Throughout his legendary career, Jack Nicholson has taken on countless unforgettable roles, but only once did he slip into the shoes of a detective. That role was Jake Gittes, the sharp-witted private eye who first appeared in the 1974 neo-noir masterpiece Chinatown. "I was drawn to it because it was such a departure from the norm," Jack once said. "Jake Gittes? No gun. Just his wits and a relentless pursuit of truth. That's what made him so compelling."
Directed by Roman Polanski and featuring powerhouse performances from Faye Dunaway and John Huston, Chinatown quickly became a cultural phenomenon. It ranked among the top 20 highest-grossing films of its year and scored an impressive 10 Academy Award nominations. Author Sam Wasson, who penned The Big Goodbye: Chinatown and the Last Years of Hollywood, describes the film as "a meticulously crafted masterpiece." He adds, "It's like a perfect American nightmare, where the line between right and wrong blurs into a devastating gray area."
Behind the Scenes: A Turbulent Creation
Despite its acclaim, the making of Chinatown wasn't all smooth sailing. The film's exploration of lies, corruption, conspiracies, and greed mirrored the challenges faced by its creators. Roman Polanski and screenwriter Robert Towne famously clashed over the movie's bleak ending. The tension was so intense that Towne reportedly stormed off the set in frustration. "I'm glad Roman's vision won out," Jack later admitted. "Sometimes, you just have to embrace the darkness. No happy endings, period."
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Roman's relationship with Faye Dunaway was equally fraught. Rumors swirled that Polanski once denied Faye a bathroom break, prompting her to urinate in a cup and throw it at him. Faye, however, dismissed the story as pure fiction. "There was only one real blowup," she clarified. "And that was when Roman decided to take matters into his own hands."
That blowup occurred during a scene where an errant strand of Faye's hair caught the light in an unusual way. Without warning, Polanski plucked the strand from her head. "That was the last straw," Wasson recounts. "Faye lost it. But in the end, they always managed to put their differences aside for the sake of the film."
Jack Nicholson: The Star With a Sense of Humor
Even the legendary friendship between Polanski and Nicholson wasn't immune to friction. During one memorable incident, Jack arrived late to the set because he was watching his beloved L.A. Lakers play overtime. Roman's response? "I grabbed a mop and charged into Jack's trailer, determined to smash the TV," he recalled with a chuckle. "But the damn thing wouldn't break. So I picked it up and hurled it out the trailer. I guess you could say I took my frustrations out on that TV."
Jack's then-girlfriend, Angelica Huston, visited the set twice. Her real-life father, John Huston, played the chilling villain Noah Cross in the film. "Out of nowhere, my father, glaring at Jack with pure menace, said, 'I hear you're sleeping with my daughter'—long pause—'Mr. Gittes,'" Angelica recalled with a laugh. "I turned bright red before realizing they were rehearsing. Everyone burst out laughing. It was one of those moments that broke the tension."
Despite the occasional friction, Jack and Faye shared a deep trust. During a pivotal scene where Jake slaps Evelyn, the fake slap just wasn't cutting it. "Finally, I told Jack, 'You're just gonna have to hit me,'" Faye revealed. "And he did. It was real. And it worked."
The Legacy of 'Chinatown'
Screenwriter Robert Towne, the sole Oscar winner for Chinatown, originally envisioned the film as the first in a trilogy. However, after the 1990 sequel, The Two Jakes, failed to meet expectations, plans for a third installment were shelved. "Chinatown isn't just a place," Wasson reflects. "It's a state of mind. It's the feeling that you've got everything figured out, only to realize you're about to get blindsided. That's the genius of Chinatown."
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