Chinatown
A private detective hired to expose an adulterer in 1930s Los Angeles finds himself caught up in a web of deceit, corruption, and murder.
Directed by Roman Polanski · Drama · Mystery · Thriller · 130 min · 1974
Trailer
Director
Roman Polanski
Writer
Robert Towne, Roman Polanski{{efn, Uncredited
Studio
Long Road Productions / Robert Evans Company
Release
20 Jun 1974
Runtime
130 min
Genres
Drama, Mystery, Thriller
Full Plot
In 1937 Los Angeles, private investigator Jake 'J.J.' Gittes specializes in cheating-spouse cases. His current target is Hollis Mulwray, high-profile chief engineer for the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, whose wife suspects him of infidelity. In following Mulwray, Gittes witnesses some usual business dealings, such as a public meeting for construction of a new dam to create additional water supply for Los Angeles, as fresh water is vital to the growing community during the chronic drought; Mulwray opposes the dam. Eventually Gittes sees Mulwray meeting with an unknown young woman who isn't his wife. Once news of the supposed tryst between Mulwray and this woman hits the media, additional information comes to light that makes Gittes believe that Mulwray is being framed for something and that he himself is being set up. In his investigation of the issue behind Mulwray's framing and his own setup, Gittes is assisted by Mulwray's wife Evelyn, but he thinks she isn't being forthright with him. The further he gets into the investigation, the more secrets he uncovers about the Mulwrays' professional and personal dealings, including Mulwray's former business-partnership with Evelyn's father, Noah Cross. The identity of the unknown woman may be the key to uncovering the whole story.
Cast & Characters
J. J. "Jake" Gittes
Jack Nicholson
Evelyn Cross-Mulwray
Faye Dunaway
Noah Cross
John Huston
Lou Escobar
Perry Lopez
Russ Yelburton
John Hillerman
Curly
Burt Young
Hollis I. Mulwray
Darrell Zwerling
Ida Sessions
Diane Ladd
Claude Mulvihill
Roy Jenson
Man with knife
Roman Polanski
Loach
Dick Bakalyan
Did You Know?
Made on an estimated budget of $6.0M, Chinatown has grossed $30.0M worldwide — about 5.0x its budget.
Source: TMDb API · verified 2026-08-02
Chinatown is part of TMDb's "The Jake Gittes Collection."
Source: TMDb API · verified 2026-08-02
Jack Nicholson appears in 4 films in our catalog, including The Shining, The Departed.
Source: theIReview.com catalog · verified 2026-08-02
The film's director, Roman Polanski, initially wanted to make a trilogy about private greed vs public good.
Source: Wikipedia · verified 2026-08-13
Francis Dam disaster occurred in 1928, resulting in hundreds of deaths and effectively ending Mulholland's career.
Source: Wikipedia · verified 2026-08-13
Robert Towne was inspired by Carey McWilliams' book "Southern California Country: An Island on the Land" to write his original screenplay.
Source: Wikipedia · verified 2026-08-13
Critical Assessment
Chinatown holds 8.1/10 on IMDb (374,788 votes), 98% on Rotten Tomatoes, 92/100 on Metacritic.
Not enough independent critic/audience score breakdown available.
Ratings as of July 30, 2026
Where to Watch
United States
United Kingdom
India
Streaming data from JustWatch via TMDb. Availability changes often — confirm on the provider before watching.
AI Verdict
AI-generatedBased on aggregated scores (8.1/10 on IMDb (374,788 votes), 98% on Rotten Tomatoes, 92/100 on Metacritic), this is a data-driven snapshot rather than an editorial take.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Chinatown's Rotten Tomatoes score?+
Chinatown holds a 98% critics' score on Rotten Tomatoes.
What is Chinatown's IMDb rating?+
Chinatown has a 8.1/10 rating on IMDb from 374,788 votes.
What is Chinatown's Metacritic score?+
Chinatown has a Metascore of 92/100 on Metacritic.
Is Chinatown good? What are critics saying?+
Chinatown holds 8.1/10 on IMDb (374,788 votes), 98% on Rotten Tomatoes, 92/100 on Metacritic.
How long is Chinatown?+
Chinatown has a runtime of 130 min.
Who directed Chinatown?+
Chinatown was directed by Roman Polanski.
Where can I watch Chinatown?+
Chinatown is available to stream, rent, or buy on fuboTV, MGM+ Amazon Channel, Philo, MGM Plus Roku Premium Channel, MGM Plus, JustWatch TV, Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Paramount Plus, Paramount+ Amazon Channel, Paramount Plus Premium, Paramount Plus Basic with Ads, Rakuten TV, Sky Store.
Fan & Critic Buzz
Reviewers praise Roman Polanski's direction and Jerry Goldsmith's score, but are mixed on the film's themes and tone, with some finding it too dark and others enjoying its unique style.
Viewer Reviews (TMDb)
He nose you know! Chinatown is directed by Roman Polanski and written by Robert Towne. It stars Jack Nicholson, Faye Dunaway, John Huston, Perry Lopez and John Hillerman. Music is by Jerry Goldsmith and cinematography by John A. Alonzo. Private investigator J.J. Gittes (Nicholson…
John Chard · 9.5/10**Great.** I can't say much about Roman Polanski because I feel I've seen too little of his work to make a more global analysis: I have only seen _The Ninth Gate_, _The Pianist_ and, now, this film. It's not much… but the truth is that they are three films that I really liked, an…
Filipe Manuel Neto · 10/10I think this might be my favourite role from Faye Dunaway. She is "Evelyn", a woman who suspects that her husband "Hollis" (Darrell Zwerling) is playing away from home. She engages the services of the cynical PI "Gittes" (Jack Nicholson) and pretty soon people are dead and he is…
CinemaSerf · 7/10
From the trailer's comments
Being on Netflix now, I’ve finally seen this movie for the first time. Absolutely brilliant. Possibly the best Jack Nicholson performance I’ve seen.
@patrickc3419 · 90 likes1937...this is the year Jack Nicholson was born on
@greendragon-sh9po · 55 likesIt's weird to think that making this movie set in 1937 then would be the equivalent of making a movie set in 1984 this year.
@SamQuincey · 595 likesthe world: exists everyone: *M R G I D D E S*
@knurdyob · 30 likesOne of Matt Reeves inspiration for The Batman, ironically it has the Joker in it haha.
@andremotivation6561 · 248 likesChinatown and L.A. Confidential: Two of the best film noirs ever made about Los Angeles or any town for that matter.
@LS-ki9ft · 93 likesA timeless classic. Featuring Nicholson at his absolute peak.
@mikefitzgerald6831 · 17 likesIf there's ever a film where I love every second, it's this one.
@ryancrawford3413 · 107 likes
