Kevin Burton Smith (kvnsmith@colba.net)
Wed, 22 Dec 1999 07:58:08 -0400
Hey, Martha!
Yeah, what Terrill said! Especially the bit about Ross
Macdonald.
No, it isn't perfect, and I agree that Nicholson, as a
director, played it too safe (though his acting was far
better than almost anything he's done since). Still, he did
okay, considering it was a job he never asked for. It's a
slow-moving, thoughtful film, but it all falls into place in
a very satisfying way.
Maybe you just thought you knew what was going on, but you
didn't.
Speaking of which, I was probably the only one on the planet
who didn't get Kitty's secret until she revealed it. But
after seeing it again (right after re-viewing Chinatown),
I've seen how slyly (but fairly) Towne plotted all the clues
all through the film. Ludicrous and unbelievable? I thought
it was kinda bittersweet and moving, and yes, sometimes murky
and confusing, the way love and memory and the past always
are. That whole barely comprehensible tape bit is
classic--Jake seems to be the only one who can hear it
clearly, and even he's not sure. We all build our own
pasts.
And Max Allan Collins, in his januarymagazine.com interview
(well worth reading, by the way), sheds a bit more light on
the making of the film:
"Having read the screenplay, I only wish Nicholson had cut
the film differently -- he omitted some of the more overt
detective elements, particularly in the courtroom scene
conclusion, which would have helped the picture connect with
a wider audience. It's a lovely sad story on its own terms
and Harvey Keitel is incredible, getting every nuance out of
a well-written role, courtesy of Robert Towne..."
Kevin Burton Smith The Thrilling Detective Web Site http://www.colba.net/~kvnsmith/thrillingdetective/
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