‘Chinatown’: A classic movie made by terrible people
There are few films as truly conflicting as those you enjoy that are made by terrible people. It’s one of those timeless arguments that continuously crop up when looking at the work of Michael Jackson, Kanye West or Pablo Picasso – at what point do you separate the art from the artist? When does their problematic behaviour send them to a moral point of no return? Unfortunately, it feels as though this rarely happens, with many controversial and morally repugnant artists being celebrated and revered despite their actions that have actively harmed other people.
Many choose to opt out of this debate, preferring to enjoy the work without any semblance of thought toward the person who made it or the consequences of uplifting them through the appreciation of their art. However, this is incredibly conflicting when it comes to the work of one director, Roman Polanski.
Chinatown is one of those near-perfect projects that becomes more insidious when you untangle the story layers that disturbingly reflect the abuse inflicted by the director. The film is a murky film noir about a detective called Jake Gittes, who is tasked with investigating an extra-marital affair by Evelyn Mulwray. However, the deeper he delves into the investigation, the more he uncovers about her twisted family and the corrupt system of justice that protects them.
Over the years, the behind-the-scenes stories have nearly become more notorious than the film itself, with tales of Faye Dunaway pissing in a bucket and throwing it at Polanski and screaming matches between the crew. However, the film remains a mysterious masterpiece, redefining the modern film noir and creating a haunting commentary on corruption, abuse and the legacy of trauma. All this being said, it is hard to appreciate in a full and undivided way given the history of the director and his own dealings with the movie’s subject matter.
Much like the titular protagonist of the film, Polanski has evaded capture by the authorities for many years and shown a deep-rooted rot within Hollywood as actors and filmmakers gladly turn a blind eye to his abuse and sexual assault convictions. While the film is presented as a layered and ever-evolving labyrinth that exposes the moral decay at the heart of Los Angeles, Polanski is the living embodiment of all these issues and represents a truly disgusting part of the film industry in which people do not care about his grotesque actions but merely whether or not he has earned the studios some money.
While the film was enjoyable on the first watch, it is the kind of story that I cannot bring myself to see again, as the glaring contradictions are too obvious to ignore, and they completely destroy my enjoyment of it. Unfortunately, there are too many film lovers who will gladly raise him on a pedestal and highlight the ‘genius of his work’.
But in order to make any tangible progress in the film industry, the first act is to condemn those who have done wrong because without this, abuse and harassment will continue to thrive. When we value the creative output of these artists over the lives that their behaviours have ruined, it only heightens the problem and allows it to go unchecked.
