# "It Never Goes Away" or I Like "The Two Jakes" **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 17, 2004, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-never-goes-away-or-i-like-the-two-jakes/269595 "2004-10-17T00:14:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Sir\_Rhosis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d9b06d/32.png) [@Sir\_Rhosis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_Rhosis)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2004, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-never-goes-away-or-i-like-the-two-jakes/269595/1 "2004-10-17T00:14:06Z")
It ain’t no **Chinatown** , certainly, but Robert Towne delivers more than a few memorable turns of phrase, Nicholson is just perfect as the older, fatter, wearier Jake Gittes, the photography and designs are gorgeous, evoking the late-40s, Joe Mantell is damn fine–I really like this film, but have heard that most think it an unworthy succesor to **Chinatown**. So, I’ve heard rumors that Towne has written a third Jake Gittes screenplay. Anybody know the who, what, when, where, and why? It would have to be set in at least the early-60s, I would imagine. Sir Rhosis ---
**Author:** ![Sir\_Rhosis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d9b06d/32.png) [@Sir\_Rhosis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_Rhosis)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2004, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-never-goes-away-or-i-like-the-two-jakes/269595/2 "2004-12-30T03:10:36Z")
Under the new forum rules, I’m gonna bump this just once. I think I posted this on a weekend and it got swept away. I figure during the middle of the week there will be at least one person who will tell me I’m full of shit. 😃 I really do think “The Two Jakes” is somewat better than its reputation, and wish they had done the final Jake Gittes film that Towne envisioned. Since my initial post, I have learned that he would have set it in the 50s, and that it would have dealt with the pollution problems created by the building of all the freeways in L. A. It’s almost too late now to make it. Sir Rhosis ---
**Author:** ![Cliffy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/59ef9b/32.png) [@Cliffy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cliffy)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2004, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-never-goes-away-or-i-like-the-two-jakes/269595/3 "2004-12-30T15:12:40Z")
I also liked The Two Jakes. The first time I saww it I didn’t get it because it’d been a while since I’d seen Chinatown and the details weren’t fresh in my mind. The latter movie is very dependent on a knowledge of the first one. But a year or two ago I watched them both in succession and quite enjoyed TTJ. –Cliffy ---
**Author:** ![NoCoolUserName](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5fc32e/32.png) [@NoCoolUserName](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NoCoolUserName)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2004, 5:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-never-goes-away-or-i-like-the-two-jakes/269595/4 "2004-12-31T05:30:37Z")
Didn’t care for it, personally. Nicholson ain’t the director that he is actor–one of the things I watch is bit parts; if they’re good that’s good directing. In Two Jakes, the bit parts suck. On the other hand, what’s with the shoes? ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2004, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-never-goes-away-or-i-like-the-two-jakes/269595/5 "2004-12-31T14:22:43Z")
I thought it was just awful. I respect Nicholson as an actor, but his directing sucks. The damn thing was a muddled mess.