Released in 1974, Roman Polanski's Chinatown is a film noir feature that is studied in most, if not all film schools. For the uninitiated, the story involves a complex scheme to control the water supply in 1930's Los Angeles. Ex-cop, private detective J.J. Gittes (Jack Nicholson) gets involved when one of the loose ends go astray and is eventually hired by a mysterious woman, Evelyn Mulwray (Faye Dunaway). Gittes' investigation reveals that something is more rotten in Denmark than a simple domestic matter, and he meets industrialist Noah Cross (John Huston) who attempts to frighten him off the case. As Gittes gets closer and closer to putting all the clues in place, the truth is finally revealed, a truth that is ugly and perhaps best kept secret as there is little, if anything anyone can do. The undertones of the dialogue and cinematography are flat and dark which impeccably match the story and themes of greed and debauchery. While Huston and Dunaway are excellently cast, the film is carried by Nicholson who somehow tones down his usual bigger than life persona to great effect. Finally, the movie is tied together by the continual references to a proverbial unexplainable world in the form of Chinatown, or in other words, what can one do, it's Chinatown? The bottom line, is that this is not a action oriented film, but one that requires effort; however, for one who can appreciate cinema as a complete art form, Chinatown is a must see film.