystery and part psychological drama.
Plot
In 1930s Los Angeles, a woman calling herself Evelyn Mulwray hires private investigator J. J. "Jake" Gittes to trail her husband Hollis, the chief engineer at the Department of Water and Power. Gittes photographs Hollis in the company of a young woman and the pictures make their way into the Post-Record, exposing their apparent affair. Gittes is then confronted by the real Evelyn Mulwray, who threatens to sue him. He concludes that the imposter was using him to discredit Hollis.