# "Forget It, Jake; It's Chinatown" **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 17, 2003, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/forget-it-jake-its-chinatown/208003 "2003-10-17T14:01:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Adamcomic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/977dab/32.png) [@Adamcomic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Adamcomic)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2003, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/forget-it-jake-its-chinatown/208003/41 "2003-10-20T14:11:10Z")
Not on his merits as an artist, just on the sad state of Hollywood that so many people kiss his ass and would love to work with him. I agreed that the movie is great, and so have been some of his other works, notably Rosemary’s Baby. Doesn’t mean I have to respect the individual that created good works. And I don’t. ---
**Author:** ![plnnr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@plnnr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/plnnr)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2003, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/forget-it-jake-its-chinatown/208003/42 "2003-10-20T14:14:01Z")
“CAn we venture as far as to say that it is superior to “The Big Sleep,” kittykat?” Just thinking about The Big Sleep gives me a headache - I’ve tried reading the novella and then watching the movie immediately after and I STILL get confused. As to “Chinatown,” I particularly like how Cross keeps mis-prouncning Gittes name - just turning the knife the slightest little bit. I always get the impression from that the it was really John Huston swisting the knife in Jack Nicholson a little bit, too. ---
**Author:** ![Ilsa\_Lund](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/a6a055/32.png) [@Ilsa\_Lund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ilsa_Lund)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2003, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/forget-it-jake-its-chinatown/208003/43 "2003-10-20T14:55:51Z")
> [@](#): > > Not on his merits as an artist, just on the sad state of Hollywood that so many people kiss his ass and would love to work with him. I agreed that the movie is great, and so have been some of his other works, notably Rosemary’s Baby. Doesn’t mean I have to respect the individual that created good works. And I don’t. That’s fine. What does the fact that people would love to work with one of the greatest filmmakers of the twentieth century have to do with he fact that he raped a thirteenyearold? That is my point. ---
**Author:** ![Cliffy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/59ef9b/32.png) [@Cliffy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cliffy)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2003, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/forget-it-jake-its-chinatown/208003/44 "2003-10-20T15:49:46Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by plnnr \* > **Just thinking about The Big Sleep gives me a headache - I’ve tried reading the novella and then watching the movie immediately after and I STILL get confused.** You may know this already (I’ve seen it discussed before on the SDMB), but Chandler couldn’t even remember the plot to The Big Sleep. –Cliffy ---
**Author:** ![Ilsa\_Lund](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/a6a055/32.png) [@Ilsa\_Lund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ilsa_Lund)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2003, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/forget-it-jake-its-chinatown/208003/45 "2003-10-20T17:57:56Z")
Sure it wasn’t just for publicity? ---
**Author:** ![Cliffy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/59ef9b/32.png) [@Cliffy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cliffy)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2003, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/forget-it-jake-its-chinatown/208003/46 "2003-10-20T19:40:49Z")
Assuming that question is directed at me, I don’t think it was for publicity as the question supposedly shut down production for two days until Huston realized he didn’t care. –Cliffy ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2003, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/forget-it-jake-its-chinatown/208003/47 "2003-10-20T20:53:52Z")
I don’t condemn him for his actions: I condemn him for the _Ninth Gate_: on that basis alone, I don’t wish to see Chinatown or his others. ---
**Author:** ![Ilsa\_Lund](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/a6a055/32.png) [@Ilsa\_Lund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ilsa_Lund)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2003, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/forget-it-jake-its-chinatown/208003/48 "2003-10-20T21:37:56Z")
> [@](#): > > Assuming that question is directed at me, I don’t think it was for publicity as the question supposedly shut down production for two days until Huston realized he didn’t care. > > –Cliffy Howard Hawks? > [@](#): > > I don’t condemn him for his actions: I condemn him for the Ninth Gate: on that basis alone, I don’t wish to see Chinatown or his others. Bullshit. ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2003, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/forget-it-jake-its-chinatown/208003/49 "2003-10-20T22:36:02Z")
Ilsa, I think Cliffy is suggesting that Chinatown was shut down until John Huston decided to work with Polansky. If so, I’ve never heard that story and would appreciate a cite. Ludovic, this–_“I don’t condemn him for his actions: I condemn him for the Ninth Gate: on that basis alone, I don’t wish to see Chinatown or his others.”_–simply makes it clear to everyone that you have no place in this discussion. Please return to the kiddie section. ---
**Author:** ![Adamcomic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/977dab/32.png) [@Adamcomic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Adamcomic)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2003, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/forget-it-jake-its-chinatown/208003/50 "2003-10-20T22:50:02Z")
> [@](#): > > What does the fact that people would love to work with one of the greatest filmmakers of the twentieth century have to do with the fact that he raped a thirteenyearold? That is my point I personally wouldn’t work with a child raper. I find it distasteful that so many of the Hollywood elite treat him like they do. Knowing his crime, and the fact that he fled prosecution to France, should make him a pariah, not fit for human interaction. ---
**Author:** ![Ilsa\_Lund](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/a6a055/32.png) [@Ilsa\_Lund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ilsa_Lund)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2003, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/forget-it-jake-its-chinatown/208003/51 "2003-10-20T22:59:04Z")
> [@](#): > > Ilsa, I think Cliffy is suggesting that Chinatown was shut down until John Huston decided to work with Polansky. If so, I’ve never heard that story and would appreciate a cite. Seeing as how his only post in this thread was about The Big Sleep, I think he was just confusing Howie with Johnnie. > [@](#): > > I personally wouldn’t work with a child raper. I find it distasteful that so many of the Hollywood elite treat him like they do. Knowing his crime, and the fact that he fled prosecution to France, should make him a pariah, not fit for human interaction. Bullshit. (A) Statutory Rape is different from forced rape, and the victim has made it clear she was not forcibly raped, and (B) The victim has expressed her wish that the charges be dropped and Polanski allowed to return to America. ---
**Author:** ![Walloon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/fbc32d/32.png) [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2003, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/forget-it-jake-its-chinatown/208003/52 "2003-10-20T23:33:54Z")
[Samantha Geimer](http://abcnews.go.com/sections/GMA/GoodMorningAmerica/GMA030130Geimer_Polanski.html) hopes that Polanski will be pardoned and allowed to return to work in the U.S. ---
**Author:** ![Adamcomic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/977dab/32.png) [@Adamcomic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Adamcomic)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2003, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/forget-it-jake-its-chinatown/208003/53 "2003-10-20T23:43:42Z")
The victim was 13 and drugged. What part of this is okay with ANYONE? And if you read the article in the above link, you will see that she wants him to return “so the whole ordeal can be put to rest.” She is going to be happier when the case is no longer open and she is able to put it all behind her. Not at all hard to understand. ---
**Author:** ![ECJones29](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c77e96/32.png) [@ECJones29](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ECJones29)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2003, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/forget-it-jake-its-chinatown/208003/54 "2003-10-20T23:46:35Z")
My favorite movie. I have seen it at least 50 times, and it’s on behind me right now. Towne based the story on true events and people, including the St. Francis dam collapse in 1928 that killed 500; Mulwray is, of course, a play on Mulholland. A film noir ironically set in a drought and filmed almost entirely in broad daylight. Gittes is not particularly bright (witness telling the tasteless “chinaman” joke in front of Faye Dunaway) but he also isn’t particularly corrupt. (Polanski’s got the knife on him now.) The real villain is of course Noah Cross, but a very close second is Claude Mulvehill. Notice how many times he shows up in the movie; always when something bad is about to go down, and Gittes doesn’t realize how bad he is until far too late. Another great overlooked scene is at the morgue. The beefy, puffy, red-faced coroner responds to Gittes’ “How ya doin’, Morty?,” with a phlegmatic, death rattle of a cough out of which comes, “Never better!” Later he says, “the water commisioner drowns in the middle of a drought. Only in LA!” Simply the best. IMHO ---
**Author:** ![Ilsa\_Lund](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/a6a055/32.png) [@Ilsa\_Lund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ilsa_Lund)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2003, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/forget-it-jake-its-chinatown/208003/55 "2003-10-20T23:58:47Z")
> [@](#): > > The victim was 13 and drugged. What part of this is okay with ANYONE? And if you read the article in the above link, you will see that she wants him to return “so the whole ordeal can be put to rest.” She is going to be happier when the case is no longer open and she is able to put it all behind her. Not at all hard to understand. None of it. The point is that it is COMPLETELY IRRELEVEANT TO ANY OF THIS DISCUSSION OR POLANSKI"S MERITS AS A FILMMAKER! Any Questions? ---
**Author:** ![Adamcomic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/977dab/32.png) [@Adamcomic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Adamcomic)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2003, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/forget-it-jake-its-chinatown/208003/56 "2003-10-21T00:01:00Z")
Do you collect the paintings of John Wayne Gacy too? ---
**Author:** ![Ilsa\_Lund](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/a6a055/32.png) [@Ilsa\_Lund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ilsa_Lund)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2003, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/forget-it-jake-its-chinatown/208003/57 "2003-10-21T00:05:55Z")
That is seriously inappropriate in this forum, and borders on trolling. The incident was seriously unfortunate for both parties involved, and had a lingering negative effect on both of their lives. This is so irrelevant to discussions Polanski’s genius as a filmmaker, and the genius of his films, it is not funny. ---
**Author:** ![look\_ninjas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/b2d939/32.png) [@look\_ninjas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/look_ninjas)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2003, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/forget-it-jake-its-chinatown/208003/58 "2003-10-21T00:35:58Z")
**Adamcomic** - I can appreciate that you have strong feelings about Roman Polanski. However, this is not an appropriate place to discuss those feelings. If you need a vent, take it to the Pit. Don’t do it here. It’s not cool, and the mods will definitely frown upon you. ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2003, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/forget-it-jake-its-chinatown/208003/59 "2003-10-21T03:42:53Z")
Just yesterday, as I was cleaning out the gutters, I wondered if I remembered the line right. “Bankers, ugly buildings, and whores all become respectable if they last long enough.” ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2003, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/forget-it-jake-its-chinatown/208003/60 "2003-10-21T03:50:06Z")
Just yesterday, as I was cleaning out the gutters, I wondered if I remembered the line right. “Bankers, ugly buildings, and whores all become respectable if they last long enough.” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/forget-it-jake-its-chinatown/208003.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/forget-it-jake-its-chinatown/208003.md?page=4)