The Origins of Chinatown
To tell the story of Chinatown, it only makes sense to start at the beginning. It was in 1970 that the film’s screenwriter, Robert Towne, said to his girlfriend at the time: “I want to write a movie for Jack.” He was speaking about Jack Nicholson, who had just burst into the spotlight with a role in 1969’s Easy Rider.
(L-R) Jack Nicholson, director Roman Polanski, Faye Dunaway, and unknown crew member await filming during the production of ‘Chinatown’ in Los Angeles on November 24, 1973. Photo By Fairchild Archive/Penske Media/Shutterstock
Towne wanted the film to be a detective movie and had already imagined Jane Fonda in the role of the plucky damsel in need of help, and he wanted it set in pre-war Los Angeles. Later on, when speaking with Jack Nicholson about the idea, the actor asked, “So what’s it about?” and the screenwriter responded, “I don’t know,” before adding another important word: “Water.”