Chinatown (1974)

Chinatown (1974), an American mystery film, was directed by Roman Polanski and written by Robert Towne. In the story, a woman named Evelyn Mulwray hires private detective Jake Gittes to follow her husband Hollis, who she suspects of being unfaithful. As chief engineer at the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, Hollis refuses to build a new dam due to safety concerns. Gittes captures photos of Hollis with another woman, which are then published in the Los Angeles Times. The real Evelyn Mulwray confronts Gittes and threatens legal action against him for aiding in the deception. Shortly after, it is discovered that Hollis’s death was not an accident but a murder. With Evelyn as his new client, Gittes delves into the investigation while simultaneously questioning why large amounts of water are being drained from the reservoir during a drought.

Gittes is warned off by Water Department Security Chief, Claude Mulvihill and attacked by his henchman. The following morning, Ida Sessions, posing as Evelyn Mulwray, contacts Gittes refusing to reveal the identity of her employer. However, she does direct him to check the day’s obituaries. Upon doing so, Gittes uncovers that Hollis was once business partners with Evelyn’s affluent father, Noah Cross. In exchange for searching for Hollis’s missing mistress, Cross offers to double Gittes’ fee. During his investigation, Gittes discovers that a significant portion of the Northwest Valley has been recently sold. While visiting an orange grove in the valley, he becomes the target of enraged landowners who mistake him for a Water Department agent responsible for sabotaging their water supply in order to drive them out.