Chinatown - Exploring The Greatest Screenplay of All Time

Summary

This video script delves into the brilliance of 'Chinatown's' screenplay, penned by Robert Towne. It's praised for its efficient storytelling, blending traditional narrative with unexpected twists. The script masterfully weaves a complex mystery, introducing clues subtly throughout. It challenges viewers to decipher the true questions behind the plot. The character development, especially Jake's, is highlighted, showing his transformation from a loner to a protector, only to be thrust back into chaos. The video also discusses the film's connection to classic film noir, subverting expectations, particularly with the character of Evelyn. The script's efficiency and multi-layered storytelling contribute to its reputation as one of the greatest ever written.

Takeaways

• 🎬 'Chinatown' is often hailed as one of the greatest screenplays of all time, written by Robert Towne and influenced by film noir of the 1940s and 50s.
• 🔍 The screenplay is praised for its efficiency in storytelling, keeping the audience engaged with a blend of traditional and innovative narrative techniques.
• 🕵️‍♂️ The film presents a real mystery where answers lead to more questions, maintaining suspense without leaving any loose ends.
• 💧 A central motif of the film is water, which is used to guide the audience through the story, ultimately revealing a much darker and complex narrative.
• 📜 Every scene, interaction, and line of dialogue in 'Chinatown' serves multiple purposes, contributing to both plot advancement and character development.
• 🕵️‍♂️ The opening scene with Curley introduces the protagonist, Jake, as a skilled and empathetic private eye with a morally ambiguous character.
• 💈 The barbershop scene reveals Jake's moral stance and his self-perception as a defender of the desperate, adding depth to his character.
• 🏡 The mall scene showcases Jake's potential prejudice towards Chinatown, hinting at a complex character with flaws and biases.
• 🌱 Jake's character development is significant, evolving from a loner to someone who forms meaningful connections, only to revert to his original state by the film's end.
• 🔗 'Chinatown' draws connections to earlier film noir through casting, cinematography, and writing, while also subverting expectations and tropes of the genre.

Q & A

What is the significance of the screenplay 'Chinatown' in the context of film noir?

Chinatown is considered a modernization of film noir themes and ideas, continuing and updating the genre with its original story influenced by earlier noir films of the 1940s and 50s.

How does the screenplay of 'Chinatown' manage to keep the audience engaged?

The screenplay is efficient in storytelling, quickly unfolding the plot while maintaining suspense, and it follows traditional storytelling beats while also introducing unexpected twists to keep the audience guessing.

What is the central mystery in the film 'Chinatown'?

The central mystery revolves around the water scandal, but it serves as a red herring, leading to a much darker and more complex underlying story with significant consequences.

How does the film 'Chinatown' use the motif of water?

The motif of water is used to guide the audience through the story, initially focusing on a water scandal, which later reveals itself as a small part of a larger, more sinister plot.

What is the role of the character Curley in the opening scene of 'Chinatown'?

Curley serves to introduce the protagonist, Jake, as a skilled and sympathetic private eye with questionable morals, and his reintroduction later in the film provides continuity without the need for exposition.

How does the screenplay of 'Chinatown' utilize every scene and interaction?

Every scene, interaction, and line of dialogue serves multiple purposes, such as advancing the plot, revealing character traits, or laying important clues, which enhances the film's depth and encourages repeat viewings.

What are the three moments from the film 'Chinatown' that exemplify the screenplay's efficiency?

The opening scene with Curley, the barbershop scene, and the scene at the mall where the gardener points to the pool are moments that not only advance the plot but also reveal character traits and important plot elements.

How does the character development of Jake in 'Chinatown' reflect the film noir genre?

Jake's character development is a reflection of film noir, where he starts as a loner and becomes more involved with others, only to end up reverting to his original nature after facing the harsh realities and violence of the world.

What is the role of Evelyn in 'Chinatown' and how does it subvert traditional film noir expectations?

Evelyn initially seems to fit the femme fatale trope, leading the audience and Jake to assume she will become the antagonist. However, she is revealed to be a victim and the heroine of the story, subverting the expectations set by traditional film noir.

How does 'Chinatown' connect to earlier film noir through its casting and visual style?

Chinatown connects to earlier film noir through the casting of John Huston, director of 'The Maltese Falcon', and visual elements that are heavily inspired by the genre, while also incorporating unique storytelling that distinguishes it from its predecessors.

What makes 'Chinatown' stand out as the greatest screenplay according to the video?

Chinatown stands out due to its efficient storytelling, the way it subverts traditional film noir tropes, its multi-purposeful scenes and dialogues, and its ability to keep the audience engaged and guessing throughout the film.

Outlines

00:00

🎬 The Brilliance of 'Chinatown' Screenplay

The first paragraph delves into the acclaim surrounding 'Chinatown,' a film written by Robert Towne. It's recognized for its originality and influence from film noir, modernizing themes from 1940s and 50s war films. The screenplay's efficiency in storytelling is highlighted, with a focus on maintaining suspense and surprising the audience. The narrative structure is examined, emphasizing the film's ability to answer questions while raising new ones, creating a layered mystery. Key elements like the pool, saltwater, and murder are introduced early, setting the stage for the unfolding plot. The script's strength lies in its multi-purpose scenes and dialogues, which both advance the plot and provide character insights and clues.

05:01

🔍 Uncovering the Subtleties of 'Chinatown'

The second paragraph examines the subtle yet crucial scenes in 'Chinatown' that contribute to the film's depth. It discusses the opening scene with Curley, which establishes the protagonist Jake's character as a competent and somewhat morally ambiguous private investigator. The barbershop scene reveals Jake's public reputation and his moral stance, while the mall scene introduces the pool and the film's twist. The paragraph also explores the character development of Jake, who evolves from a loner to a protective figure, particularly towards Evelyn. However, the ending of the film sees Jake revert to his original nature, reflecting the film noir trope of the protagonist facing dark realities and losing on both literal and emotional levels.

10:02

🌐 The Legacy and Influence of 'Chinatown'

The final paragraph touches on the connections 'Chinatown' has with earlier film noir, including the casting of John Huston, directorial choices, and writing style. It contrasts the traditional femme fatale trope with the film's portrayal of Evelyn, who, despite initial suspicions, is revealed to be a victim rather than an antagonist. The paragraph emphasizes how 'Chinatown' both follows and subverts traditional storytelling, keeping viewers guessing and reevaluating their assumptions. The video concludes with a recommendation for those interested in supporting the channel and a link to a previous video analyzing 'Seven Samurai.'

Keywords

💡Chinatown

Chinatown refers to the 1974 neo-noir film directed by Roman Polanski and written by Robert Towne. The film is set against the backdrop of 1930s Los Angeles and revolves around a web of deceit, corruption, and murder. In the script, Chinatown is highlighted as a film that masterfully combines traditional storytelling with innovative narrative techniques, making it a prime example of a great screenplay.

💡Screenplay

A screenplay is a written script for a film or television show. It includes detailed instructions for the actors, camera angles, dialogue, and scene descriptions. In the context of the video, the screenplay for 'Chinatown' is praised for its efficiency in storytelling, keeping the audience engaged while unraveling a complex mystery.

💡Film Noir

Film noir is a cinematic term used primarily to describe stylish Hollywood crime dramas, particularly those that emphasize cynical attitudes and sexual motivations. The video discusses how 'Chinatown' is influenced by earlier film noir, modernizing its themes and ideas, and how it subverts some of the genre's tropes, such as the femme fatale.

💡Mystery

Mystery in the context of the video refers to the genre and narrative technique of keeping the audience in suspense about the outcome of a story. 'Chinatown' is described as a real mystery where answers lead to more questions, and the film ensures that all necessary clues are presented early, challenging the audience to solve the mystery alongside the protagonist.

💡Red Herrings

Red herrings are misleading or distracting elements in a narrative that divert attention from the main plot. The script mentions how 'Chinatown' uses red herrings, such as the water scandal, to keep the audience guessing and to deepen the film's mystery.

💡Character Development

Character development refers to the process by which a character's traits, abilities, and beliefs change over time. The video highlights the transformation of the protagonist, Jake, from a loner to a more emotionally connected character, and how this development is crucial to understanding the film's themes and narrative.

💡Femme Fatale

A femme fatale is a stock character in film and literature, a mysterious and seductive woman whose charms ensnare her lovers in bonds of irresistible desire, often leading them into compromising, dangerous, and deadly situations. The video discusses how 'Chinatown' plays with this concept, initially leading the audience to believe that Evelyn might fit this role, but ultimately revealing her as a victim rather than an antagonist.

💡Subversion of Tropes

Subversion of tropes refers to the act of deliberately overturning or reversing conventions associated with a genre. The video explains how 'Chinatown' subverts expectations by taking familiar film noir tropes and turning them on their head, creating a fresh and unique narrative experience.

💡Narrative Beats

Narrative beats are the key events or plot points that drive the story forward. The video praises 'Chinatown' for following traditional narrative beats while also introducing unique elements that keep the audience engaged and guessing.

💡Dialogue

Dialogue in a screenplay refers to the spoken lines of characters. The video emphasizes the importance of dialogue in 'Chinatown', noting that every line serves multiple purposes, such as moving the plot forward or revealing character traits.

💡Neo-Noir

Neo-noir is a genre of film that borrows visual and narrative elements from classic film noir, but is produced in the present day rather than the 1940s and 1950s. 'Chinatown' is described as a neo-noir film, updating the themes and style of film noir for a modern audience.

Highlights

Chinatown is often regarded as one of the greatest screenplays of all time due to its originality and influence from classic film noir.

The screenplay by Robert Towne efficiently tells a gripping story while keeping the audience engaged.

The film presents a real mystery, where each answer leads to more questions, maintaining suspense.

Chinatown introduces key elements early, such as the pool and saltwater, which are crucial to solving the mystery.

Small clues throughout the film add up to a significant revelation, enhancing the value of repeat viewings.

The film uses the water motif to guide the audience through Chinatown, unveiling a larger, darker story.

Every scene, interaction, and line of dialogue in the screenplay serves multiple purposes, advancing the plot and character development.

The opening scene with Curley establishes Jake's character as a competent and somewhat morally ambiguous private eye.

The barbershop scene reveals Jake's moral stance and the consequences of his actions.

The mall scene introduces the pool and the big twist, showcasing Jake's potential disdain for Chinatown.

Important plot moments are subtly presented, requiring audience engagement to discern their significance.

Jake's character development is intriguing, evolving from a loner to someone who opens up and cares for Evelyn.

The final scene reverts Jake's development, emphasizing the dark nature of life and the film's connection to classic film noir.

Chinatown connects to earlier film noir through casting, cinematography, and writing, while also subverting expectations.

Evelyn's character challenges the femme fatale trope, initially seeming suspicious but ultimately being revealed as a victim.

The screenplay plays with audience assumptions based on film noir conventions, often leading to unexpected outcomes.

Chinatown is praised for its unique storytelling that both follows and deviates from traditional narrative structures.

The video concludes by asserting Chinatown as the best-written film, with a screenplay that reads like a book.

Support for the video comes from Patreon, offering rewards like early access and influence on future content.

Transcripts

[Music]

Chinatown is often considered to be the

greatest screenplay of all time and for

good reason - written by Robert Towne

it's an original story but was heavily

influenced by earlier film noir in many

ways a story acts as a continuation in

the modernization of the themes and

ideas found within some of the biggest

and war films of the 1940s and 50s about

what makes a screenplay so great is the

efficiency how it manages to tell its

story quickly while keeping the audience

on the edge of their seat it's a movie

that both follows the traditional

storytelling beats but also changes

enough to keep the audience guessing

what will come next today I would like

to break down some of the elements that

make the Chinatown screenplay so great

and get to the roots of why it is so

frequently called the greatest

screenplay of all time first the movie

is a real mystery there are no easy

answers to anything as the story unfolds

one question is answered only for that

answer to reveal two more questions now

wait a minute mr. Holliday I think

there's been some misunderstanding here

however the film never leaves anything

behind everything we need to know to

solve the mystery is presented to us

early on in the film the pool the salt

water the murder all these elements are

introduced to us within the first act

the real mystery of the film isn't the

answer that's been there the whole time

the real mystery is trying to figure out

what question is being asked the future

mr. gates the future all throughout the

film there are small clues that add up

to the end result these don't draw too

much attention to themselves instead

they're there intentionally and make

repeat viewings of the film that much

more valuable because you get to pick up

what's been there the entire time once

you know you're looking for it the

behavior that the watcher is watching is

made

peculiar because it's that that person

is also trying to figure out what it is

that's going on and a lot of the film

focuses on trying to throw up red

herrings one of the most obvious

examples is the motif of the water for

the majority of the film the primary

focus appears to be Jake uncovering the

water scandal

there are certainly bigger things at

play they all seem to be wrapped around

the water town uses the waters take us

through the world of Chinatown

show us mystery and engrosses and a much

bigger and much darker story by the end

of the film I think it would be safe to

say that the water seems rather small

compared to the momentous consequences

that we see in the final scene one of

the screenplays biggest strengths is how

it never wastes a moment every scene

every interaction and every line of

dialogue for that matter is going to

serve multiple purposes first almost

everything is going to help move the

plot forward some are obviously going to

have a bigger impact than others but the

end result is an advancement of the plot

however it doesn't just stop there

because every interaction in the movie

also serves a second purpose and this is

where some variance occurs sometimes it

is to tell us about a character

introduce us to an important element

that will later be incorporated or lay

an important clue that will have big

ramifications on the main plot I'd like

to examine three moments from the film

that served one or more of these

supplemental purposes to begin I want to

look at the opening scene Jake talking

with Curley a client who at first

appears to be a throwaway character what

this scene at least initially does so

well is tell us about Jake

cannae the venetian blinds I just had

him installed on Wednesday he's a

private eye who was both good at his job

and sympathetic his morals are a little

bit questionable but it's clear that

least to an extent he cares for Curley

however later and Curley is reintroduced

to us we the audience are already

familiar with him we don't need a few

lines of exposition explaining who he is

we already know who he is the scene in

the barbershop also helps to tell us a

lot about Jake at verse tells us that

his story is out and the repercussions

are real but it also lets us know about

Jake's moral line he defends himself

because he sees himself to be in the

right honest living people only come to

me when they're in a desperate situation

I help them out I don't take families

out of their houses like bombs down at

the bank finally the first scene at the

mall a house where their gardener points

to the pool and reveals the big twist

less than 30 minutes into the movie bad

[ __ ] yeah because of his thick accent

Jake can't understand him

however Jake treats and poorly which may

come from his resentment for Chinatown I

mean I'm not gonna call it racism but

there is a there's a tinge of his

particular sort of disdain for Chinatown

and the way as he treats the gardener

all three of these scenes are

quintessential to understanding the plot

and knowing our character yet while

watching them they seem minor and I

think that's one sign of great writing

these very important moments don't draw

attention to themselves it's up to us as

the audience to decide what is important

in what to focus on which all helps add

to the mystery and our lack of

understanding of what is going on the

development of Jake from the beginning

of the film to the end takes a very

interesting term early in the film he is

a perpetual loner he doesn't have any

real relationships and just seems to

exist he finds some purpose out of his

work but at the same time hates the

perception that others have

when he meets Evelyn he starts to open

up he connects with her and cares for

her after learning her complete story he

tries to take on a more protective role

you can see a real change from the first

act until the last one and I'm large

part comes from the excellent

performance from Jack Nicholson I did

write it with Jack and mud so his

temperament his manner and the way he

uses language all of it was part of the

inspiration of the character but then

things change during the very last scene

in the movie any development we've been

seeing of Jake throughout the story is

reverted to his true nature at the very

end after he is exposed to the real

world and the real violence in the dark

nature of life and it changed he thought

had happened disappeared not only does

he lose on a literal level with the

antagonists succeeding and the good

people losing but he also loses on an

emotional level everything that his

character had worked for vanished and

this is in direct response to film noir

of the 1940s and 50s and a lot of these

film Noirs the protagonists may lose and

face repercussions for his action but it

often times learn something and in

theory becomes a better person closer

than that one

[Music]

I love you too that doesn't happen to

Jake the dark world that he always knew

was there bared its ugly head and sent

his life back into chaos however that

isn't the only connection to earlier

film noir everything from the casting of

John Huston who's the director of The

Maltese Falcon amongst other great films

from the era - some of the shots being

heavily inspired by the genre or most

importantly the writing being influenced

by earlier films what's so interesting

about this is that the inspiration only

goes to a certain point after that town

completely flips it on its head for

example with Jake's relationship with

Evelyn if you're familiar with more

traditional film noir it would be safe

to assume that Evelyn is the femme

fatale of the story translated literally

it means deadly woman who is a trope

found in many films in the new are genre

where a woman goes from being the love

interest to the antagonist but classic

female in the noir films is a black

widow

the Faye Dunaway character in a way is a

character who gives you those

expectations as being potentially that

but in fact she's the heroine in the

movie

Evelyn is clearly heavily involved in

the entire scandal and is hiding

something important just seem suspicious

I don't get tough with anyone who's to

Giddy's does we as the audience who are

familiar with film warn its tropes can

make the assumption that she is going to

take the role the femme fatale and

proved to be the antagonist and it's the

same assumption that Jake makes I'm

gonna make it easy for you we're jealous

you had a fight he fell he hit his head

it was an accident

but an assumption that ends up costing

him in the end when it's revealed that

she is a victim hiding from her

traumatic past part of how town is able

to lead us down the road of confusion is

by taking what we already know

than what we think we know and turning

it on its head

there are countless times in which we

could have guessed something and made an

assumption based on pre-existing cinema

and in almost all those cases we would

have been wrong like I said earlier in

many ways Chinatown follows traditional

storytelling mechanics and narrative

beats but in so many more it's unique in

its its own story and I think that is

what makes Chinatown the greatest

screenplay of all time what can I tell

you kid you're right you're right you're

right you're right

hey everyone I hope you enjoyed

Chinatown is one of the best movies ever

made and I'll firmly stand in the camp

saying it's the best written film of all

time I rarely read screenplays but this

one reads like a book it's full of great

twists and turns and really lets you see

everything come together I'd also like

to mention that this video is made

possible because of patreon if you're

interested in supporting the channel

this is the best way to do so there are

a lot of great rewards over there

including early access a bonus audio

commentary and even getting a say in

what videos come next so if you're

interested there's a link on-screen

there's also a link to my last video in

which I looked at Seven Samurai some of

the aspects that make that film so great

so if you're interested in that check it

out thanks for watching