Chinatown
Forget it, Jake. It’s Chinatown.
This is the classic Roman Polanski directed Jack Nicholson movie from 1974.
Set in Los Angeles in 1937 the (fairly complicated) plot involves infidelity, murder, possibly corrupt police and city officials all revolving around the citys water supply.
Jack Nicholson plays JJ ‘Jake’ Gittes a seemingly succesful private detective (he has two people on his payroll aswell as a secretary) who is hired by Evelyn Mulwray to follow her husband Hollis who she believes is having an affair.
After photographing Hollis Mulwray (who, importantly, is chief engineer of the LA water supply) in the arms of a young woman, Jake thinks his job is done.
However the photos appear the next day in the newspapers, a big scandal ensues, shortly after which Mr Mulwray is found dead and the “real” Mrs Mulwray (the ever gorgeous Faye Dunaway) appears in Jake’s office demanding some sort of explanation.
Gittes soon finds himself in a complex web of political, social and moral corruption.
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The Graduate
Mrs. Robinson, you’re trying to seduce me.
The classic Mike Nichols movie from 1967 starring Dustin Hoffman as Benjamin Braddock and Anne Bancroft as Mrs Robinson, about a rich, spoilt American graduate coming home from university and having an affair with his dad’s business partners wife.
Perhaps more famous now for the “Mrs Robinson” song by Simon and Garfunkel, and the temptress lady being a role model for cougars everywhere.
Brief synopsis, graduate (Dustin Hoffman) comes home, is miserable and bored, has an affair with a married woman and falls in love with her daughter leading to obvious problems.
It’s a very well photographed movie with iconic shots, such as Mrs Robinson appearing in the doorway of Bens bedroom seen through a fishtank, Ben standing in front of a bedroom door seen through Mrs Robinsons stockinged leg, and Ben banging on the church window at the finale.
It’s almost like you end up playing “iconic shot bingo” while watching it…there’s one, there’s another, bingo!
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