CHINATOWN

Roman Polanski's Chinatown is so true to the film noir roots that it draws its inspiration from, that - were it not for the colour, some of the language, and Polanski's claustrophobic and downbeat direction - you would be forgiven for thinking it did indeed date from the days of The Maltese Falcon and the rest. By recreating the genre in superb dark-tinged style and with such attention to detail, Chinatown manages to equal the classics it emulates.

Set in an embryonic Los Angeles in the early 30s, Chinatown tells the complex and twisted tale of Jake Gittes (an absolutely top-notch Jack Nicholson), a private eye specialising in matrimonial cases and his investigation into an at first simple-seeming case of adultery. Soon, he is in the midst of a city-wide conspiracy involving murder, blackmail, fraud and several other even less savoury details. Suffice to say, the plot is classic gumshoe noir, and superbly crafted in the way it unravels.

In addition to the satisfying plot, all the other aspects of Chinatown are spot-on. Characters are all as to be expected, including Faye Dunnaway as a graceful yet somehow eerie femme fatale, and Polanski himself as one of the cold and mysterious villains. The hard-nosed police lieutenant, the rival PI - they're all there. And all played with conviction, style and panache. Nicholson excels as Gittes, pitching the perfect balance of cynicism and honour into his role, and is utterly convincing. Dunnaway is also impressive, concealing her secrets behind heavy-lidded eyes and tight-lipped expressions. The rest of the cast (most notably John Huston as the thundering old land owner) are also impressive, although Chinatown is definitely Nicholson's movie.

Polanksi's direction is another aspect of the film that dominates, giving it a faded, doomed feel. Several masterful touches - such as reinforcing the realism of the piece by making his leading man sport an obtrusive bandage on his nose for half the film - place his unmistakable signature on the film, but never detract from the tale. Colours used are all desert-bleached and washed out and locations are all darkly stylish, particularly the city scenes; as if the place itself knows the crimes committed in its name and has resigned itself to its punishment. He also brings his inimtable style to the denouement of the piece, placing an emphatic and unavoidable full-stop on the narrative with a crashing impact. As such, the director elevates the film from an accomplished noir-inspired tale, to a modern classic and a landmark of 1970s cinema.

A marvellous sum of equally-impressive parts. 10/10