Was there ever a novelization of the movie CHINATOWN?

Cafe Society
1

Seems a natural to me.

It ranks very high on my list of favorite movies, and I’d read a well-written novel based on it.

I just learned of a bit, at the very opening, that got dropped, for example, that I’d start the novel with. “You’re not rich enough to get away with murder,” J.J. Gittes explains to Curly, his angry but poor client in the opening scene, who later plays a small part in the climax of the film. For some reason, this line got dropped, but of course it presages the theme of the movie–the rich get away with murder.

Lots of good material for a novel–has anyone ever tried it?

2

Evidently there is. Robert Towne, who wrote the screenplay, turned it into a novel

3

Chinatown (1974 film) - Wikipedia.

4

The screenplay by itself is also available as a book.

5

Talk about your most horrifying, hopeless endings.

6

Townes’ first draft had an upbeat ending. Polanski changed it. Ten years later Towne said Polanski got it right

7

$488.87 is a little rich for my blood.

8

Try interlibrary loan? I’ve gotten some very interesting, out-of-print stuff that way - stuff which I could probably never have afforded to buy (or that I’d just not want to pay that much for).