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Los Angeles, 1937: When private detective JJ Gittes (Jack Nicholson) takes on the seemingly straightforward case of investigating a millionaire suspected of infidelity, he soon becomes embroiled in a web of deceit and corruption relating to the water supply in California. Robert Towne's Oscar-winning screenplay was inspired by the state's real-life water wars where city officials were accused of stealing from local farmers. Roman Polanski transforms this archetypal scenario, creating a work of masterful characterisation, styling and storytelling that explores the corrupting qualities of money and power more broadly. Shot in Technicolor, Chinatown evokes a bygone era and its lead performances remain stellar; Faye Dunaway is breathtaking as the mysterious femme fatale, while Nicholson gives a career-defining performance as the detective made patsy for a larger crime.