CHINATOWN

by
Robert Towne
FULL SCREEN PHOTOGRAPH
Grainy but unmistakably a man and woman making love. Photograph
shakes. SOUND of a man MOANING in anguish. The photograph is
dropped, REVEALING ANOTHER, MORE compromising one. Then another, and
another. More moans.
CURLY'S VOICE
(crying out)
Oh, no.
INT. GITTES' OFFICE
CURLY drops the photos on Gittes' desk. Curly towers over GITTES and
sweats heavily through his workman's clothes, his breathing
progressively more labored. A drop plunks on Gittes' shiny desk top.
Gittes notes it. A fan whiffs overhead. Gittes glances up at it. He
looks cool and brisk in a white linen suit despite the heat. Never
taking his eyes off Curly, he lights a cigarette using a lighter
with a "nail" on his desk.
Curly, with another anguished sob, turns and rams his fist into the
wall, kicking the wastebasket as he does. He starts to sob again,
slides along the wall where his fist has left a noticeable dent and
its impact has sent the signed photos of several movie stars askew.
Curly slides on into the blinds and sinks to his knees. He is
weeping heavily now, and is in such pain that he actually bites into
the blinds.
Gittes doesn't move from his chair.
GITTES
All right, enough is enough. You can't eat
the Venetian blinds, Curly. I just had 'em
installed on Wednesday.
Curly responds slowly, rising to his feet, crying. Gittes reaches
into his desk and pulls out a shot glass, quickly selects a cheaper
bottle of bourbon from several fifths of more expensive whiskeys.
Gittes pours a large shot. He shoves the glass across his desk
toward Curly.
GITTES
Down the hatch.
Curly stares dumbly at it. Then picks it up, and drains it. He sinks
back into the chair opposite Gittes, begins to cry quietly.
CURLY
(drinking, relaxing a
little)
She's just no good.
GITTES
What can I tell you, Kid? You're right. When
you're right, you're right, and you're right.
CURLY
Ain't worth thinking about.
Gittes leaves the bottle with Curly.
GITTES
You're absolutely right, I wouldn't give her
another thought.
CURLY
(pouring himself)
You know, you're okay, Mr. Gittes. I know
it's your job, but you're okay.
GITTES
(settling back, breathing
a little easier)
Thanks, Curly. Call me Jake.
CURLY
Thanks. You know something, Jake?
GITTES
What's that, Curly?
CURLY
I think I'll kill her.
INT. DUFFY & WALSH'S OFFICE
Noticeably less plush than Gitte's. A well-groomed, dark-haired
WOMAN sits nervously between their two desks, fiddling with the veil
on her pillbox hat.
WOMAN
I was hoping Mr. Gittes could see to this
personally.
WALSH
(almost the manner of
someone comforting the
bereaved)
If you'll allow us to complete our
preliminary questioning, by then he'll be
free.
There is the SOUND of ANOTHER MOAN coming from Gittes' Office.
Something made of glass shatters. The Woman grows more edgy.
INT. GITTES' OFFICE GITTES & CURLY
Gittes and Curly stand in front of the desk, Gittes staring
contemptuously at the heavy breathing hulk towering over him. Gittes
takes a handkerchief and wipes away the plunk of perspiration on his
desk.
CURLY
(crying)
They don't kill a guy for that.
GITTES
Oh they don't?
CURLY
Not for your wife. That's the unwritten law.
Gittes pounds the photos on the desk, shouting;
GITTES
I'll tell you the unwritten law, you dumb son
of a bitch, you gotta be rich to kill
somebody, anybody and get away with it. You
think you got that kind of dough, you think
you got that kind of class?
Curly shrinks back a little.
CURLY
... No...
GITTES
You bet your ass you don't. You can't even
pay me off.
This seems to upset Curly even more.
CURLY
I'll pay the rest next trip. We only caught
sixty ton of skipjack around San Benedict. We
hit a chubasco, they don't pay you for
skipjack the way they do for tuna or
albacore.
GITTES
(easing him out of his
office)
Forget it. I only mention it to illustrate a
point...
INT. OFFICE RECEPTION
He's now walking him past SOPHIE who pointedly averts her gaze. He
opens the door where on the pebbled glass can be read: "J. J. GITTES
and Associates. DISCREET INVESTIGATION"
GITTES
I don't want your last dime.
He throws an arm around Curly and flashes a dazzling smile.
GITTES
(continuing)
What kind of guy do you think I am?
CURLY
Thanks, Mr. Gittes.
GITTES
Call me Jake. Careful driving home, Curly.
He shuts the door on him and the smile disappears.
He shakes his head, starting to swear under his breath.
SOPHIE
A Mrs. Mulwray is waiting for you, with Mr.
Walsh and Mr. Duffy.
Gittes nods, walks on in.
INT. DUFFY AND WALSH'S OFFICE
Walsh rises when Gittes enters.
WALSH
Mrs. Mulwray, may I present Mr. Gittes?
Gittes walks over to her and again flashes a warm, sympathetic
smile.
GITTES
How do you do, Mrs. Mulwray?
MRS. MULWRAY
Mr. Gittes...
GITTES
Now, Mrs. Mulwray, what seems to be the
problem?
She holds her breath. The revelation isn't easy for her.
MRS. MULWRAY
My husband, I believe, is seeing another
woman.
Gittes looks mildly shocked. He turns for confirmation to his two
partners.
GITTES
(gravely)
No, really?
MRS. MULWRAY
I'm afraid so.
GITTES
I am sorry.
Gittes pulls up a chair sitting next to Mrs. Mulwray between Duffy
and Walsh. Duffy cracks his gum.
Gittes gives him an irritated glance. Duffy stops chewing.
MRS. MULWRAY
Can't we talk about this alone, Mr. Gittes?
GITTES
I'm afraid not, Mrs. Mulwray. These men are
my operatives and at some point they're going
to assist me. I can't do everything myself.
MRS. MULWRAY
Of course not.
GITTES
Now, what makes you certain he is involved
with someone?
Mrs. Mulwray hesitates. She seems uncommonly nervous at the
question.
MRS. MULWRAY
A wife can tell.
Gittes sighs.
GITTES
Mrs. Mulwray, do you love your husband?
MRS. MULWRAY
(shocked)
... Yes of course.
GITTES
(deliberately)
Then go home and forget about it.
MRS. MULWRAY
But...
GITTES
(staring intently at her)
I'm sure he loves you, too. You know the
expression, let sleeping dogs lie? You're
better off not knowing.
MRS. MULWRAY
(with some real anxiety)
But I have to know.
Her intensity is genuine. Gittes looks to his two partners.
GITTES
All right, what's your husband's first name?
MRS. MULWRAY
Hollis. Hollis Mulwray.
GITTES
(visibly surprised)
Water and Power?
Mrs. Mulwray nods, almost shyly. Gittes is now casually but
carefully checking out the detailing of Mrs. Mulwray's dress her
handbag, shoes, etc.
MRS. MULWRAY
He's the Chief Engineer.
DUFFY
(a little eagerly)
Chief Engineer?
Gittes' glance tells Duffy Gittes wants to do the questioning. Mrs.
Mulwray nods.
GITTES
(confidentially)
This type of investigation can be hard on
your pocketbook, Mrs. Mulwray. It takes time.
MRS. MULWRAY
Money doesn't matter to me, Mr. Gittes.
Gittes sighs.
GITTES
Very well. We'll see what we can do.
EXT. CITY HALL MORNING
Already shimmering with heat.
A drunk blows his nose with his fingers into the fountain at the
foot of the steps.
Gittes, impeccably dressed, passes the drunk on the way up the
stairs.
INT. COUNCIL CHAMBERS
Former Mayor SAM BAGBY is speaking. Behind him is a huge map, with
overleafs and bold lettering:
"PROPOSED ALTO VALLEJO DAM AND RESERVOIR"
Some of the councilmen are reading funny papers and gossip columns
while Bagby is speaking.
BAGBY
Gentlemen, today you can walk out that door,
turn right, hop on a streetcar and in twenty-
five minutes end up smack in the Pacific
Ocean. Now you can swim in it, you can fish
in it, you can sail in it but you can't drink
it, you can't water your lawns with it, you
can't irrigate an orange grove with it.
Remember we live next door to the ocean but
we also live on the edge of the desert. Los
Angeles is a desert community. Beneath this
building, beneath every street there's a
desert. Without water the dust will rise up
and cover us as though we'd never existed!
(pausing, letting the
implication sink in)
CLOSE GITTES
sitting next to some grubby farmers, bored. He yawns, edges away
from one of the dirtier farmers.
BAGBY (O.S.)
(continuing)
The Alto Vallejo can save us from that, and I
respectfully suggest that eight and a half
million dollars is a fair price to pay to
keep the desert from our streets and not on
top of them.
AUDIENCE COUNCIL CHAMBERS
An amalgam of farmers, businessmen, and city employees have been
listening with keen interest. A couple of the farmers applaud.
Somebody shooshes them.
COUNCIL COMMITTEE
In a whispered conference.
COUNCILMAN
(acknowledging Bagby)
Mayor Bagby... let's hear from the
departments again. I suppose we better take
Water and Power first. Mr. Mulwray.
REACTION GITTES
Looking up with interest from his racing form.
MULWRAY
Walks to the huge map with overleafs. He is a slender man in his
sixties, who wears glasses and moves with surprising fluidity. He
turns to a smaller, younger man, and nods. The man turns the
overleaf on the map.
MULWRAY
In case you've forgotten, gentlemen, over
five hundred lives were lost when the Van der
Lip Dam gave way core samples have shown that
beneath this bedrock is shale similar to the
permeable shale in the Van der Lip disaster.
It couldn't withstand that kind of pressure
there.
(referring to a new
overleaf)
Now you propose yet another dirt banked
terminus dam with slopes of two and one half
to one, one hundred twelve feet high and a
(more)
MULWRAY (Cont'd)
twelve thousand acre water surface. Well, it
won't hold. I won't build it. It's that
simple. I am not making that kind of mistake
twice. Thank you, gentlemen.
Mulwray leaves the overleaf board and sits down. Suddenly there are
some whoops and hollers from the rear of the chambers and a red-
faced FARMER drives in several scrawny, bleating sheep. Naturally,
they cause a commotion.
COUNCIL PRESIDENT
(shouting to farmer)
What in the hell do you think you're doing?
(as the sheep bleat down
the aisles toward the
Council)
Get those goddam things out of here!
FARMER
(right back)
Tell me where to take them! You don't have an
answer for that so quick, do you?
Bailiffs and sergeants-at-arms respond to the imprecations of the
Council and attempt to capture the sheep and the farmers, having to
restrain one who looks like he's going to bodily attack Mulwray.
FARMER
(through above, to
Mulwray)
You steal the water from the valley, ruin the
grazing, starve my livestock who's paying you
to do that, .Mr. Mulwray, that's what I want
to know!
L.A. RIVERBED LONG SHOT
It's virtually empty. Sun blazes off it's ugly concrete banks. Where
the banks are earthen, they are parched and choked with weeds.
After a moment, Mulwray's car pulls INTO VIEW on a flood control
road about fifteen feet above the riverbed. Mulwray gets out of the
car. Me looks around.
WITH GITTES
Holding a pair of binoculars, downstream and just above the flood
control road using some dried mustard weeds for cover. He watches
while Mulwray makes his way down to the center of the riverbed.
There Mulwray stops, tuns slowly, appears to be looking at the
bottom of the riverbed, or at nothing at all.
GITTES
Trains the binoculars on him. Sun glints off Mulwray's glasses.
BELOW GITTES
There's the SOUND of something like champagne corks popping. Then a
small Mexican boy atop a swayback horse rides it into the riverbed,
and into Gitte's view.
MULWRAY
Himself stops, stands still when he hears the sound. Power lines and
the sun are overhead, the trickle of brackish water at his feet.
He moves swiftly downstream in the direction of the sound, toward
Gittes.
GITTES
Moves a little further back as Mulwray rounds the bend in the river
and comes face to face with the Mexican boy on the muddy banks.
Mulwray says something to the boy.
The boy doesn't answer at first. Mulwray points to the ground. The
boy gestures. Mulwray frowns. He kneels down in the mud and stares
at it. He seems to be concentrating on it.
After a moment, he rises, thanks the boy and heads swiftly back
upstream scrambling up the bank to his car.
There he reaches through the window and pulls out a roll of
blueprints or something like them. He spreads them on the hood of
his car and begins to scribble some notes, looking downstream from
time to time.
The power lines overhead HUM.
He stops, listens to them then rolls up the plans and gets back in
the car. He drives off.
GITTES
Hurries to get back to his car. He gets in and gets right back out.
The steamy leather burns him. He takes a towel from the back seat
and carefully places it on the front one. He gets in and takes off.
POINT FERMIN PARK DUSK
Street lights go on.
MULWRAY
Pulls up, parks. Hurries out of the car, across the park lawn and
into the shade of some trees and buildings.
GITTES
Pulls up, moves across the park at a different angle, but in the
direction Mulwray had gone. He makes it through the trees in time to
see Mulwray scramble adroitly down the side of the cliff to the
beach below. Be seems in a hurry. Gittes moves after him, having a
little more difficulty negotiating the climb than Mulwray did.
DOWN ON THE BEACH
Gittes looks to his right where the bay is a long, clear crescent.
He looks to his left. There's a promontory of sorts. It's apparent
Mulwray has gone that way. Gittes hesitates, then moves in that
direction but climbs along the promontory in order to be above
Mulwray.
AT THE OUTFALL
Gittes spots Mulwray just below him, kicking at the sand.
Mulwray picks up a starfish. Brushes the sand off it. Looks absently
up toward Gittes.
GITTES
Backs away, sits near the outfall, yawns.
BEACON LIGHT AT POINT FERMIN
Flashing in the dust.
CLOSE GITTES
Sitting, suddenly starts. He swears softly. He's in a puddle of
water and the seat of his trousers is wet.
MULWRAY
Below him in watching the water trickling down from the outfall near
Gittes.
Mulwray stands and stares at the water, apparently fascinated. Even
as Gittes watches Mulwray watching, the volume and velocity seem to
increase until it gushes in spurts, cascading into the sea, whipping
it into a foam.
AT THE STREET GITTES' CAR
There's a slip of paper stuck under the windshield wiper. Gittes
pulls it off, gets in the car and turns on the dash light. It says:
"SAVE OUR CITY! LOS ANGELES IS DYING OF THIRST! PROTECT YOUR
PROPERTY! LOS ANGELES IS YOUR INVESTMENT IN THE FUTURE!!! VOTE YES
NOVEMBER 6... CITIZENS COMMITTEE TO SAVE OUR CITY, HON. SAM BAGBY,
FORMER MAYOR CHAIRMAN." Gittes grumbles, crumples it up and tosses
it out the window. He notices other flyers parked on a couple of
cars down the street.
Gittes reaches down and opens his glove compartment.
INT. GLOVE COMPARTMENT
Consists of a small mountain of Ingersoll pocket watches.
The cheap price tags are still on them. Gittes pulls out one.
He absently winds it, checks the time with his own watch. It's 9:37
as he walks to Mulwray's car and places it behind the front wheel of
Mulwray's car. He yawns again and heads back to his own car.
GITTES
Arrives whistling, opens the door with "J.J. GITTES AND ASSOCIATES
DISCREET INVESTIGATION" on it.
GITTES
Morning, Sophie.
Sophie hands him a small pile of messages. He goes through them.
GITTES
Walsh here?
SOPHIE
He's in the dark room.
Gittes walks through his office to Duffy and Walsh's. A little red
light is on in the corner, over a closed door. Gittes walks over and
knocks on the door.
GITTES
Where'd he go yesterday?
WALSH'S VOICE
Three reservoirs. Men's room of a Richfield
gas station on Flower, and the Pig 'n
Whistle.
GITTES
Jesus Christ, this guy's really got water on
the brain.
WALSH'S VOICE
What'd you expect? That's his job.
GITTES
Listen, we can't string this broad out
indefinitely we got to come up with
something.
WALSH'S VOICE
I think I got something.
GITTES
Oh yeah? You pick up the watch?
INT. DUFFY & WALSH'S OFFICE GITTES
WALSH'S VOICE
It's on your desk. Say, you hear the one
about the guy who goes to the North Pole with
Admiral Byrd looking for penguins?
Gittes walks to his office.
ON HIS DESK
Is the Ingersoll watch, the crystal broken, the hands stopped at
2:47.
GITTES
He was there all night.
Gittes drops it, sits down. Walsh comes in carrying a series of wet
photos stuck with clothes pins onto a small blackboard.
GITTES
(continuing; eagerly)
So what you got?
Walsh shows him the photos. He looks at them. They are a series
outside a restaurant showing Mulwray with another man whose
appearance is striking. In two of the photos a gnarled cane is
visible.
GITTES
(continuing; obviously
annoyed)
This?
WALSH
They got into a terrific argument outside the
Pig 'n Whistle.
GITTES
What about?
WALSH
I don't know. The traffic was pretty loud. I
only heard one thing apple core.
GITTES
Apple core?
WALSH
(shrugs)
Yeah.
INT. GITTES' OFFICE
Gittes tosses down the photos in disgust.
GITTES
Jesus Christ, Walsh. That's what you spent
your day doing?
WALSH
Look, you tell me to take pictures, I take
pictures.
GITTES
Let me explain something to you, Walsh. This
business requires a certain finesse.
The PHONE has been RINGING. Sophie buzzes him.
GITTES
Yeah, Sophie?
(he picks up the phone)
Duffy, where are you?
Duffy's VOICE can be HEARD, excitedly. "I got it. I got it. He's
found himself some cute little twist in a rowboat, in Echo Park."
GITTES
(continuing)
Okay, slow down Echo Park.
(to Walsh)
Jesus, water again.
WESTLAKE PARK (McARTHUR PARK)
Duffy is rowing, Gittes seated in the stern.
They pass Mulwray and a slender blonde girl in a summer print dress,
drifting in their rowboat, Mulwray fondly doting on the girl.
GITTES
(to Duffy, as they pass)
Let's have a big smile, pal.
He shoots past Duffy, expertly running off a couple of fast shots.
Mulwray and the girl seem blissfully unaware of them.
DUFFY
Turns again and they row past Mulwray and the girl, Gittes again
clicking off several fast shots.
CLOSE SHOT SIGN:
"EL MACANDO APARTMENTS"
MOVE ALONG the red tiled roof and down to a lower level of the roof
where Gittes' feet are hooked over the apex of the roof and Gittes
himself is stretched face downward on the tiles, pointing himself
and his camera to a veranda below him where the girl and Mulwray are
eating. Gittes is clicking off more shots when the tiles his feet
are hooked over come loose.
Gittes begins a slow slide down the tile to the edge of the roof and
possibly over it to a three-story drop. He tries to slow himself
down. The loose tile also begins to slide.
Gittes stops himself at the roof's edge by the storm drain and
begins a very precarious turn, this time hooking his feet in the
drain itself. The loose tile falls and hits the veranda below. He
stops as it's about to slide over the edge. He carefully lays it in
the drain. But a fragment off the cracked edge of the tile falls.
WITH MULWRAY AND THE GIRL
Mulwray staring at the fragment at his feet. He looks to the girl.
He's clearly concerned. He rises, looks up to the roof.
FROM HIS POV
The roof and the sign topping it betray nothing. He slowly sits back
down, staring at the tile fragment.
CLOSE SHOT NEWSPAPER
"DEPARTMENT OF WATER AND POWER BLOWS FUSE OVER CHIEF'S USE OF FUNDS
FOR EL MACANDO LOVE NEST."
In the style of the Hearst yellow press, there is a heart-shaped
drawing around one of the photos that Gittes had taken. Next to it
is a smaller column, "J.J. Gittes hired by suspicious spouse."
INT. BARBERSHOP GITTES
Holds the paper and reads while getting his haircut and his shoes
shined. In fact, almost all the customers are reading papers.
BARNEY
(to Gittes)
When you get so much publicity, after a while
you must get blas about it.
A self-satisfied smile comes to Gittes' face.
BARNEY
(continuing)
Face it. You're practically a movie star.
In b.g., customers can be OVERHEARD talking about the drought.
Interspersed with above, someone is saying, "They're gonna start
rationing water unless it rains." Someone else says, "Only for
washing your cars." Third says, "You're not going to be able to
water your lawn either, or take a bath more than once a week." First
says, "If you don't have a lawn or a car, do you get an extra bath?"
Gittes has been staring outside the barbershop. A car is stalled.
The hood is up. A man watches his radiator boiling over.
GITTES
(laughing)
Look at that.
BARNEY
Heat's murder.
OTHER CUSTOMER
(end of conversation)
Fools names and fools faces...
Gittes has heard the word. He straightens up.
GITTES
(smiling; to Other
Customer)
What's that, pal?
OTHER CUSTOMER
(indicating paper)
Nothing. You got a hell of a way to make a
living.
GITTES
Oh? What do. you do to make ends meet?
OTHER CUSTOMER
Mortgage Department, First National Bank.
Gittes laughs.
GITTES
Tell me, how many people a week do you
foreclose on?
OTHER CUSTOMER
We don't publish a record in the paper, I can
tell you that.
GITTES
Neither do I.
OTHER CUSTOMER
No, you have a press agent do it.
Gittes gets out of the chair. Barney, a little concerned, tries to
restrain him, holding onto the barber sheet around Gittes' neck.
GITTES
Barney, who is this bimbo? He a regular
customer?
BARNEY
Take it easy, Jake.
GITTES
Look, pal. I make an honest living. People
don't come to me unless they're miserable and
I help 'em out of a bad situation. I don't
kick them out of their homes like you jerks
who work in the bank.
BARNEY
Jake, for Christ's sake.
Gittes is trying to take off his sheet.
GITTES
C'mon, get out of the barber chair. We'll go
outside and talk this over.
The Customer is shrinking back into the chair.
BARNEY
Hey, c'mon, Jake. Sit down. Sit down. You
hear about the fella goes to his friend and
says, 'What'll I do, I'm tired of screwing my
wife?' and his friend says, 'Whyn't you do
what the Chinese do?'
Gittes allows himself to be tugged back to his chair.
GITTES
I don't know how that got in the paper as a
matter of fact it surprised me it was so
quick. I make an honest living.
BARNEY
'Course you do, Jake.
GITTES
An honest living.
BARNEY
(continuing)
So anyway, he says, 'whyn't you do what the
Chinese do?'
INT. GITTES' OFFICE
Gittes comes bursting in, slapping a newspapers on his thigh.
GITTES
Duffy, Walsh.
Walsh comes out of his office, Duffy out of the other one.
GITTES
(continuing)
Sophie, go to the little girl's room for a
minute.
SOPHIE
But, Mr. Gittes.
GITTES
(insisting)
Sophie.
SOPHIE
Yes, Mr. Gittes.
She gets up and leaves.
GITTES
So there's this fella who's tired of screwing
his wife.
DUFFY
Jake, listen.
GITTES
Shut up, Duffy, you're always in a hurry and
his friend says why not do what the Chinese
do? So he says what do they do? His friend
says the Chinese they screw for a while. Just
listen a second, Duffy...
A stunning YOUNG WOMAN appears behind Gittes in his doorway. She's
shortly joined by a small, GRAY-HAIRED MAN. They listen, unseen by
Gittes.
GITTES
(continuing)
... and then they stop and they read a little
Confucius and they screw some more and they
stop and they smoke some opium and then they
go back and screw some more and they stop
again and they contemplate the moon or
something and it makes it more exciting. So
this other guy goes home to screw his wife
and after a while he stops and gets up and
goes into the other room only he reads Life
Magazine and he goes back and he screws some
more and suddenly says excuse me a second and
he gets up and smokes a cigarette and he goes
back and by this time his wife is getting
sore as hell. So he screws some more and then
he gets up to look at the moon and his wife
says, 'What the hell do you think you're
doing?
(Gittes breaks up)
... you're screwing like a Chinaman.'
Gittes hangs onto Sophie's desk laughing his ass off. The little
Gray-Haired Man winces. When Gittes looks up he sees the Young
Woman, apparently in her late twenties. She's so stunning that
Gittes nearly gasps.
YOUNG WOMAN
Mr. Gittes?
GITTES
Yes?
YOUNG WOMAN
Do you know me?
GITTES
Well... I think I... I would've remembered.
YOUNG WOMAN
Have we ever met?
GITTES
Well, no.
YOUNG WOMAN
Never?
GITTES
Never.
YOUNG WOMAN
That's what I thought. You see, I'm Mrs.
Evelyn Mulwray. You know, Mr. Mulwray's wife.
Gittes is staggered. He glances down at the newspaper.
GITTES
Not that Mulwray?
EVELYN
Yes, that Mulwray, Mr. Gittes. And since you
agree with me we've never met, you must also
agree that I haven't hired you to do
anything. Certainly not spy on my husband. I
see you like publicity, Mr. Gittes. Well,
you're going to get it.
GITTES
Now wait a minute, Mrs. Mulwray...
She's walked past him toward the door. He stop her.
GITTES
(continuing)
... there's some misunderstanding here. It's
not going to do any good to get tough with
me.
Evelyn flashes a cold smile.
EVELYN
I don't get tough with anybody, Mr. Gittes.
My lawyer does.
Evelyn starts out the door and Gittes starts after her. This time
he's stopped by the Gray-Haired Man who has also come out of his
office and up behind him.
GRAY-HAIRED MAN
Here's something for you, Mr. Gittes.
Gittes turns to be handed a thick sheaf of papers, a summons and
complaint. Evelyn walks out the door.
GRAY-HAIRED MAN
(continuing; pleasantly)
I suppose we'll be hearing from your
attorney.
Gittes stares down at the papers in his hand.
INT. GITTES' INNER OFFICE GITTES, DUFFY & WALSH
On Gittes' desk. There are empty coffee cups, the summons and
complaint, and the newspaper Gittes had brought with him from the
barber shop.
The three men are sitting, worn and silent. Walsh chewing gum is the
loudest noise in the room.
Gittes looks to Walsh with obvious irritation. Walsh stops chewing.
Duffy puts out a cigarette in the dregs of one of the coffee cups.
GITTES
(to Duffy)
There's seven ashtrays in this room, Duffy.
DUFFY
Okay.
GITTES
That's a filthy habit.
DUFFY
I said okay,. Jake.
GITTES
Yeah, yeah. If she'd come in here saying she
was Shirley Temple you'd say okay to that,
too.
WALSH
Look, Jake. She gave us Mulwray's real phone
number and address.
GITTES
All she needed for that was the phone book!
WALSH
No, no. She said not to call, her husband
might answer.
GITTES
When I find out who that phony bitch was.
Gittes is staring down at the newspaper. He suddenly grabs the
phone, begins dialing. A tight little smile breaks out on his face.
He buzzes Sophie.
GITTES
Sophie.
SOPHIE
Yes, Mr. Gittes.
GITTES
Get me the Times. Whitey Mehrholtz.
(as he waits)
And how about that snotty broad?
(the phone to his ear)
What does she think, she's perfect? Coming in
waving her lawyers and her money at me so
goddam smug. She's no better than anybody
else in this town.
Sophie BUZZES.
GITTES
(continuing)
Whitey, what's new, pal?... Yeah, listen,
where did you get those photographs... Yeah,
blowing a fuse over the El Macando love nest.
That's cute, Whitey... so who sent them to
you... I sent them?
(Gittes laughs a little
hysterically)
Why would I be asking how you got them if I
sent them?... Whitey?... Whitey?... C'mon,
level with me for once, my tit's in the
wringer and it's beginning to hurt... yeah...
yeah ... yeah.
He hangs up.
WALSH
So he says you sent them?
GITTES
(after a moment)
They're all a bunch of phonies.
INT. DEPARTMENT WATER & POWER HALL
Gittes stops outside a door marked:
"HOLLIS J. MULWRAY
CHIEF ENGINEER"
He enters an outer office. The SECRETARY looks surprised.
GITTES
Mr. Mulwray, please.
SECRETARY
He's not in, Mr.?
GITTES
Gittes.
SECRETARY
May I ask what this is regarding?
GITTES
It's personal. Has he been out long?
SECRETARY
Since lunch.
GITTES
Gee whiz.
(he glances at his watch)
And I'm late.
SECRETARY
He was expecting you?
GITTES
Fifteen minutes ago. Why don't I go in and
wait?
Without waiting for a response, he does. The Secretary half rises in
protest but Gittes is through the inner door.
MULWRAY'S INNER OFFICE
The walls are covered with commendation, photos of Mulwray at
various construction sites, large maps of watershed areas and
reservoirs in the city. On the desk is a framed, tinted photo of
Evelyn in riding clothes.
Gittes moves to the desk, watching the translucent pane in the upper
half of the door leading to the outer office as he does.
He begins to open and close. the desk drawers after quickly
examining the top. He tries one of the drawers and it doesn't open.
He reopens the top drawer, and the bottom one opens.
He looks in it, pulls out a checkbook. He opens it, riffles through
the stubs like he was shuffling cards. Drops it, finds a set of
keys, an old phone book, and a menu from a Water Department lunch at
the Biltmore Hotel in 1913. Then, Gittes hauls out the blueprints
that Mulwray had laid across the hood of his car. They read in bold
type: "WATERSHED AND DRAINAGE SYSTEM FOR THE LOS ANGELES BASIN."
He flips through them, reads one notation in Mulwray's neat hand:
"Tues. night. Oak Pass Res. 7 channels used."
Gittes spots a shadow looming in front of the translucent pane. He
quickly tosses item after item back, kneeing the drawer, nearly
knocking a spare pair of Mulwray's glasses off the desk top when he
does. He catches them, puts them on the desk and is pacing the room
as the door opens.
RUSS YELBURTON
Enters the room. An anxious Secretary is right behind him.
YELBURTON
Can I help you?
(extending his hand)
Russ Yelburton, Deputy Chief in the
Department.
GITTES
(equally pleasant)
J.J. Gittes. And it's not a departmental
matter.
YELBURTON
I wonder if you'd care to wait in my office?
This is more a request than an invitation. Gittes nods, follows
Yelburton out, through the outer office to his offices down the
hall.
YELBURTON
(continuing; as they're
going)
You see, this whole business in the paper
with Mr. Mulwray has us all on edge.
INT. YELBURTON OFFICE
Smaller than Mulwray's, he has most noticeably a lacquered marlin
mounted on the wall. There are a couple of other pictures of
Yelburton with yellowtail and other fish he's standing beside.
There's also a small burgee of a fish with the initials A.C. below
it, tacked onto the wall.
YELBURTON
After all, you work with a man for a certain
length of time, you come to know him, his
habits, his values, and so forth. Well either
he's the kind who chases after women or he
isn't.
GITTES
And Mulwray isn't?
YELBURTON
He never even kids about it.
GITTES
Maybe he takes it very seriously.
Gittes winks. Yelburton chuckles appreciatively, loosening up a
little.
GITTES
You don't happen to know where Mr. Mulwray's
having lunch?
YELBURTON
I'm sorry, I --
GITTES
Well, tell him I'll be back.
Gittes spots a card tray on Yelburton's desk.
GITTES
(continuing)
Mind if I take one of your cards? In case I
want to get in touch with you again.
YELBURTON
Help yourself.
Gittes fishes a couple off the tray, puts them in his handkerchief
pocket. He goes out the door, nearly running into a man who is
standing by the Secretary's desk, about GITTES' age only a head
taller and a foot wider, dressed in a plain suit that fits him about
as well as a brown paper bag.
GITTES
Mulvihlll, what are you doing here?
OUTER OFFICE YELBURTON, MULVIHILL AND GITTES
Mulvihill stares at Gittes with unblinking eyes, remains by the
desk.
MULVIHILL
They shut my water off, what's it to you?
GITTES
How'd you find out? You don't drink it, you
don't take a bath in it, maybe they sent you
a letter. Ah, but then you'd have to be able
to read.
Mulvihill moves toward Gittes, shaking with fury. Yelburton steps
between them.
GITTES
(continuing)
Relax, Mulvihill, glad to see you.
(to Yelburton)
Do you know Claude Mulvihill here?
YELBURTON
Hope so. He's working for us.
EXT. MULWRAY HOUSE GITTES
Rings the bell. He waits.
A powerful CHINESE BUTLER with heavy hair and a half-jacket of gold
on one front tooth, answers the door.
GITTES
J.J. Gittes to see Mr. Mulwray.
He hands the Chinese Butler a card from his wallet. The Butler takes
it and disappears, leaving Gittes standing in the doorway.
Gittes stands, and sweats, watching a Japanese GARDENER trim a
hedge. There's a SQUEAKING SOUND. Gittes moves a few feet off the
porch.
POV GARAGE
A chauffeur is washing down a cream-colored Packard with a chamois.
Steam rises off the hood. The squeaking has obviously come from the
chamois.
CHINESE BUTLER
In doorway.
CHINESE BUTLER
Please.
Gittes looks behind him. The Chinese Butler is gesturing for him to
follow.
THROUGH THE HOUSE GITTES
Follows him, trying to check out the rooms as he goes. A maid is
cleaning in the den. They pass through it out some French doors
along a trellised walkway to a large pond with running water.
CHINESE BUTLER
You wait, please.
Gittes is left standing by the pond. It's suddenly very quiet except
for the runnning water. The pond is over-flowing. After a moment,
the Gardener comes running back. He smiles at Gittes, probes into
the pond.
There's something gleaming in the bottom of it. Gittes notes it.
After a moment, the Gardener drops the long probe, the waters
recede.
EXT. POND GITTES AND JAPANESE GARDENER DAY
GARDENER
(to Gittes)
Bad for glass.
GITTES
(not understanding)
Yeah sure. Bad for glass.
The Gardener nods, and is off, leaving Gittes staring at the object
in the bottom of the pond that is gleaming.
He looks at the tool the Gardener was using, hesitates, picks .it up
and starts to probe into the pond himself, toward the gleaming
object.
He then spots Evelyn rounding a turn, coming down the trellised
pathway. He casually belts the probe, holds onto it for poise.
Evelyn is wearing jeans that are lathered white on the inside of the
thighs and laced with brown horsehair.
She's wearing riding boots, is perspiring a little, but looks
younger than she did in the office.
EVELYN
Yes, Mr. Gittes?
Gittes is a little taken aback at seeing Evelyn. He is annoyed as
well. Nevertheless, he is elaborately polite.
GITTES
Actually, I'm here to see your husband, Mrs.
Mulwray.
He laughs. a little nervously. He waits for a reply. There is none.
The Chinese Butler appears on the veranda.
EVELYN
Would you like something to drink?
GITTES
What are you having?
EVELYN
Iced tea.
GITTES
Yeah. Fine, thank you.
Chinese Butler nods, disappears
EXT. POND AND GARDEN MULWRAY HOUSE DAY
Evelyn sits at a glass-topped table. Gittes Joins her.
EVELYN
My husband's at the office.
GITTES
Actually he's not. And he's moved from his
apartment at the El Macando.
EVELYN
(sharply)
That's not his apartment.
GITTES
Anyway... I... the point is, Mrs. Mulwray.
I'm not in business to be loved, but I am in
business, and believe me, whoever set up your
husband, set me up. L.A.'s a small town,
people talk.
He waits for a response. Then:
GITTES
(continuing; uneasily)
I'm just trying to make a living, and I don't
want to become a local Joke.
EVELYN
Mr. Gittes, you've talked me into it. I'll
drop the lawsuit.
GITTES
What ?
EVELYN
I said I'll drop it.
The iced tea comes on a tray which Ramon sets down between them.
EVELYN
(continuing; pleasantly)
So let's just drop the whole thing. Sugar?
Lemon?
GITTES
Mrs. Mulwray?
EVELYN
(as she's mixing one of
the drinks)
Yes, Mr. Gittes?
GITTES
I don't want to drop it.
Evelyn looks up. Gittes smiles a little sheepishly.
GITTES
I should talk this over with your husband.
EVELYN
(a little concerned)
Why?... What on earth for? Look, Hollis seems
to think you're an innocent man.
GITTES
Well, I've been accused of many things, Mrs.
Mulwray, but never that.
Again he laughs a little nervously. Again no reaction.
GITTES
(continuing)
You see, somebody went to a lot of trouble
here, and I want to find out, lawsuit or no
lawsuit. I'm not the one who's supposed to be
caught with my pants down... so I'd like to
see your husband. Unless that's a problem.
EVELYN
(with a slight edge)
What do you mean?
GITTES
May I speak frankly, Mrs. Mulwray?
EVELYN
You may if you can, Mr. Gittes.
GITTES
(determined to be polite)
Well, that little girlfriend, she was
attractive in a cheap sort of way of course.
She's disappeared. Maybe they disappeared
together somewhere.
EVELYN
(with rising anger)
Suppose they did. How does it concern you?
GITTES
Nothing personal, Mrs. Mulwray, I just --
EVELYN
It's very personal. It couldn't be more
personal. Is this a business or an obsession
with you?
GITTES
Look at it this way. Now this phony broad,
excuse the language, says she's you, she's
hired me. Whoever put her up to it, didn't
have anything against me. They were out to
get your husband. Now if I see him, I can
help him did you talk this morning?
Evelyn brushes lightly at the horsehair on her Jeans.
EVELYN
No. I went riding rather early.
GITTES
Looks like you went quite a distance.
EVELYN
No, Just riding bareback, that's all. Anyway,
you might try the Oak Pass or Stone Canyon
Reservoirs. Sometimes at lunch Hollis takes
walks around them. Otherwise he'll be home by
6:30.
GITTES
I'll stop by.
EVELYN
Please call first.
Gittes nods.
EXT. OAK PASS RESERVOIR DAY
Gittes drives up a winding road, following a flood channel up into
the parched hills.
TWO FIRE TRUCKS
One a rescue truck, are at the entrance to the reservoir.
The chain link fence with its KEEP OUT sign is open and there are
people milling around. The reservoir is below.
Gittes' car is stopped by a couple of UNIFORMED POLICE.
GUARD
Sorry, this is closed to the public, sir.
Gittes hesitates only a moment, then:
GITTES
(to the Guard)
It's all right. Russ Yelburton, Deputy Chief
in the Department.
He fishes out one of Yelburton's cards from his handkerchief pocket,
hands it to the Guard.
GUARD
Sorry, Mr. Yelburton. Go on down.
Gittes drives past the Guards, through the gate, along the
reservoir. He spots a police car and an unmarked one as well.
Gittes stops and gets out of the car. Several men with their backs
turned, one talking quietly, staring down into the reservoir where
other men in small skiffs are apparently dredging for something.
One of the men turns and sees Gittes. He recognizes Gittes and is
visibly shocked.
LOACH
Gittes, for Chrissakes.
GITTES
Loach.
LOACH
(moving to Gittes, taking
him by the arm)
C'mon, get out of here before --
EXT. RESERVOIR DAY
Loach tries to ease him down the path.
GITTES
Before what? What the hell's going on?
At the sound of his raised voice, a man standing at the edge of the
channel, talking to two boys in swimming trunks, turns around. He's
a tall, sleek Mexican in his early thirties, LUIS ESCOBAR.
Both Gittes and Escobar register considerable surprise at seeing one
another. The men around them are extremely uneasy.
Loach is actually sweating. Finally, Escobar smiles.
ESCOBAR
Hello, Jake.
GITTES
(without smiling)
How are you, Lou?
ESCOBAR
I have a cold I can't seem to shake but other
than that, I'm fine.
GITTES
Summer colds are the worst.
ESCOBAR
Yeah, they are.
Gittes reaches into his pocket, pulls out his cigarette case.
A FIREMAN
No smoking, sir. It's a fire hazard this time
of year.
ESCOBAR
I think we can make an exception. I'll see
he's careful with the matches.
GITTES
(lighting up)
Thanks, Lou.
ESCOBAR
How'd you get past the guards?
GITTES
Well, to tell you the truth, I lied a little.
Escobar nods. They walk a couple of steps. The other police, two
plainclothesmen and a uniformed officer, watch them.
ESCOBAR
You've done well by yourself.
GITTES
I get by.
ESCOBAR
Well, sometimes it takes a while for a man to
find himself and I guess you have.
LOACH
Poking around in other people's dirty linen.
GITTES
Yeah. Tell me. You still throw Chinamen into
jail for spitting on the laundry?
ESCOBAR
You're behind the times, Jake. They've got
steam irons now.
(smiles)
And I'm out of Chinatown.
GITTES
Since when?
ESCOBAR
Since I made Lieutenant.
It's apparent Gittes is impressed despite himself.
GITTES
Congratulations.
ESCOBAR
Uh-huh. So what are you doing here?
GITTES
Looking for someone.
ESCOBAR
Who?
GITTES
Hollis Mulwray. You seen him?
ESCOBAR
Oh yes.
GITTES
I'd like to talk to him.
ESCOBAR
You're welcome to try. There he is.
Escobar points down to the reservoir. A couple of men using poles
with hooks are fishing about in the water. It can be SEEN that one
of them has hooked something.
He shouts. The other man hooks it, too. They pull, revealing the
soaking back of a man's coat. They start to pull the body into the
skiff.
INT. CORONER'S OFFICE EVELYN AND ESCOBAR
Are standing over the body of Mulwray. Escobar has the sheet drawn
back. Evelyn nods.
Escobar drops the sheet. Escobar and Evelyn move a few feet to one
side and whisper, almost as though they were trying to keep the
corpse from hearing them.
ESCOBAR
It looks like he was washed the entire length
of the runoff channel. Could he swim?
EVELYN
Of course.
ESCOBAR
Obviously the fall must have knocked him out.
Evelyn nods slightly Escobar coughs. A coroner's assistant wheels
the body out of the office.
ESCOBAR
(continuing)
This alleged affair he was having. The
publicity didn't make him morose or unhappy?
OUTSIDE THE CORONER'S
Gittes has been sitting on a wooden bench, smoking and listening. At
this question, he rises and looks through the doorway.
Escobar sees him, ignores him. Evelyn doesn't see him.
EVELYN
... Well, it didn't make him happy...
ESCOBAR
But there is no possibility he would have
taken his own life?
EVELYN
(sharply)
No.
ESCOBAR
(a little uncomfortably
now)
Mrs. Mulwray, do you happen to know the name
of the young woman in question?
Evelyn shows a flash of annoyance.
EVELYN
No.
ESCOBAR
Do you know where she might be?
EVELYN
Certainly not!
Escobar and Evelyn move slowly toward the door.
ESCOBAR
You and your husband never discussed her?
EVELYN.
(stopping, faltering)
He... we did... he wouldn't tell me her name.
We quarreled over her... of course. It came
as a complete surprise to me.
ESCOBAR
A complete surprise?
EVELYN
Yes.
ESCOBAR
But I thought you'd hired a private
investigator.
EVELYN
A private investigator?
ESCOBAR
(gesturing vaguely toward
the door)
Mr. Gittes.
EVELYN
Well yes.
Evelyn looks up to see Gittes standing in the doorway only a foot or
two from her. She stops cold. They look at one another for a long
moment.
EVELYN
(her eyes on Gittes)
But I... I... did that because I thought it
was a nasty rumor I'd put an end to...
She finishes, looks plaintively at Gittes. Escobar is right at her
back. Gittes says nothing.
ESCOBAR
And when did Mr. Gittes inform you that these
rumors had some foundation in fact?
Evelyn looks at Escobar but doesn't know how to answer him.
GITTES
(smoothly)
Just before the story broke in the papers,
Lou.
Escobar nods. They begin to walk slowly, again have to move out of
the way as some other corpse is being wheeled out of one of the
Coroner cubicles.
ESCOBAR
You wouldn't happen to know the present
whereabouts of the young woman.
GITTES
No.
ESCOBAR
Or her name?
GITTES
No.
They have walked a few steps further down the hall.
EVELYN
Will you need me for anything else,
Lieutenant?
ESCOBAR
I don't think so, Mrs. Mulwray. Of course you
have my deepest sympathy and if we need
anymore information, we'll be in touch.
GITTES
I'll walk her to her car, be right back.
ESCOBAR'S POV
Evelyn glances at Gittes. They go through a couple of outer doors
and pass several reporters who have been in the outer hall,
laughing, kidding, the tag end of lines like "only in L.A." and
"Southern Cafeteria."
Gittes hurries her past the reporters who flank them, asking
questions. Gittes brushes them aside.
EVELYN AND GITTES AT HER CAR
In a small parking lot.
Evelyn fumbles in her bag, looking feverishly for something in her
purse.
GITTES
Mrs. Mulwray?... Mrs. Mulwray.
EVELYN
(flushed, perspiring)
... Just a minute...
GITTES
(touching her gently)
You left your keys in the ignition.
EVELYN
Oh... thank you.
She glances down, leans against the side of the car.
EVELYN
(continuing)
Thank you for going along with me. I just
didn't want to explain anything... I'll send
you a check.
GITTES
(puzzled)
A check?
Evelyn gets in her car.
EVELYN
To make it official, I hired you.
She drives off, leaving Gittes gaping.
INT. CORONER'S OFFICE HALLWAY
GITTES
Don't give me that, Lou. You hauled me down
here for a statement.
Escobar shrugs.
ESCOBAR
I don't want it anymore.
GITTES
No?
ESCOBAR
No. It was an accident.
GITTES
You mean that's what you're going to call it.
Escobar looks up.
ESCOBAR
That's right.
(contemptuously)
Out of respect for his civic position.
Resume walking.
Gittes laughs.
GITTES
What'd he do, Lou, make a pass at your
sister?
Escobar stops.
ESCOBAR
No, he drowned a cousin of mine with about
five hundred other people. But they weren't
very important, Just a bunch of dumb Mexicans
living by a dam. Now beat it, Gittes, you
don't come out of this smelling like a rose,
you know.
GITTES
Oh yeah? Can you think of something to charge
me with?
ESCOBAR
When I do, you'll hear about it.
Gittes nods, turns, and walks down the hall.
OUTSIDE MORGUE
Gittes stops by a body on the table, the toe tagged with Mulwray's
name. MORTY is standing near it in a doorway to an adjoining room. A
RADIO is on, and with it the announcement that they're about to hear
another chapter in the life of Lorenzo Jones and his devoted wife,
Belle. Another Coroner's assistant sits at the table, listening to
the radio and eating a sandwich.
Gittes ambles into the room.
MORTY
(a cigarette dangling out
of his mouth)
Jake, what're you doin' here?
GITTES
Nothin', Morty, it's my lunch hour, I thought
I'd drop by and see who died lately.
Gittes picks up the sheet and pulls it back. CAMERA GETS ITS FIRST
GLIMPSE of Mulwray's body. Eyes open, the face badly cut and
bruised.
MORTY
Yeah? Ain't that something? Middle of a
drought, the water commissioner drowns. Only
in L.A.
GITTES
(looking at. Mulwray)
Yeah. Banged up pretty bad.
MORTY
That's a long fall.
GITTES
So how are you, Morty?
Morty is wheeling in another body with the help of an assistant.
MORTY
Never better. You know me, Jake.
As he begins to move the body into the refrigerator, he breaks into
a wrenching spasm of coughing. Gittes spots the other body, lowers
the sheet on Mulwray.
GITTES
(picking up on cough)
Yeah, so who you got there?
Morty pulls back the sheet.
MORTY
Leroy Shuhardt, local drunk used to hang
around Ferguson's Alley.
Morty brushes some sand from the man's face, laughs.
MORTY
(continuing)
Quite a character. Lately he'd been living in
one of the downtown storm drains. Had a
bureau dresser down there and everything.
Gittes has already lost interest. He starts away.
GITTES
Yeah.
MORTY
Drowned, too.
This stops Gittes.
GITTES
Come again?
MORTY
Yeah, got dead drunk, passed out in the
bottom of the riverbed.
GITTES
The L.A. River?
MORTY
(a little puzzled)
Yeah, under Hollenbeck Bridge, what's wrong
with that?
Gittes has moved back to the body, looks at it more closely.
GITTES
It's bone dry, Morty.
MORTY
It's not completely dry.
GITTES
Yeah, well he ain't gonna drown in a damp
riverbed either, I don't care how soused he
was. That's like drowning in a teaspoon.
Morty shrugs.
MORTY
We got water out of him, Jake. He drowned.
Gittes walks away mumbling.
GITTES
Jesus, this town...
EXT. SUNSET BOULEVARD GITTES DAY
He's parked on an overpass. The sign HOLLENBECK BRIDGE on one of its
concrete columns. Gittes looks down into the riverbed below.
FROM THE BRIDGE
Gittes can see the muddy remains of a collapsed shack, its contents
strewn down river from the bridge. Below him, lying half over the
storm drain and one wall that was on the bank of the river is a sign
that proclaims "OWN YOUR OWN OFFICE IN THIS BUILDING $5000 to $6000"
which was used as a roof of sorts. Downstream, there's the dresser,
an oil drum, a Ford seat cushion, an Armour lard can, etc. The
trashy remains of Shuhardt's home.
Gittes scrambles down the embankment and as he lands near the storm
drain one shoe sinks, ankle deep into mud. Gittes pulls it out,
swearing.
He begins to walk a little further downstream when he hears the
vaguely familiar SQUISHY CLOP of something.
Clearing the bridge. on the opposite side is the little Mexican Boy,
again on his swayback horse, riding along the muddy bank.
They look at one another a moment.
GITTES
(calling out to him)
You were riding here the other day, weren't
you...?
The Boy doesn't answer.
GITTES
(continuing)
Speak English?... Habla Ingles?
THE BOY
(finally)
Si.
GITTES
Didn't you talk to a man here... few days
ago... wore glasses... he...
The Boy nods.
GITTES
(continuing)
What did you talk about, mind my asking?
The shadows of the two are very long now.
THE BOY
(finally)
The water.
GITTES
What about the water?
THE BOY
When it comes.
GITTES
When it comes? What'd you tell him?
THE BOY
Comes in different parts of the river. Every
night a different part.
Gittes nods. The horse snorts. The Boy rides slowly on.
EXT. RIVEBED DUSK
Gittes scrambles up the embankment to note the direction the storm
drain by Hollenbeck Bridge takes. It is headed above toward the
Hollywood Hills, where the sun is setting.
EXT. GITTES IN CAR NIGHTFALL
Winding his way up a section of the Hollywood Hills. He picks up on
an open flood channel with the spotlight by the driver's windwing.
GITTES IN CAR MOVING
Along the flood channel. It is dark now and Gittes follows the
channel with the car spotlight. He turns at a fork in the road which
allows him to continue following the flood channel.
FURTHER UP MOVING
The road is narrower. Gittes drives more slowly. Foliage is
overgrown in the channel so its bottom cannot be glimpsed.
STILL FURTHER NIGHT
The road is dirt. Heavy clusters of oak trees and eucalyptus are
everywhere. It is very still. Another turn and a pie-shaped view of
a lake of lights in the city below can be GLIMPSED.
POV CHAIN-LINK FENCE
Over the road, bolted. It says "OAK PASS RESERVOIR. KEEP OUT. NO
TRESPASSING."
The chain-link itself actually extends over the flood channel and
down into it, making access along the channel itself impossible.
Gittes backs up, turns off the motor, the car lights, the spotlight.
A lone light overhead on tension wires is the sole illumination.
There is only the eerie SOUND of the tension WIRES HUMMING.
Gittes gets out of the car, clubs the fence near the Flood channel
itself.
ON THE OTHER SIDE
Gittes carefully works his way up through the thick Foliage toward a
second and large chain-link fence. Lights from the reservoir still
higher above can be SEEN.
Suddenly there is a GUNSHOT. Then ANOTHER. Gittes dives into the
flood control channel, which is at this point about four feet deep
and six feet wide. There is the SOUND of men scurrying through the
brush, coming near him, then retreating. Gittes loses himself among
the ivy in the channel.
He waits. The men seem to have passed him by. But there is another
SOUND now. An echoing growing sound. It puzzles Gittes. He starts to
lift his head to catch the direction.
GITTES IN FLOOD CONTROL CHANNEL NIGHT
Then he's inundated with a rush of water which pours over him,
knocks off his hat, carries him down the channel, banging into its
banks, as he desperately tries to grab some of the overgrowth to
hang on and pull himself out. But the force of the stream batters
him and carries him with it until he's brought rudely to the chain-
link fence. It stops him cold. He's nearly strained through it.
Swearing and choking, he pulls himself out of the rushing water by
means of the fence itself.
Drenched, battered, he slowly climbs back over the fence and makes
his way toward his car.
AT GITTES' CAR
He fishes for his car keys, looks down. One shoe is missing.
GITTES
(grumbling)
Goddam Florsheim shoe, goddammit.
He starts to get into his car but Mulvihill and a SMALLER MAN stop
him. Mulvihill pulling his coat down and pinning his arms, holding
him tightly. The smaller man thrusts a switchblade knife about an
inch and a half up Gittes' left nostril.
SMALLER MAN
(shaking with emotion)
Hold it there, kitty cat.
CLOSE GITTES
Frozen, the knife in his nostril, the street lamp overhead gleaming
on the silvery blade.
THE SMALLER MAN
You are a very nosey fellow, kitty cat... you
know what happens to nosey fellows?
The Smaller Man actually seems to be trembling with rage when he
says this. Gittes doesn't move.
SMALLER MAN
(continuing)
Wanna guess? No? Okay, lose their noses.
With a quick flick the Smaller Man pulls back on the blade, laying
Gittes' left nostril open about an inch further. Gittes screams.
Blood gushes down onto his shirt and coat.
Gittes bends over, instinctively trying to keep the blood from
getting on his clothes. Mulvihill and the Smaller Man stare at him.
THE SMALLER MAN
(continuing)
Next time you lose the whole thing, kitty
cat. I'll cut it off and feed it to my
goldfish, understand?
MULVIHILL
Tell him you understand, Gittes.
EXT. OAK PASS RESERVOIR NIGHT
Gittes is now groveling on his hands and knees.
GITTES
(mumbling)
I understand...
Gittes on the ground can see only his tormentor's two-tone brown and
white wing-tipped shoes, lightly freckled with his blood.
THE SHOE
Comes up and lightly shoves Gittes into the ground. The SOUND of
FOOTSTEPS RETREATING, Gittes gasping.
INT. GITTES' OFFICE GITTES
Sits behind his desk, BACK TO CAMERA, not moving. Duffy sits staring
at nothing, Walsh moves uneasily around the room.
The PHONE is RINGING. Sophie BUZZES.
GITTES
(pressing down intercom)
Yeah, Sophie.
SOPHIE'S VOICE
A Miss Sessions calling.
GITTES
Who?
SOPHIE'S VOICE
Ida Sessions.
GITTES
Don't know her. Take a number.
NEW ANGLE REVEALING
A bandage spread-eagled across Gittes' nose.
WALSH
So some contractor wants to build a dam and
he makes a few payoffs. So what?
Gittes turns slowly to Walsh. He lightly taps his nose.
WALSH
(continuing)
Think you can nail Mulvihill? They'll claim
you were trespassing.
GITTES
I don't want Mulvihill. I. want the big boys
that are making the payoffs.
DUFFY
Then what'll you do?
GITTES
Sue the shit out of 'em.
WALSH
Yeah?
GITTES
Yeah. What's wrong with you guys? Think
ahead. We find 'em, sue 'em. We'll make a
killing.
(a dazzling smile)
We'll have dinner at Chasen's twice a week,
we'll be pissing on ice the rest of our
lives.
WALSH
Sue people like that they're liable to be
having dinner with the Judge who's trying the
suit.
Gittes looks irritated. The PHONE RINGS again.
SOPHIE'S VOICE
Miss Ida Sessions again. She says you know
her.
GITTES
Okay.
Gittes picks up the phone. He winks to his boys.
GITTES
(continuing)
Hello, Miss Sessions. I don't believe we've
had the pleasure.
IDA'S VOICE
Oh yes we have... are you alone, Mr. Gittes?
GITTES
(clowning a little for the
boys)
Isn't everybody? What can I do for you, Miss
Sessions?
Walsh promptly starts to tell Duffy the Admiral Byrd story.
IDA'S VOICE
Well, I'm a working girl, Mr. Gittes. I
didn't come in to see you on my own.
GITTES
When did you come in?
IDA'S VOICE
I was the one who pretended to be Mrs.
Mulwray, remember?
Walsh has finished off the punch line and both men are laughing
raucously. Gittes drops the mail he's been loafing through and puts
his hand over the receiver.
GITTES
(to Duffy and Walsh)
Shut the fuck up!
(then back to Ida)
... Yes I remember nothing, Miss Sessions,
just going over a detail or two with my
associates... you were saying?
IDA'S VOICE
Well I never expected anything to happen like
what happened to Mr. Mulwray, the point is if
it ever comes out I want somebody to know I
didn't know what would happen.
GITTES
I understand... if you could tell me who
employed you, Miss Sessions. That could help
us both.
IDA'S VOICE
Oh no.
GITTES
... Why don't you give me your address and we
can talk this over?
IDA'S VOICE
No, Mr. Gittes. Just look in the obituary
column of today's Times...
GITTES
The obituary column?
IDA'S VOICE
You'll find one of those people.
GITTES
'Those people?' Miss Sessions.
She hangs up. Gittes looks to his two men.
INT. BROWN DERBY CLOSE ON NEWSPAPER
Gittes is seated, flips through the paper until he finds the
OBITUARY COLUMN, scans it, looks up, abruptly tears the column from
the paper and puts it in his pocket.
When he closes the paper we can SEE headlines in the left hand
column: "WATER BOND ISSUE PASSES COUNCIL". Ten million dollar
referendum to go before the public.
Evelyn Mulwray is standing at the table as he does so. He rises,
allows her to sit.
CLOSE ON EVELYN
Gittes watches her as she removes her gloves slowly... She's wearing
dove gray gabardine, subdued, tailored.
GITTES
Thanks for coming... drink?
The waiter's appeared. Evelyn is looking at Gittes' nose.
EVELYN
Tom Collins With lime, not lemon, please.
Evelyn looks down and smoothes her gloves. When she looks back up
she stares expectantly at Gittes.
Gittes pulls out a torn envelope. The initials ECM can be SEEN in a
delicate scroll on the comer of it.
GITTES
I got your check in the mall.
EVELYN
Yes. As I said, I was very grateful.
Gittes' fingers the envelope. He coughs.
GITTES
Mrs. Mulwray, I'm afraid that's not good
enough.
EVELYN
(a little embarrassed)
Well, how much would you like?
CLOSE ON EVELYN
GITTES
Stop it. The money's fine. It's generous but
you've shortchanged me on the story.
EVELYN
(coolly)
I have?
GITTES
I think so. Something besides your husband's
death was bothering you. You were upset but
not that upset.
EVELYN
Mr. Gittes...
(icily)
Don't tell me how I feel.
The drinks come. The waiter sets them down.
GITTES
Sorry. Look, you sue me, your husband dies,
you drop the lawsuit like a hot potato, and
all of it quicker than wind from a duck's
ass. Excuse me. Then you ask me to lie to the
police.
EVELYN
It wasn't much of a lie.
GITTES
If your husband was killed it was.
(meaning check)
This can look like you paid me off to
withhold evidence.
EVELYN
But he wasn't killed.
Gittes smiles.
GITTES
I think you're hiding something, Mrs.
Mulwray.
Evelyn remains unperturbed.
EVELYN
Well, I suppose I am... actually I knew about
the affair.
GITTES
How did you find out?
EVELYN
My husband.
GITTES
He told you?
Evelyn nods.
GITTES
(continuing)
And you weren't the slightest bit upset about
it?
EVELYN
I was grateful.
Evelyn for the first time appears a little embarrassed.
GITTES
You'll have to explain that, Mrs. Mulwray.
EVELYN
Why?
GITTES
(a flash of annoyance)
Look, I do matrimonial work, It's my metiay.
When a wife tells me she's happy her husband
is cheating on her it runs contrary to my
experience.
Gittes looks significantly to Evelyn.
EVELYN
Unless what?
GITTES
(looking directly at her)
She's cheating on him.
Evelyn doesn't reply.
GITTES
(continuing)
Were you?
Evelyn is clearly angry but she is controlling it.
EVELYN
I don't like the word 'cheat.'
GITTES
Did you have affairs?
EVELYN
(flashing)
Mr. Gittes.
GITTES
Did he know?
EVELYN
(almost an outburst)
Well I wouldn't run home and tell him
whenever I went to bed with someone, if
that's what you mean.
This subdues Gittes a little. Evelyn is still a little heated.
EVELYN
(continuing; more calmly)
Is there anything else you want to know?
GITTES
Where you were when your husband died.
EVELYN
I can't tell you.
GITTES
You mean you don't know where you were?
EVELYN
I mean I can't tell you.
GITTES
You were seeing someone, too.
Evelyn looks squarely at him. She doesn't deny it.
GITTES
For very long?
EVELYN
I don't see anyone for very long, Mr. Gittes.
It's difficult for me. Now I think you know
all you need to about me. I didn't want
publicity. I didn't want to go into any of
this, then or now. Is this all?
Gittes nods.
GITTES
Oh, by the way. What's the 'C' stand for?
He's been fingering the envelope...
EVELYN
(she stammers slightly)
K... Cross.
GITTES
That your maiden name?
EVELYN
Yes... why?
GITTES
No reason.
Evelyn turns into Gittes.
EVELYN
You must've had a reason to ask me that.
GITTES
(shrugs)
No. I'm just a snoop.
EVELYN
You seem to have had a reason for every other
question.
GITTES
No, not for that one.
EVELYN
I don't believe you.
Gittes suddenly turns sharply in to Evelyn.
GITTES
(moving in)
Do me a favor. Sit still and act like I'm
charming.
Evelyn involuntarily draws back.
GITTES
(continuing)
There's somebody here. Say something.
Anything. Something like we're being
intimate.
Evelyn reluctantly allows Gittes to move closer and dangle his hand
in front of their faces. She stares at him.
EVELYN
(meaning his nose)
How did it happen?
GITTES
(quietly)
Been meaning to talk to you about that.
EVELYN
(quietly)
Maybe putting your nose in other people's
business?
GITTES
(quietly)
More like other people putting their business
in my nose.
Evelyn actually smiles a little.
WOMAN'S VOICE
You son of a bitch.
Gittes looks up and flashes his smile.
GITTES
Mrs. Match. How're you?
MRS. MATCH is swaying over the table, a plump woman with a glass of
whiskey in one hand, a large purse in the other, and a menacing look
in her eye.
MRS. MATCH
Don't give me that, you son of a bitch.
GITTES
Okay.
Gittes turns back to Evelyn.
EVELYN
(softly)
Another satisfied client?
GITTES
Another satisfied client's wife.
MRS. MATCH
Look at me, you son of a bitch. You... you
bastard. Are you happy, are you happy now?
She tries to take a swipe at Gittes with her purse. Gittes covers
himself. Waiters rush over.
MRS. MATCH
You smug son of a bitch. My husband's so
upset he sweats all night! How do you think
that makes me feel?
GITTES
Sweaty?
Mrs. Match swings at Gittes again and again. She catches him on the
nose. It hurts. He covers it, then swings his leg out from under the
table and deftly kicks her in the shin.
Mrs. Match drops her purse and spills her drink. She grabs her shin,
hopping around a little. The waiters who had tried to restrain her
now try to keep her from falling over.
GITTES
Let's get out of here before she picks up her
purse.
They rise and move toward the door.
EVELYN
(quietly)
Tough guy, huh?
Gittes looks, sees she's kidding, and nods.
OUTSIDE IN THE PARKING LOT DUSK
Gittes' car has been brought by the parking attendant. The
attendant opens the passenger side for Evelyn.
EVELYN
Oh, no. I've got my own car. The cream-
colored Packard.
GITTES
(to attendant who
dutifully starts for her
car)
Wait a minute, sonny.
(to Evelyn)
I think you better come with me.
EVELYN
What for? There's nothing more to say.
(to attendant)
Get my car, please.
The attendant starts after it again. Gittes leans on the open door
of his car and in to Evelyn. He talks quietly but spits it out.
GITTES
Okay, go home. But in case you're interested
your husband was murdered. Somebody's dumping
tons of water out of the city reservoirs when
we're supposedly in the middle of a drought,
he found out, and he was killed. There's a
waterlogged drunk in the morgue. Involuntary
manslaughter if anybody wants to take the
trouble which they don't. It looks like half
the city is trying to cover it all up, which
is fine with me. But, Mrs. Mulwray.
(now inches from her)
I goddam near lost my nose! And I like it. I
like breathing through it. And I still think
you're hiding something.
Evelyn steadies herself on the open car door. She stares at Gittes
for a long moment. Then he gently tugs the car door closed.
EVELYN
Mr. Gittes.
He drives off into the Wilshire traffic, leaving Evelyn looking
after him.
INT. DWP MULWRAY'S OFFICE DOOR
With its lettering:
"HOLLIS I. MULWRAY
CHIEF ENGINEER"
Gittes goes through the door to the Secretary. She looks up. She
recognizes Gittes again and is not happy to see him.
GITTES
J.J. Gittes to see Mr. Yelburton.
The Secretary immediately gets up and goes into the inner office.
Gittes turns and strolls around the office a moment. He sees a
photographic display of "THE HISTORY OF THE DWP. THE EARLY YEARS",
along the wall. He stops as he spots a photo of the man with the
cane Gittes had seen photos of earlier. He is standing high in the
mountains, near a pass. The caption reads "JULIAN CROSS. 1905".
Cross is strikingly handsome.
Gittes immediately pulls out the envelope containing Evelyn's
check. He looks at the corner of it, his thumb pressing down under
the middle initial C, then he looks back to the photos.
The Secretary returns.
SECRETARY
Mr. Yelburton will be busy for some time.
GITTES
Well I'm on my lunch hour. I'll wait.
SECRETARY
He's liable to be tied up indefinitely.
GITTES
I take a long lunch. All day sometimes.
Gittes pulls out a cigarette case, offers the Secretary one. She
refuses, He lights up and begins to hum 'The Way You Look
Tonight,' strolling along the wall looking at more photographs.
INT. MULWRAY'S OFFICES
Here he spots several photos of a much younger Mulwray, along with
Julian Cross. One of the captions: "HOLLIS MULWRAY AND JULIAN
CROSS AS THE AQUEDUCT CLEARS THE SANTA SUSANNAH PASS. 1912".
Gittes, still humming, turns to the Secretary.
GITTES
Julian Cross worked for the water department?
SECRETARY
(looking up)
Yes. No.
GITTES
(humming, then)
He did or he didn't?
SECRETARY
He owned it.
Gittes is genuinely surprised at this.
GITTES
He owned the water department?
SECRETARY
Yes.
GITTES
He owned the entire water supply for the
city?
SECRETARY
Yes.
GITTES
(really surprised)
How did they get it away from him?
SECRETARY
(a sigh, then)
Mr. Mulwray felt the public should own the
display. The water. If you'll just read the
display.
GITTES
(glances back, hums, then)
Mulwray? I thought you said Cross owned the
department.
SECRETARY
Along with Mr. Mulwray.
GITTES
They were partners.
SECRETARY
(testily)
Yes. Yes, they were partners.
She gets up, annoyed, and goes into Yelburton's inner office.
Gittes goes back to the photographs. He hears a SCRATCHING SOUND,
apparently coming from just outside the outer door.
He moves quickly to it, hesitates, swiftly opens the door. Workmen
are behind it, scraping away Mulwray's name on the outer door,
looking up at Gittes in some surprise.
The Secretary returns, sees the workman on the floor.
SECRETARY
(to Gittes)
Mr. Yelburton will see you now.
Gittes nods graciously, heads on into Yelburton's office.
INT. DWP YELBURTON & GITTES
There is a subtle but perceptible difference in Yelburton's
attitude. He's now head of the department.
YELBURTON
Mr. Gittes, sorry to keep you waiting. These
staff meetings, they just go on and on.
GITTES
Yeah, must be especially tough to take over
under these circumstances.
YELBURTON
Oh yes. Hollis was the best department head
the city's ever had. My goodness, what
happened to your nose?
GITTES
(smiles)
I cut myself shaving.
YELBURTON
You ought to be more careful. That must
really smart.
GITTES
Only when I breathe.
YELBURTON
(laughing)
Only when you breathe... don't tell me you're
still working for Mrs. Mulwray?
GITTES
I never was.
YELBURTON
(stops smiling)
I don't understand.
GITTES
Neither do I, actually. But you hired me or
you hired that chippie to hire me.
YELBURTON
Mr. Gittes, you're not making a bit of sense.
GITTES
Well, look at it this way, Mr. Yelburton.
Mulwray didn't want to build a dam and he had
a reputation that was hard to get around, so.
you decided to ruin it. Then he found out
that you were dumping water every night. Then
he was drowned.
YELBURTON
Mr. Gittes! That's an outrageous accusation.
I don't know what you're talking about.
GITTES
Well, Whitey Mehrholtz over at the Times
will. Dumping thousands of gallons of water
down the toilet in the middle of a drought.
That's news.
Gittes heads toward the door.
YELBURTON
Wait. Please sit down, Mr. Gittes. We're...
well, we're not anxious for this to get
around, but we have been diverting a little
water to irrigate avocado and walnut groves
in the northwest valley. As you know, the
farmers there have no legal right to our
water, and since the drought we've had to cut
them off. The city comes first, naturally.
But, well, we've been trying to help some of
them out, keep them from going under.
Naturally when you divert water you get a
little runoff.
GITTES
Yeah, a little runoff. Where are those
orchards?
YELBURTON
I said, the northwest valley.
GITTES
That's like saying they're in Arizona.
YELBURTON
Mr. Gittes, my field men are out and I can't
give you an exact location...
Gittes nods.
GITTES
You're a married man, am I right?
YELBURTON
Yes...
GITTES
Hard working, have a wife and kids...
YELBURTON
Yes...
GITTES
I don't want to nail you. I Just want to know
who put you up to it. I'll give you a few
days to think it over.
(hands him a card)
Call me. I can help. Who knows? Maybe we can
lay the whole thing off on a few big shots
and you can stay head of the department for
the next twenty years.
Gittes smiles, leaves an unsmiling Yelburton.
INT. GITTES OFFICE
Gittes enters, drops his hat on Sophie's desk. Sophie tries to
tell him something but Gittes goes on into his office.
EVELYN MULWRAY
Is sitting, smoking. She looks up when he enters.
EVELYN
What's your usual salary?
Gittes moves to his desk, barely breaking stride at the sight of
her.
GITTES
Thirty-five bucks daily for me, twenty for
each of my operators, plus expenses, plus my
fee if I show results.
He's sitting now. Evelyn is very pale now, obviously very shaken.
EVELYN
Whoever's behind my husband's death, why have
they gone to all this trouble?
GITTES
Money. How they plan to make it by emptying
the reservoirs that I don't know.
EVELYN
I'll pay your salary plus five thousand
dollars if you find out what happened to
Hollis and who is involved.
Gittes buzzes Sophie.
GITTES
Sophie, draw up one of our standard forms for
Mrs. Mulwray.
(he leans back; to Evelyn)
Tell me, did you get married before or after
Mulwray and your father sold the water
department?
Evelyn nearly jumps at the question.
GITTES
(continuing)
Your father is Julian Cross, isn't he?
EVELYN
Yes, of course. It was quite a while after. I
was just out of grade school when they did
that.
GITTES
So you married your father's business
partner?
Evelyn nods. She lights another cigarette.
GITTES
(continuing; staring at
her, points to the
ashtray)
You've got one going, Mrs. Mulwray.
EVELYN
Oh.
She quickly stubs one out.
GITTES
Is there something upsetting about my asking
about your father?
EVELYN
No!... Yes, a little. You see Hollis and my
fa ... my father had a falling out...
GITTES
Over the water department, or over you?
EVELYN
(quickly)
Not over me. Why would they have a falling
out over me?
GITTES
(noting her nervousness)
Then it was over the water department.
EVELYN
Not exactly. Well, I mean, yes. Yes and no.
Hollis felt the public should own the water
but I don't think my father felt that way.
Actually, it was over the Van der Lip. The
dam that broke.
GITTES
Oh, yeah?
EVELYN
Yes. He never forgave him for it.
GITTES
Never forgave him for what?
EVELYN
For talking him into building it, he never
forgave my father... They haven't spoken to
this day.
GITTES
(starts a little)
You sure shout that?
EVELYN
Of course I'm sure.
GITTES
What about you? Do you and your father get
along?
Sophie comes in with the form, cutting off Evelyn's reply. Gittes
places two copies on a coffee table in front of Evelyn.
GITTES
Sign here... The other copy's for you.
She signs it. When she looks back up, Gittes is staring intently at
her.
EVELYN
What are you thinking?
GITTES
(picking up one of copies,
folding it, putting it in
his pocket)
Before this I turned on the faucet, it came
out hot and cold, I didn't think there was a
thing to it.
INT. SEAPLANE
The engines make the small cabin vibrate. Gittes threads his way
down the tiny aisle of the eight passenger cabin, which is full of
middle-aged men in old clothes and their fishing gear. Gittes is
poked by a pole, has to move along.
One of the old men says something to him.
GITTES
(above the engines)
What?
OLD MAN
You'll have to sit with the pilot.
Gittes moves forward into the cockpit, the PILOT looks up nods for
Gittes to sit down, first moving a half eaten cheese sandwich out of
Gittes' seat.
EXT. HARBOR - SEAPLANE
Taxiing down the ramp into the sea. In a moment, it kicks up a
spray of foam and takes off.
INT. COCKPIT
The island gradually looming larger before the Pilot and Gittes.
The Pilot glances over at Gittes who, as usual, is impeccably
dressed. A contrast to the others on the plane.
PILOT
(above the engines)
Well, you're not going fishing.
Gittes shakes his head.
GITTES
Not exactly.
PILOT
(winks)
But that's what you told your wife.
The Pilot laughs raucously. Gittes laughs politely.
PILOT
Lots of fellas do. Tell the little woman
they're going on a fishing trip, then shack
up with some little twist on the island...
she pretty?
GITTES
(abruptly)
I'm going to see a man called Julian Cross.
Ever heard of him?
PILOT
Is the Pope Catholic? Who are you, mister?...
I ask because he doesn't see a whole lot of
people.
GITTES
I'm working for his daughter.
PILOT
(surprised)
That right?... She used to be some looker.
GITTES
She ain't exactly long in the tooth now.
PILOT
She must be about thirty-three, thirty-four.
GITTES
You must be thinking of a different daughter.
PILOT
No, he's only got one, I remember her age, I
read it in the newspapers when she ran away.
GITTES
She ran away?
PILOT
Oh yeah, it was a big thing at the time.
Julian Cross' daughter. God almighty. She was
a wild little thing.
He gives a sidelong glance to Gittes, a little concerned he's said
too much.
PILOT
(continuing)
Course, she settled down nicely.
GITTES
(smiling a little)
Well, you never know, do you?
PILOT
(loosening up)
That's for sure.
GITTES
Why'd she run away?
PILOT
Oh, you know. She was sixteen or seventeen.
GITTES
(nudging him)
We missed the best of it, didn't we, pal?
Both men laugh a little lewdly.
PILOT
She ran off to Mexico. Rumor was she was
knocked up and didn't even know who the
father was. Went there to get rid of it.
GITTES
You don't say?
PILOT
Cross was looking for her all over the
country. Offered rewards, everything. Felt
real sorry for him, with all his money.
ALBACORE CLUB DAY
A pleasant but unobtrusive clapboard blue and white building on the
bay overlooking the harbor. The seaplane lands. A motor launch with
a burgee of a fish flying from it turns and heads in the direction
of the plane.
EXT. WINDING ROAD RANCHO DEL CRUCE
Gittes, driven in a station wagon, passes under the sign with a
cross painted below the name.
The ranch itself is only partially in a valley on the island. As the
wagon continues one can SEE that it is actually a miniature
California, encompassing desert, mountains and canyon that tumble
down palisades to the windward side of the sea.
The wagon comes to a halt where a group of hands are clustered
around a corral. The circle of men drift apart, leaving JULIAN CROSS
standing, using a cane for support, reedy but handsome in a rough
linen shirt and jeans. When he talks his strong face is lively, in
repose it looks ravaged.
EXT. BRIDLE PATH GITTES & CROSS
Walking toward the main house. A classic Monterey. A horse led on a
halter by another ranch hand slows down and defecates in the center
of the path they are taking. Gittes doesn't notice.
CROSS
Horseshit.
Gittes pauses, not certain he has heard correctly.
GITTES
Sir?
CROSS
I said horseshit.
(pointing)
Horseshit.
GITTES
Yes, sir, that's what it looks like. I'll
give you that.
Cross pauses when they reach the dung pile. He removes his hat and
waves it, inhales deeply.
CROSS
Love the smell of it. A lot of people do but
of course they won't admit it. Look at the
shape.
Gittes glances down out of politeness.
CROSS
(continuing; smiling,
almost enthusiastic)
Always the same.
Cross walks on. Gittes follows.
GITTES
(not one to let it go)
Always?
CROSS
What? Oh, damn near yes. Unless the animal's
sick or something.
(stops and glances. back)
And the steam rising off it like that in the
morning. That's life, Mr. Gittes. Life.
They move on.
CROSS
(continuing)
Perhaps this preoccupation with horseshit may
seem a little perverse, but I ask you to
remember this. One way or another, it's what
I've dealt in all my life. Let's have
breakfast.
EXT. COURTYARD VERANDA GITTES & CROSS AT BREAKFAST
Below them is a corral where hands take Arabians, one by one, and
work them out, letting them run and literally kick up their heels.
Cross' attention is diverted by the animals from time to time. An
impeccable Mexican butler serves them their main course, broiled
fish.
CROSS
You know, you've got a nasty reputation, Mr.
Gittes. I like that.
GITTES
(dubious)
Thanks.
CROSS
If you were a bank president that would be
one thing, but in your business it's
admirable. And it's good advertising.
GITTES
It doesn't hurt.
CROSS
It's why you attract a client like my
daughter.
GITTES
Probably.
CROSS
But I'm surprised you're still working for
her, unless she's suddenly come up with
another husband.
GITTES
No. She happens to think the last one was
murdered.
Cross is visibly surprised.
CROSS
How did she get that idea?
GITTES
I think I gave it to her.
Cross nods.
CROSS
Uh-huh. Oh I hope you don't mind. I believe
they should be served with the head.
Gittes glances down at the fish whose isinglass eye is glazed over
with the heat of cooking.
GITTES
Fine, as long as you don't serve chicken that
way.
CROSS
(laughs)
Tell me. What do the police say?
GITTES
They're calling it an accident.
CROSS
Who's the investigating officer?
GITTES
Lou Escobar he's a Lieutenant.
CROSS
Do you know him?
GITTES
Oh yes.
CROSS
Where from?
GITTES
We worked in Chinatown together.
CROSS
Would you call him a capable man?
GITTES
Very.
CROSS
Honest?
GITTES
Far as it goes. Of course he has to swim in
the same water we all do.
CROSS
Of course, but you've got no reason to think
he's bungled the case?
GITTES
None.
CROSS
That's too bad.
GITTES
Too bad?
CROSS
It disturbs me, Mr. Gittes. It makes me think
you're taking my daughter for a ride.
Financially speaking, of course. How much are
you charging her?
GITTES
(carefully)
My usual fee, plus a bonus if I come up with
any results.
CROSS
Are you sleeping with her? Come, come, Mr.
Gittes. You don't have to think about that to
remember, do you?
Gittes laughs.
GITTES
If you want an answer to that question I can
always put one of my men on the job. Good
afternoon, Mr. Cross.
CROSS
Mr. Gittes! You're dealing with a disturbed
woman who's lost her husband. I don't want
her taken advantage of. Sit down.
GITTES
What for?
CROSS
You may think you know what you're dealing
with, but believe me, you don't.
This stops Gittes. He seems faintly mused by it.
CROSS
Why is that funny?
GITTES
It's what the D.A. used to tell me about
Chinatown.
CROSS
Was he right?
Gittes shrugs.
CROSS
(continuing)
... Exactly what do you know about me, Mr.
Gittes?
GITTES
Mainly that you're rich and too respectable
to want your name in the papers.
CROSS
(grunts, then)
'Course I'm respectable. I'm old.
Politicians, ugly buildings and whores all
get respectable if they last long enough.
I'll double whatever your fees are and I'll
pay you ten thousand dollars if you can find
Hollis' girlfriend.
GITTES
His girlfriend?
CROSS
Yes, his girlfriend.
GITTES
You mean the little chippie he was with at
the El Macando?
CROSS
Yes. She's disappeared, hasn't she?
GITTES
Yeah.
CROSS
Doesn't that strike you as odd?
GITTES
No. She's probably. scared to death.
CROSS
Wouldn't it be useful to talk to her?
GITTES
Maybe.
CROSS
If Mulwray was murdered, she was probably one
of the last people to see him.
GITTES
You didn't see Mulwray much, did you?
CROSS
No.
GITTES
When was the last time?
Cross starts to reply, then there's the SOUND of a MARIACHI BAND and
some men in formation clear a bluff about a hundred yards off. They
are dressed like Spanish dons on horseback. For the most part they
are fat in the saddle and pass along in disordered review to the
music.
CROSS
Sheriff's gold posse... bunch of damn fools
who pay $5,000 apiece to the sheriff's re-
election. I let 'em practice up out here.
GITTES
Yeah. Do you remember the last time you
talked to Mulwray?
Cross shakes his head.
CROSS
At my age, you tend to lose track...
GITTES
Well, It was about five days ago. You were
outside the Pig 'n Whistle and you had one
hell of an argument.
Cross looks to Gittes in some real surprise.
GITTES
(continuing)
I've got the photographs in my office. If
they'll help you remember. What was the
argument about?
CROSS
(a long pause, then:)
My daughter.
GITTES
What about her?
CROSS
Just find the girl, Mr. Gittes I think she is
frightened and I happen to know Hollis was
fond of her. I'd like to help her if I can.
GITTES
I didn't realize you and Hollis were so fond
of each other.
Cross looks hatefully at Gittes.
CROSS
Hollis Mulwray made this city and he made me
a fortune... We were a lot closer than Evelyn
realized.
GITTES
If you want to hire me, I still have to know
what you and Mulwray were arguing about.
CROSS
(painfully)
Well... she's an extremely jealous person. I
didn't want her to find out about the girl.
GITTES
How did you find out?
CROSS
I've still got a few teeth in my head, Mr.
Gittes, and a few friends in town.
GITTES
Okay. My secretary'll send you a letter of
agreement. Tell me are you worried about that
girl, or what Evelyn might do to her?
CROSS
Just find the girl.
GITTES
I'll look into it as soon as I check out some
avocado groves.
CROSS
Avocado groves?
GITTES
We'll be in touch, Mr. Cross.
INT. HALL OF RECORDS DAY
Dark and quiet except for the whirring of fans. Gittes approaches
one of the CLERKS at a desk.
GITTES
I'm a little lost. Where can I find the plat
books for the northwest valley?
The Clerk's droopy eyes widen a little.
CLERK
Part of it's in Ventura County. We don't have
Ventura County in our Hall of Records.
Which is a snotty remark. Gittes smiles.
GITTES
I'll settle for L.A. County.
CLERK
(regards him, then)
Row twenty-three, section C.
The Clerk turns away abruptly. Gittes regards his back a moment,
then goes to the stacks.
THROUGH THE STACKS
Gittes sees the Clerk turn to another, say something. The second
clerk gets on the phone. Gittes watches a moment, then swiftly turns
his attention to the stacks.
He hauls down the northwest valley volume, opens it. It's huge and
there's a lot to go through.
The print itself makes him squint.
INSERT PAGE
Showing TRACT, LOT, PARCEL, even a METES AND BOUNDS designation
where the description of the land parcel is long and hopelessly
involved e.g. '6000 paces to Rio Seco, thence 7000 paces to Loma
Linda, etc.' These Descriptions are old and faded. In the owners'
column, however there are numerous freshly typed names pasted over
the prior owners.
GITTES
Hauls the huge volume back to the Clerk's desk.
GITTES
(to Clerk)
Say... uh... sonny.
The Clerk turns sharply around.
GITTES
How come all these new names are pasted into
the plat book?
CLERK
Land sales out of escrow are always recorded
within the week.
Gittes looks a little surprised.
GITTES
Then these are all new owners?
CLERK
That's right.
GITTES
(astonished)
But that means that most of the valley's been
sold in the last few months.
CLERK
If that's what it says.
GITTES
Can I check one of these volumes out?
CLERK
(quietly snotty)
Sir, this is not a lending library, it's the
Hall of Records.
GITTES
Well, then, how about a ruler?
CLERK
A ruler?
GITTES
The print's pretty fine. I forgot my glasses.
I'd like to be able to read across.
The exasperated Clerk reaches around, rummages, slaps a ruler on the
desk.
Gittes goes back to the stacks with the ruler. He opens the book,
places the ruler not horizontally but vertically.
INSERT PLAT BOOK NORTHWEST VALLEY
Beside the OWNER column he places the ruler, looks toward the
clerks, then swiftly rips down the page, tearing out a strip about
two inches wide containing the owner's name and property
description. As he tears, he either sniffles or coughs to cover the
SOUND of the PAPER being ripped.
EXT. ROAD GITTES DRIVING DAY
Amidst a hall of shimmering dust and heat, parched and drying
groves, narrower roads.
He passes a ramshackle home, next to a rotting orchard. There is a
"SOLD" sign on the collapsing barn. Gittes stops, checks it
against the names he had taken from the Hall of Records.
OLD STUCCO BUILDINGS FURTHER ON.
And a few withered pepper trees. Gittes has paused at this dried-
up intersection. There is a "SOLD" sign on a drug store. Gittes
looks OFF SCREEN.
Coming INTO VIEW above the arid fields is a spiraling cloud of
purple smoke. Gittes heads in that direction.
Gittes parks at the edge of the field. About twenty yards away is
a man mounted on a strange machine, holding a lid off it.
Billowing lavender clouds are belching forth.
Several CHILDREN are watching the man at work.
GITTES
(to one of the Children)
Say, pal, what's he doing?
CHILD
Making some rain.
Gittes nods, walks over to the man who is elaborately busying
himself with the intricacies of his machine. He's aware of Gittes
watching him.
GITTES
Well, you're just the man I'm looking for.
The Rainmaker now glances down at Gittes, who as usual is
immaculately dressed.
GITTES
Some associates and I are thinking of buying
property out here. Of course, we're worried
about the rainfall.
The Rainmaker steps down.
RAINMAKER
No problem with me on the Job.
GITTES
Yeah.
(glancing around at the
desolate, dry field)
Do you have any references?
RAINMAKER & GITTES
RAINMAKER
City of La Habra Heights filled an 800,000
gallon reservoir with sixteen inches of rain
in two days.
GITTES
(nods)
That's swell. But how about here?
(pulling out names from
his pocket)
Ever worked for Robert Knox, Emma Dill,
Clarence Speer, Marian Parsons, or Jasper
Lamar Crabb?
RAINMAKER
Never heard of 'em... new owners?
GITTES
Yeah.
RAINMAKER
(climbing back up)
Lot of turnover these days. Better tell them
to get in touch with me if they want to hang
onto their land.
GITTES
Yeah, I'll do that.
GITTES DRIVING
Is now covered with a film of dust:
He reaches a fork in the dirt road. There are a couple of
mailboxes.
Gittes takes this fork and begins a slow ascent.
As he does, the tops of a line of bright green trees can be SEEN,
coming more and more INTO VIEW, row upon row of avocado and walnut
groves, their foliage heavy. The few structures in the distance
are white-washed, and well kept, right down to the white-washed
stones that mark the pathway to the home. Towering above it all is
a huge wooden water tank.
Gittes drives through a gate that has "NO TRESPASSING" and "KEEP
OUT PRIVATE PROPERTY" signs neatly printed on it.
He drives down the road into the grove.
GITTES
Pulls to a halt in the road flanking the orchard lanes. He puts
the car in neutral, stares at the trees. By contrast with what he
has seen they are lush and beautiful, their heavy branches barely
swaying in a light breeze.
Then a SHOTGUN BLAST abruptly strips bare the branches. of the
tree he'd been staring at.
EXT. AVOCADO GROVES DAY
Gittes is shocked. He looks behind him. Riding on horseback down
the field in the direction he had just driven is a Red-Faced Man
in overalls. His hat blows off his head. He does not, however,
lose the shotgun he has just used. Gittes' lane of retreat is
denied him. He guns the car, and takes off down one of the orchard
lanes.
MOVING WITH GITTES
The dirt lane is rough. As Gittes nears the end of it, a Younger
Man on a mule blocks the exit.
Gittes veers a sharp left, knocking a branch off one of the trees,
heading down one of the cross-lanes. Here he's pursued by a
scraggly dog that nips at the tires. Gittes yells at it.
ANGLE ON GROVE
Two farmers on foot, one using a crutch, run down the lanes toward
a dust trail rising above the trees. They've spotted it. Clearly
it's from Gittes' car.
This hide-and-seek chase between one man on horseback, one on a
mule and a couple on foot continues up and down and across the
orchard lanes until Gittes' front tire and radiator are ruptured
by another SHOTGUN BLAST.
Gittes' car veers off, scattering a stray gaggle of geese and
smacks into an avocado tree, shaking loose a barrage of the heavy
fruit onto Gittes and the car.
Gittes immediately tries to get out through the branches over the
back of his car, but he's pulled off it by one of the younger
farmers, a huge brute who he begins to tussle with. The Crippled
Farmer begins to bang Gittes on the back with his crutch. The two
of them manage to pound Gittes to the ground within moments, where
the Crippled Farmer continues to whack away at Gittes with the
crutch.
The older Red Faced Farmer with the shotgun and the Man on a mule
ride up.
RED FACED FARMER
All right, quit it! Quit now! Search the man,
see if he's armed.
Gittes is hefted half off the ground and the two younger Farmers
spin him around, going through his clothes. Gittes is badly banged
up and half out on his feet. They toss his wallet, his silver
cigarette case, etc. on the ground.
RED FACED FARMER
I said see if he's armed, not empty his
pockets.
BIG FARMER
He ain't armed.
Gittes leans against the back of his car, breathing heavily.
RED FACED FARMER
All right, mister. Who you with? Water
department or the real estate office?
Gittes' back is to the Red Faced Farmer. He has trouble catching
his breath. The Crippled Farmer pokes him rudely in the back with
his crutch. Gittes turns sharply.
GITTES
(to Crippled Farmer)
Get away from me!
CRIPPLED FARMER
Answer him!
GITTES
Touch me with that thing again and you'll
need a pair of them.
BIG FARMER
(shoving Gittes)
Whyn't you pick on somebody your own size?
RED FACED FARMER
I said cut that out! Give him a chance to say
something.
Gittes looks up at the Red Faced Farmer.
GITTES
(reaching down for his
wallet)
Name's Gittes. I'm a private investigator and
I'm not with either one.
RED FACED FARMER
Then what are you doing out here?
GITTES
Client hired me to see... whether or not the
water department's been irrigating your land.
RED FACED FARMER
Irrigating my land?
(exploding)
The water department's been sending you
people to blow up my water tanks! They threw
poison down three of my wells! I call that a
funny way to irrigate. Who'd hire you for a
thing like that?
Gittes reaches into his pocket. The paper's on the ground. He
picks it up.
GITTES
Mrs. Evelyn Mulwray.
BIG FARMER
Mulwray? That's the son of a bitch who's done
it to us.
GITTES
Mulwray's dead. You don't know what you're
talking about, you dumb Oakie.
The Big Farmer takes a swing at Gittes. Gittes kicks him squarely in
the nuts, knees him in the jaw after he's doubled up, and hits him
solidly. The Crippled Farmer takes careful aim and brings his crutch
down on the back of Gittes' head. Gittes is knocked to the ground
and lies still beside the Big Farmer who is writhing in agony in the
dirt.
RED FACED FARMER
Well, that's that.
BLACK SCREEN
There's a PURLING SOUND, which soon becomes defined into the SOUND
OF VOICES talking quietly about whether to move or not to move,
doctors, etc.
CLOSE EVELYN MULWRAY
Is staring down at Gittes who's lying in the screened in porch of
the farmers. His wife, the Red Faced Farmer, and the Big Farmer are
there, along with the dog.
The Red Faced Farmer's wife has set tea out. The farmers, all of
them, now seem awkward and a little embarrassed.
FRONT PORCH RED FACE FARMER'S HOUSE REACTION GITTES DUSK
He focuses on Evelyn who sits right next to him. He's got dried
blood down the side of his face from his nose, a huge mouse on his
cheek, and his clothes are torn in a couple of spots.
GITTES
(to Evelyn)
What's going on?
DUBOIS
(quietly, almost as if he
were in a hospital)
You didn't look too good, so we thought we
better call your employer.
Gittes nods. He checks his watch. He looks out. It's almost evening.
Gittes says nothing. The wife of the Red Faced Farmer (DUBOIS) looks
reproachfully at Dubois. Gittes feels the back of his head, It
obviously hurts him.
EXT. DUBOIS FARMHOUSE EVENING
Evelyn and Gittes go out to her car, the cream colored Packard.
Dubois accompanies them, along with the Big Farmer who is carrying a
crate of something. Gittes has cleaned himself up a little.
DUBOIS
Look here, if it's all the same with you,
we'll get your car patched up. If you'll tell
me what your trousers run you, I'll make good
on them, Mr. Gittes.
GITTES
It's okay, Mr. Dubois.
DUBOIS,
(to Evelyn)
It's just that they're after everybody out
here, tearing up our irrigation. Ditches
trying to make our land worthless so they can
pick it up for twenty-five dollars an acre.
Gittes nods.
DUBOIS
(continuing)
Anyway. Earl here is sorry, too. He wants to
give you something to take back with you.
Gittes looks. Earl has the huge crate he's holding brim-full of
avocados.
GITTES
Thanks, Earl.
INT. CAR EVELYN & GITTES DUSK
Evelyn driving.
GITTES
Thanks for coming...
Gittes pulls out cigarette case, takes one, offers one to Evelyn who
refuses.
GITTES
That dam is a con job.
EVELYN
What dam?
GITTES
The one your husband opposed. They're conning
L.A. into building it, only the water won't
go to L.A. It'll go here.
EVELYN
The Valley?
GITTES
Everything you can see, everything around us.
I was at the Hall of Records today.
(whips out papers, turns
on the car light)
That bother you?
EVELYN
No.
GITTES
(looking over papers)
In the last three months, Robert Knox has
bought 7,000 acres, Emma Dill 12,000 acres,
Clarence Speer 5,000 acres, and Jasper Lamar
Crabb 25,000 acres.
EVELYN
Jasper Lamar Crabb?
GITTES
Know him?
EVELYN
No, I think I'd remember.
GITTES
Yeah. They've been blowing these farmers out
of here and buying their land for peanuts.
Have any idea what this land'll be worth with
a steady water supply? About thirty million
more than they paid.
EVELYN
And Hollis knew about it?
GITTES
It's why he was killed. Jasper Lamar Crabb.
Jasper Lamar Crabb.
He's pulling out his wallet, excitedly now, spilling its contents
onto the seat. He pulls out the obituary column he'd folded up
earlier in the day.
GITTES
(continuing)
We got it. We got it, baby.
EVELYN
What? What is it?
GITTES
There was a memorial service at the Mar Vista
Inn today for Jasper Lamar Crabb. He died
three weeks ago.
EVELYN
Is that unusual?
GITTES
Two weeks ago he bought those 25,000 acres.
That's unusual.
EXT. MAR VISTA INN AND REST HOME NIGHT
Evelyn's car pulls up before the elegant Spanish rest home, its
entryway illuminated by streetlights. There is a small sign giving
the name of the place in elegant neon scroll. It sits on the rolling
green lawns.
Gittes gets out of the car with Evelyn. He offers her his arm and
they go up the walkway to the entrance.
INT. MAR VISTA INN AND REST HOME NIGHT
Gittes and Evelyn are approached by an unctuous man in his forties,
with a flower in his buttonhole. He sees Evelyn first.
PALMER
Hello there, I'm Mr. Palmer. Can I help you
folks?
Then he gets a clear look at Gittes, bruised, trousers torn, etc.
GITTES
Yes, I sure hope so. It's Dad.
(indicating his disheveled
appearance)
I just can't handle him anymore, can I,
sweetheart?
Evelyn shakes her head.
PALMER
Oh my goodness.
GITTES
(hastily)
Nothing to do with Dad. It's me, actually.
EVELYN
They just don't get along very well. Dad's a
lamb with anyone else.
PALMER
(not so sure)
Oh, well, I don't know.
GITTES
Naturally, I want the best for him, money is
no object.
PALMER
Perhaps if we could meet your father.
GITTES
There's just one question.
PALMER
Of course.
GITTES
Do you accept anyone of the Jewish
persuasion?
Evelyn can't quite conceal her surprise at the question.
PALMER
(very embarrassed)
I'm sorry. We don't.
GITTES
(smoothly)
Don't be sorry, neither does Dad. Wanted to
make sure though, didn't we, honey?
Evelyn stares back at Gittes, amused and appalled. She manages to
nod.
GITTES
Just to be certain, I wonder if you could
show us a list of your patients?
PALMER
(polite but pointed)
We don't reveal the names of our guests as a
matter of policy. I know you'd appreciate
that if your father came to live with us.
Gittes locks eyes with Palmer.
GITTES
(confidentially)
That's exactly what we wanted to hear.
PALMER
Oh, good.
GITTES
I wonder, is it too late for us to have a
look around?
PALMER
I don't think so. Be happy to show you.
GITTES
Would you mind if we took a stroll on our
own?
PALMER
Just, if you will, confine yourself to the
main building. It's nearly bedtime.
GITTES
We understand, c'mon, sweetheart.
He takes Evelyn.
INT. PARLOR EVELYN
Looking. Either by accident or design, the primarily octogenarian
guests have segregated themselves. In one wing, the men are playing
pinochle, some are playing dominoes, one elderly gentleman sits by
himself carefully peeling an orange.
In an adjacent parlor several white-headed ladies work on a quilt.
Gittes grabs Evelyn's hand.
GITTES
(quietly)
They're all here. Every goddam name.
Gittes points to the wall. It says "ACTIVITIES BOARD". There are
titles. "LAWN BOWLING". "BRIDGE". "FISHING". "CROQUET". Below them
are the names of the guests, entered under certain activities, for
certain days.
After Evelyn looks, she turns to Gittes.
GITTES
(continuing; indicating
the ancients around them)
You're looking at the owners of a 50,000 acre
empire.
EVELYN
(astonished)
They can't be.
GITTES
They may not know it but they are.
Gittes strolls toward the women knitting and working on the quilt.
GITTES
Hello, girls.
Two of the ladies giggle. The third continues to busy herself with
her quilt, off by herself.
GITTES
(continuing)
Which one of you is Emma Dill?
Two of them say "she is," and point in different directions. The
third gives them a curt look and goes back to her knitting. Gittes
approaches her.
GITTES
Are you Emma?
Some old voice is singing softly, "Don't Sit Under the Apple Tree."
EMMA
Yes.
GITTES
I've been wanting to meet you.
EMMA
Why?
GITTES
Did you know that you're a very wealthy
woman?
EMMA
(stitching, smiles)
I'm not.
GITTES
Well you own a lot of land.
EMMA
Not anymore. Oh, some time ago, my late
husband owned a good deal of beach property
in Long Beach, but we lost it.
Gittes looks at the quilt. In it is the head of a fish among the
rest of the crazy quilt pattern. Gittes spots it.
GITTES
That's just lovely.
EMMA
Thank you...
He looks through the quilt for other pieces of the fish, comes
across the tail and by it the initials A.C.
GITTES
(indicating tail)
Where did you get this material?
EMMA
(what it sounds like)
The apple core club.
GITTES
The apple core?
EMMA
No. The albacore. It's a fish. My grandson's
a member and they take very nice care of us.
GITTES
How do they do that?
EMMA
Give us things. Not just some old flag like
this, but -
GITTES
(kneeling)
But what?
PALMER'S VOICE
We're a sort of unofficial charity of theirs,
Mr. Gittes. Would you care to come this way?
Someone wants to see you.
Gittes looks up, sees Palmer standing in the doorway, looking taut
and a little drawn. Evelyn is beside him. She gestures as if there's
someone behind Palmer.
Gittes rises.
GITTES
See you later, Emma.
He walks toward Palmer who waits for him to walk in front.
AT THE ENTRANCE HALL MULVIHILL
Is waiting. He's got his hand in his pocket. Evelyn looks to Gittes.
The four of them stand there, Mulvihill towering over everyone.
MULVIHILL
Come on I want you to meet somebody, Gittes.
GITTES
(glancing from Palmer to
Mulvihill)
Can we leave the lady out of this?
MULVIHILL
(a little uncertain)
Yeah, why not?
GITTES
Okay, I'd like to walk her to her car.
EVELYN
I'll stay.
GITTES
(taking her by the arm)
Get in the car.
MULVIHILL
I'll see she makes it.
Mulvihill has walked up beside Gittes. He makes the mistake of
opening the glass door in the entryway, putting his back to Gittes
for a moment. Gittes swiftly pulls Mulvihill's jacket up over his
head. He spins him around. With his jacket covering his face, Gittes
hammers away at Mulvihlll, beating him against the glass door, along
the wall, mercilessly pounding his fists into the cloth until the
cloth turns red and Mulvihill begins to sink to the red tile floor.
Palmer screams. Evelyn stands there astonished. Mulvihill's gun has
clattered to the floor.
GITTES
(as Mulvihill hits the
floor, to Evelyn)
What are you waiting for? Get in the car!
Evelyn goes.
Mulvihill tries to get up again. Palmer starts to go for the gun,
nearly picking it up. Gittes slaps it out of his hand and kicks it.
It goes flying down the hall, at least thirty feet; hits the wall.
Palmer goes screaming off into the night. Gittes turns back to
Mulvihill who starts to get up, then collapses.
Gittes goes out the front door, ignoring the excited audience of
ancients behind him.
OUTSIDE
As Gittes walks down the pathway, he stops. Two men are coming
toward him. One of them is shorter, and has the nervous, jerky moves
of the man who slit his nose.
Gittes stops. The two men fan out and continue to move toward him.
Gittes spots the two-tone shoes. He begins to back up.
Suddenly there is a pair of headlights flashing brilliantly behind
the two men. In a moment Evelyn's car is headed across the lawn
directly toward the two men, accelerating as it gets near them. They
look in disbelief, then dive for safety. The car skids to a stop,
fishtailing a little on the grass.
Evelyn opens the passenger door.
EVELYN
Get in.
Gittes jumps in and she takes off across the lawn, tilting the
elegant little neon sign on the lawn as she goes. Two SHOTS ARE
FIRED.
INT. CAR EVELYN & GITTES
Evelyn looking straight ahead, driving. After a moment she takes one
hand off the wheel and rubs her left eye a little. Gittes watches
her. He smiles.
EXT. VERANDA MULWRAY HOME NIGHT
Gittes stands on the veranda, smoking a cigarette, staring off into
the night.
Evelyn comes out to the veranda, carrying a tray with whiskey and an
ice bucket on it. She sets it down. Gittes turns.
GITTES
(watching her pour)
Maid's night off?
EVELYN
Why?
GITTES
(a little surprised, he
laughs)
What do you mean, 'why?' Nobody's here,
that's all.
EVELYN
(handing Gittes his drink)
I gave everybody the night off.
GITTES
Easy, It's an innocent question.
EVELYN
No question from you is innocent, Mr. Gittes.
GITTES
(laughing)
I guess not to you, Mrs. Mulwray. Frankly you
really saved my a... my neck tonight.
They drink.
EVELYN
Tell me something. Does this usually happen
to you, Mr. Gittes?
GITTES
What's that, Mrs. Mulwray?
EVELYN
Well, I'm only judging on the basis of one
afternoon and an evening, but if that's how
you go about your work, I'd say you're lucky
to get through a whole day.
GITTES
(pouring himself another
drink)
Actually this hasn't happened to me in some
time.
EVELYN
When was the last time?
GITTES
Why?
EVELYN
Just. I don't know why. I'm asking.
Gittes touches his nose, winces a little.
GITTES
It was in Chinatown.
EVELYN
What were you doing there?
GITTES
(taking a long drink)
Working for the District Attorney.
EVELYN
Doing what?
Gittes looks sharply at her. Then:
GITTES
As little as possible.
EVELYN
The District Attorney gives his men advice
like that?
GITTES
They do in Chinatown.
She looks at him. Gittes stares off into the night.
Evelyn has poured herself another drink.
EVELYN
Bothers you to talk about it, doesn't It?
Gittes gets up.
GITTES
No. I wonder... could I. Do you have any
peroxide or something?
He touches his nose lightly.
EVELYN
Oh sure. C'mon.
She takes his hand and leads him back into the house.
INT. BATHROOM MIRROR
Gittes pulls the plaster off his nose, stares at it in the mirror.
Evelyn takes some hydrogen peroxide and some cotton out of a
medicine cabinet. Evelyn turns Gittes' head toward her. She has him
sit on the pullman tile adjacent to the sink.
EVELYN
Doctor did a nice job...
She begins to work on his nose with the peroxide. Then she sees his
cheek, checks back in his hair.
EVELYN
(continuing)
Boy oh boy, you're a mess.
GITTES
Yeah.
EVELYN
(working on him)
So why does it bother you to talk about it...
Chinatown...
GITTES
Bothers everybody who works there, but to
me... It was...
Gittes shrugs.
EVELYN
Hold still. Why?
GITTES
You can't always tell what's going on there.
EVELYN
... No. Why was it.
GITTES
I thought I was keeping someone from being
hurt and actually I ended up making sure they
were hurt.
EVELYN
Could you do anything about it?
They're very close now as she's going over a mouse very near his
eye.
GITTES
Yeah. Make sure I don't find myself in
Chinatown anymore. Wait a second.
He takes hold of her and pulls her even closer,
EVELYN
(momentarily freezing)
What's wrong?
GITTES
Your eye.
EVELYN
What about it?
GITTES
(staring intently)
There's something black in the green part of
your eye.
EVELYN
(not moving)
Oh that... It's a flaw in the iris...
GITTES
... A flaw...
EVELYN
(she almost shivers)
... Yes, sort of a birthmark...
Gittes kisses her lightly, gradually rises until he's standing
holding her. She hesitates, then wraps her arms around him.
INT. MULWRAY BEDROOM TELEPHONE
On a nightstand, city lights visible through the open window behind
it. It is RINGING. Evelyn's arm reaches INTO SHOT. SOUND of
something hitting the headboard. Gittes moans.
VIEW SHIFTS TO INCLUDE Gittes in bed, holding his head, which he's
just hit. Evelyn pauses in her reach to the phone. She turns to him,
whispers, "I'm sorry," kisses him on the head and lips. PHONE
CONTINUES TO RING. She picks it up.
EVELYN
Hello...
(in Spanish now)
No, no, I'll come and help, just keep
watching her and don't do anything until I
get there... 'bye.
VIEW SHIFTS AGAIN TO INCLUDE Gittes in bed, watching Evelyn next to
him as she's talking on the phone. She hangs up. She touches Gittes'
cheek lightly.
EVELYN
I have to go.
Gittes stares at her silently.
GITTES
Where?
EVELYN
Just... I have to.
GITTES
And I want to know where.
EVELYN
(she starts out of bed)
Please don't be angry... believe me, it's got
nothing to do with you.
GITTES
(stopping her)
Where are you going?
EVELYN
(near tears)
Please!... Trust me this much...
(she kisses him lightly)
I'll be back. Look, there is something I
should tell you. The fishing club that old
lady mentioned, the pieces off the flag.
GITTES
The Albacore Club.
EVELYN
It has to do with my father.
GITTES
I know.
EVELYN
He owns it. You know?
GITTES
I saw him.
EVELYN
(sitting up straight)
You saw my fa... father? When?
GITTES
This morning.
EVELYN
(panicked)
You didn't tell me.
GITTES
There hasn't been a lot of time.
She leaps out of bed, throwing on a robe.
EVELYN
What did he say?
(insistent)
What did he say?
GITTES
That you were jealous, and he was worried
about what you might do.
EVELYN
Do? To who?
GITTES
Mulwray's girlfriend, for one thing. He
wanted to know where she was.
Evelyn starts quickly for the bathroom, then comes back and kneels
by the side of the bed, takes Gittes' hand.
EVELYN
I want you to listen to me. My father is a
very dangerous man. You don't know how
dangerous. You don't know how crazy.
GITTES
Give me an example.
EVELYN
You may think you know what's going on, but
you don't.
GITTES
That's what your father said. You're telling
me he's in back of this whole thing?
EVELYN
It's possible.
GITTES
Including the death of your husband?
EVELYN
It's possible. Please don't ask me any more
questions now. Just wait, wait for me. I'll
be back. I need you here.
She kisses him, rushes to the bathroom, shuts the door. Gittes
stares at it a moment. Then leaps out of bed, rummages around,
tosses on his trousers. He grabs his shoes, throws them on. Then
hurries out of the bedroom.
EXT. MULWRAY HOME GITTES
Running across the driveway to the garage. There are two cars there.
Mulwray's Buick and Evelyn's Packard.
Gittes moves over to the Buick, opens the passenger's door.
INT. BUICK - GITTES
Checks the ignition. No key is in it. He pulls a couple of wires
from under the dash, starts to mess with them, seems satisfied.
Slides out across the seat, slams the door.
EXT. MULWRAY DRIVEWAY NIGHT
Gittes hurries over to the Packard. He gets down on the driveway,
lying on his back, bracing himself. With the heel of his shoe, he
kicks at the right rear taillight of the car. He shatters the red
lens, gets up. He carefully pulls the red lens off the taillight,
exposing the white light beneath it. He tosses the red lens into the
shrubbery and hurries back toward the house.
ONE RED AND ONE WHITE TAILLIGHT MOVING NIGHT
Evelyn's car speeds along the curves on Sunset Boulevard, the red
and white lights coming IN AND OUT OF VIEW.
GITTES DRIVING NIGHT
Behind the wheel of Mulwray's car, keeping a healthy distance from
Evelyn in front of him.
EVELYN'S PACKARD
Pulls up before a small little bungalow house. She gets out, looks
up and down the street. There is nothing. She hurries on up the
walkway to the front door.
DOWN THE STREET GITTES IN BUICK
Idles the engine with the lights off. He brings the car a few yards
further down the street, parking it near Evelyn's.
Gittes gets out of the car and goes up the walkway. The curtains are
drawn except for one of the small windows on the side of the house.
He goes to it and looks, balancing on the edge of the porch.
THROUGH THE WINDOW
Gittes sees Evelyn's Oriental servant rush through the living room
of the small house. In a moment he re-emerges back through the
living room carrying a tray with a glass and pitcher on it.
GITTES
Around to the side of the house. He runs into shrubbery and a short
picket fence.
He climbs over it, follows along the stucco wall to a series of
windows at the corner of the house. These all have shades on them.
He can hear someone crying in the house. Someone else talking
alternately firmly and plaintively in Spanish. Here the windows have
blinds. He moves to one where the blind is not completely drawn.
There's an inch or so of space at the bottom.
THROUGH THE WINDOW
Gittes can see the servant again. Evelyn is pacing back and forth in
and out of his line of vision. After a moment someone rises INTO
SHOT, obviously from lying on a bed. The figure is just a few feet
from Evelyn. Her tear-stained face comes INTO VIEW. It is
unmistakably the girl Gittes had last seen with Hollis Mulwray.
Mulwray's girlfriend. She's looking up to Evelyn, speaking in
Spanish. Her words are not discernible but the tone is bitter,
anguished. A newspaper is strewn about the room.
Evelyn kneels. She insists that the girl swallow down some pills.
The girl reluctantly does.
GITTES
Continues to watch.
EXT. STREET EVELYN NIGHT
Emerges from the house, goes to her car and gets in.
INT. CAR
Evelyn sees Gittes sitting in her car, staring coldly at her.
GITTES
Okay, give me the keys.
EVELYN
(stunned, furious)
You bastard.
GITTES
It's either that or you drive to the police
yourself.
EVELYN
The police?
GITTES
C'mon, Mrs. Mulwray. You've got your
husband's girlfriend tied up in there!
EVELYN
She's not tied up!
GITTES
You know what I mean. You're keeping her
there against her will.
EVELYN
I am not!
GITTES
Then let's go talk to her.
Gittes starts to get out of the car. Evelyn grabs his arm, nearly
screaming:
EVELYN
No!
Her intensity actually rips Gittes' already partially torn jacket.
He looks at it and her. It seems to have a momentary calming effect
on both of them.
EVELYN
(continuing)
She's too upset.
GITTES
What about?
EVELYN
Hollis' death. I tried to keep it from her, I
didn't want her upset before I could make
plans for her to leave.
GITTES
You mean she just found out?
EVELYN
Yes.
GITTES
That's not what it looks like, Mrs. Mulwray.
EVELYN
What does it look like?
GITTES
Like she knows about Hollis' death. Like she
knows more than you want her to tell.
EVELYN
You're insane.
Gittes explodes.
GITTES
Just tell me the truth. I'm not the police. I
don't care what you've done. I'm not going to
hurt you, but one way or another I'm going to
know.
EVELYN
You won't go to the police if I tell you?
GITTES
I will if you don't.
A long pause. Evelyn's head sinks onto the steering wheel, her
hair covering her face.
EVELYN
She's my sister.
Evelyn is breathing very deeply now. Not crying, but the kind of
deep breathing that comes from real hysteria. Gittes puts an arm on
her shoulder.
GITTES
Take it easy... If it's your sister it's your
sister... why all the secrecy?
She lifts her head and looks up at him. He's genuinely puzzled.
EVELYN
(really upset)
I can't...
GITTES
Because of Hollis? Because she was seeing
your husband? Was that it? Jesus Christ, say
something. Was that it?
She nods. Gittes sighs.
EVELYN
(finally)
I would never ever have harmed Hollis. I
loved him more than my own family. He was the
most gentle, decent man imaginable... and he
put up with more from me than you'll ever
know... I just wanted him to be happy...
She begins to cry softly.
GITTES
(after a moment)
I took your husband's Buick...
(he opens the car door)
I'll return it tomorrow.
EVELYN
Aren't you coming back with me?
GITTES
Don't worry. I'm not telling anybody about
this.
EVELYN
... That's not what I meant.
There is a long moment of silence. Gittes looks over to Evelyn. Her
hair covers most of her face from him.
GITTES
(finally)
Yeah, well... I'm very tired, Mrs. Mulwray.
Good night.
He gets out and slams the car door. She drives off.
INT. SHOWER GITTES' APARTMENT GITTES
The spray is hitting him full on the top of the head. Gittes is so
exhausted he's literally holding onto the nozzle as the water pours
down. He shuts the shower off, reaches weakly for a towel, dabs his
nose lightly with it.
INT. GITTES' BEDROOM GITTES
Pads around in elegant silk pajamas.
He walks over to the window where morning light is streaming in. He
closes the curtains, collapses on the bed, on top of the covers,
inert. Almost immediately the PHONE RINGS. Gittes lets it go on for
a moment, then picks it up without saying anything.
VOICE ON PHONE
(male)
Gittes?... Gittes?
GITTES
Yeah.
VOICE ON PHONE
Ida Sessions wants to see you.
GITTES
Who?
VOICE 0N PHONE
Ida Sessions, you remember Ida.
Gittes slowly rises to one elbow.
GITTES
Yeah?... I do?
VOICE ON PHONE
Sure you do.
GITTES
Well, tell you what, pal. If Ida wants to see
me she can call me at my office.
He hangs up, falls back down. PHONE RINGS AGAIN. AND AGAIN. Gittes
swears, picks it up.
VOICE ON PHONE
684 1/2 East Tensington. Echo Park. She
begged me to call. She's waiting for you.
Before Gittes can say anything, the phone clicks dead.
EXT. CERRITOS TOWER ROAD HOLLYWOOD HILLS EARLY MORNING
Gittes pulls up. It is a bungalow courtyard with a very narrow
walkway and sickly green stucco.
EXT. IDA SESSIONS' APARTMENT DAY
Gittes at the front door. It's slightly ajar. He knocks. Nothing. He
opens it and enters.
INT. LIVING ROOM
Morning light filters through the half-open blinds. Dust particles
in the shafts of light. It's still and empty. Gittes sees something
down the hall, under the legs of a telephone table. Gittes moves
toward it. It is grotesque. When he gets closer he can see it's a
wilted head of lettuce. Just inside the kitchen some radishes and
onions lie on the linoleum. Gittes walks on into the kitchen.
INT. KITCHEN
Clearing the kitchen counter, Gittes sees IDA SESSIONS lying on her
back on the floor, surrounded by the groceries from a broken bag.
Ice cream has melted around her. Her eyes are open, a stream of ants
is moving across the ice cream and into her mouth. She's
recognizable as the woman who posed as Evelyn Mulwray.
Gittes kneels over her. He gingerly opens her handbag, fishes for
its contents, takes them and looks at them on the kitchen counter.
Wallet with a few bills in it, driver's license with her name. A
Screen Actors Guild card. Gittes nods, turns, carefully replaces the
items in the purse.
He idly opens the broom closet, pantry, and even Frigidaire, which
is all but empty. Then he steps over her body and moves across the
hall to a door that is slightly ajar.
INT. BATHROOM
Gittes enters and turns on the light.
ESCOBAR
Find anything interesting, Gittes?
Escobar and another PLAINCLOTHED MAN stand in the bathroom by the
entrance to the bedroom door. Gittes turns around. A THIRD MAN is
now coming down the hall from the bedroom.
Gittes looks at the two, doesn't reply.
ESCOBAR
What are you doing here?
GITTES
Didn't you call?
ESCOBAR
(jerk of his head toward
the kitchen)
How do you happen to know her?
GITTES
I don't.
ESCOBAR
(turning toward other
room)
Let me show you something.
INT. KITCHEN
Escobar points to the number "MU 7279" on the side of one of the
kitchen cabinets.
ESCOBAR
Isn't that your number?
GITTES
Is it? I forget. I don't call myself that
often.
ESCOBAR
Just to be on the safe side, we had Loach
here give you a ring.
He indicates one of his assistants.
ESCOBAR'S ASSISTANT
(a slight sneer)
What happened to your nose, Gittes? Somebody
slam a bedroom window on it?
GITTES
(right back, smiling)
Nope, your wife got excited, crossed her legs
a little too quick. You understand, pal.
The Assistant starts to move for Gittes who is ready for him.
Escobar steps between the two.
ESCOBAR
(to other Assistant)
Loach.
(Escobar pulls out a
drawer)
How about these? Look familiar?
In the open drawer are the photos of Mulwray and the girl in the
park, boat, and at the El Macando on the veranda.
GITTES
(no point in denying it)
Yeah, I took 'em. So what?
ESCOBAR
How did she...
(meaning the corpse)
...happen to have them?
Gittes takes a deep breath.
GITTES
Either you tell me or I guess 'cause I don't
have the answer.
Escobar nods.
ESCOBAR
You really think I'm stupid, don't you,
Gittes?
GITTES
I don't think about it one way or the other.
But if you want, give me a day or two, and
I'll get back to you. Now I'd like to go
home.
ESCOBAR
I want the rest of the pictures.
GITTES
What pictures?
ESCOBAR
(meaning the corpse)
This broad hired you, Gittes, not Evelyn
Mulwray.
GITTES
Yeah?
ESCOBAR
Yeah. Somebody wanted to shake down Mulwray,
she hired you, and that's how you happen to
know Mulwray was murdered.
GITTES
I heard it was an accident.
ESCOBAR
C'mon, you think you're dealing with a bunch
of assholes? Mulwray had salt water in his
goddam lungs! Now how did he get that... in a
fresh water reservoir?
Gittes is surprised at this piece of information, but remains
nonplussed.
ESCOBAR
You were following him night and day You saw
who killed him. You even took pictures of it.
It was Evelyn Mulwray. She's been paying you
off like a slot machine ever since her
husband died.
GITTES
(smiling)
You accusing me of extortion?
ESCOBAR
Absolutely.
GITTES
I don't think I need a day or two. You're
even dumber than you think I think you are.
Not only that, I'd never extort a nickel out
of my worst enemy, that's where I draw the
line, Escobar.
ESCOBAR
Yeah, I once knew a whore who for enough
money would piss in a customer's face, but
she'd never shit on his chest. That's where
she drew the line.
GITTES
(smiling)
Well, I hope she wasn't too much of a
disappointment to you, Lou.
Escobar manages a thin smile.
ESCOBAR
I want those photographs, Gittes. We're
talking about accessory after the fact,
conspiracy, and extortion. Minimum.
GITTES
Why do you think Mulwray's body was moved you
dimwit? Evelyn Mulwray knocked off her
husband in the ocean and thought it would
look like more of an accident if she hauled
him up to the Oak Pass Reservoir?
This is a little telling.
GITTES
(continuing)
Mulwray was murdered and moved because
somebody didn't want his body found in the
ocean.
ESCOBAR
And why's that?
GITTES
He found out somebody was dumping water
there. That's what they were trying to cover
up by moving him.
This stops Escobar. He's dumbfounded by it.
ESCOBAR
What are you talking about?
GITTES
C'mon I'll show you.
Escobar hesitates.
GITTES
(continuing)
C'mon make a decision, Lou. You're in charge.
The men around Escobar look to him. Escobar grudgingly nods.
CLOSE SHOT STORM DRAIN
It yawns AT CAMERA, only a trickle of water dropping into the ocean.
VIEW WIDENS TO INCLUDE Escobar, Gittes, and two Plain clothesmen,
standing and staring at the empty pipe as if they expect it to talk.
GITTES
(squinting in sunlight)
It's too late.
ESCOBAR
Too late for what?
GITTES
They only dump the water at night.
A THIRD ASSISTANT runs down the side of the cliff and Over to
Escobar.
ESCOBAR
Reach anybody?
THIRD ASSISTANT
Yelburton, he's the new chief.
ESCOBAR
I know who he is. Well?
THIRD ASSISTANT
He says -
GITTES
I know what he says.
ESCOBAR
(to Gittes)
Shut up.
(to Assistant)
Go on.
THIRD ASSISTANT
Yelburton says they're irrigating in the
valley. There's always a little runoff when
they do that. And he says is Gittes knows
that, and has been going around making
irresponsible accusations for the last week.
Escobar turns to Gittes. Stares at him for a long moment.
ONE OF ASSISTANTS
Let's swear out a warrant for her arrest.
What are we waiting for?
GITTES
(meaning Escobar)
Because he just made lieutenant, and he wants
to hang onto his little gold bar.
Escobar stares hatefully at Gittes.
ESCOBAR
Have your client in my office in two hours
and remember. I don't have to let you go.
I've got you for withholding evidence right
now.
EXT. MULWRAY HOME DAY
Gittes in Mulwray's Buick whips into the driveway. He looks in the
garage. Evelyn's car is gone. Only the Gardener's truck is there.
Gittes hurries along the pathway and up to the house. He rings the
doorbell. Scarcely waiting for an answer he tries it. It's locked.
He reaches into his pocket pulls out his cigarette case, takes a
pick out of the side and starts to fool with the lock.
The Maid opens the door abruptly, stares in some surprise at Gittes.
GITTES
Where's Mrs. Mulwray?
MAID
No esta.
Gittes looks past the Maid to the center of the living room where
luggage is packed and neatly piled.
The Maid is actually in the process of throwing covers over the
furniture.
GITTES
(indicating luggage)
Is Mrs. Mulwray going someplace?...
(no answer)
on a trip?... vacation?...
MAID
No esta in casa.
Gittes nods. He continues through the house and out back to the
veranda.
EXT. MULWRAY VERANDA GITTES
Is unsettled. Sees the Gardener working by the pond. He wanders a
few yards in that direction.
GARDENER
Spots Gittes, half-bows, nods and smiles.
GITTES
In turn, nods, smiles.
GITTES
Bad for glass.
GARDENER
Breaks into a big grin. Nods again.
GARDENER
Oh yes, bad for glass.
He points to the newly mown lawn.
GARDENER
(continuing)
Salt water velly bad for glass.
GITTES
Can't quite believe what he's heard,
GITTES
Salt water?
The Gardener nods vigorously. Points to the pond.
GARDENER
Velly velly bad.
Gittes has moved to the pond. He kneels. Clinging to the edge of it
he can now see as he could have before if he'd looked closely, a
starfish.
CLOSE STARFISH
It has one leg missing. The fifth point on the star is Just
beginning to grow back.
GITTES
Touches the water, tastes it. He licks his lips, then spots
something glinting in the bottom of the pond.
GITTES
What's that... down there?
The Gardener peers into the pond.
GITTES
(continuing)
... there.
The Gardener spots it. He rolls up his trousers, gets in the pond,
and reaches into the bottom, his chin actually touching the water.
He misses the object, which seems to scoot away like an animal. Then
he grasps it. He lifts it out of the water and holds a pair of eye
glasses, rimless, bent, his finger poking through the frame where
one lens is shattered.
The Gardener seems surprised. Gittes looks at the glasses. They are
heavily bifocal and reflect the sun.
INT. MULWRAY HOME
Gittes holds the phone to his ear. On the telephone table, lying on
his handkerchief are the glasses.
The Maid hovers around over Gittes' shoulder, uneasily watching him.
CROSS' VOICE
Hello.
GITTES
Have you got your checkbook handy, Mr. Cross?
I've got the girl.
CROSS' VOICE
You've got her? Where?
GITTES
Do you remember the figures we discussed?
CROSS' VOICE
Of course I do. Where are you?
GITTES
At your daughter's house. How soon can you
get here?
CROSS' VOICE
Two hours... tell me, will Evelyn be there as
well?
GITTES
Either that or she'll be in jail.
CROSS' VOICE
What are you talking about?
GITTES
Just bring your checkbook.
Gittes hangs up.
EXT. BUNGALOW HOUSE ADELAIDE DRIVE
Gittes pulls up in Mulwray's Buick. He hurries to the front door,
pounds on it.
The Chinese servant answers the door.
CHINESE SERVANT
You wait.
GITTES
(short sentence in
Chinese)
You wait.
Gittes pushes past him. Evelyn, looking a little worn but glad to
see him hurries to the door. She takes Gittes' arm.
EVELYN
How are you? I was calling you.
She looks at him, searching his face.
GITTES
Yeah?
They move into the living room. Gittes is looking around it.
EVELYN
Did you get some sleep?
GITTES
Sure.
EVELYN
Did you have lunch? Kyo will fix you
something.
GITTES
(abruptly)
Where's the girl?
EVELYN
Upstairs. Why?
GITTES
I want to see her.
EVELYN
... she's having a bath now... why do you
want to see her?
Gittes continues to look around. He sees clothes laid out for
packing in a bedroom off the living room.
GITTES
Going somewhere?
EVELYN
Yes, we've got a 4:30 train to catch. Why?
Gittes doesn't answer. He goes to the phone and dials.
GITTES
J. J. Gittes for Lieutenant Escobar
EVELYN
What are you doing? What's wrong? I told you
we've got a 4:30.
GITTES
(cutting her off)
You're going to miss your train!
(then, into phone)
Lou, meet me at 1412 Adelaide. It's above
Santa Monica Canyon... yeah, soon as you can.
EVELYN
What did you do that for?
GITTES
(a moment, then)
You know any good criminal lawyers?
EVELYN
(puzzled)
No...
GITTES
Don't worry. I can recommend a couple.
They're expensive but you can afford it.
EVELYN
(evenly but with great
anger)
What the hell is this all about?
Gittes looks at her, then takes the handkerchief out of his breast
pocket. Unfolds it on a coffee table, revealing the bifocal glasses,
one lens still intact. Evelyn stares dumbly at them.
GITTES
I found these in your backyard... in your
fish pond. They belonged to your husband,
didn't they?... didn't they?
EVELYN
I don't know. I mean yes, probably.
GITTES
Yes positively. That's where he was
drowned...
EVELYN
What are you saying?
GITTES
There's no time for you to be shocked by the
truth, Mrs. Mulwray. The coroner's report
proves he was killed in salt water. Just take
my word for it. Now I want to know how it
happened and why. I want to know before
Escobar gets here because I want to hang onto
my license.
EVELYN
I don't know what you're talking about. This
is the most insane... the craziest thing I
ever...
Gittes has been in a state of near frenzy himself. gets up, shakes
her.
GITTES
Stop it! I'll make it easy. You were jealous,
you fought, he fell, hit his head. It was an
accident, but his girl is a witness. You've
had to pay her off. You don't have the
stomach to harm her, but you've got the money
to shut her up. Yes or no?
EVELYN
... no...
GITTES
Who is she? And don't give me that crap about
it being your sister. You don't have a
sister.
Evelyn is trembling.
EVELYN
I'll tell you the truth...
Gittes smiles.
GITTES
That's good. Now what's her name?
EVELYN
Katherine.
GITTES
Katherine?... Katherine who?
EVELYN
She's my daughter.
Gittes stares at her. He's been charged with anger and when Evelyn
says this it explodes. He hits her full in the face. Evelyn stares
back at him. The blow has forced tears from her eyes, but she makes
no move, not even to defend herself.
GITTES
I said the truth!
EVELYN
She's my sister.
Gittes slaps her again.
EVELYN
(continuing)
She's my daughter.
Gittes slaps her again.
EVELYN
(continuing)
My sister.
He hits her again.
EVELYN
(continuing)
My daughter, my sister.
He belts her finally, knocking her into a cheap Chinese vase which
shatters and she collapses on the sofa, sobbing.
GITTES
I said I want the truth.
EVELYN
(almost screaming it)
She's my sister and my daughter!
Kyo comes running down the stairs.
EVELYN
(continuing; in Chinese)
For God's sake, Kyo, keep her upstairs, go
back!
Kyo turns after staring at Gittes for a moment then goes back
upstairs.
EVELYN
(continuing)
My father and I, understand, or is it too
tough for you?
Gittes doesn't answer.
EVELYN
(continuing)
... he had a breakdown... the dam broke... my
mother died... he became a little boy... I
was fifteen... he'd ask me what to eat for
breakfast, what clothes to wear!... It
happened... then I ran away...
GITTES
To Mexico...
She nods.
EVELYN
Hollis came and took... care of me... after
she was born... he said... he took care of
her... I couldn't see her... I wanted to but
I couldn't... I just want to see her once in
a while... take care of her... that's all...
but I don't want her to know... I don't want
her to know...
GITTES.
... so that's why you hate him...
Evelyn looks slowly up at Gittes.
EVELYN
No... for turning his back on me after it
happened! He couldn't face it...
(weeping)
I hate him.
Gittes suddenly feels the need to loosen his tie.
GITTES
Yeah... where are you taking her now?
EVELYN
Back to Mexico.
GITTES
You can't go by train. Escobar'll be looking
for you everywhere.
EVELYN
How about a plane?
GITTES
That's worse... Just get out of here. Walk
out, leave everything.
EVELYN
I have to go home and get my things.
GITTES
I'll take care of it.
EVELYN
Where can we go?
GITTES
... where does Kyo live?
EVELYN
With us.
GITTES
On his day off. Get the exact address.
EVELYN
Okay...
She stops suddenly.
EVELYN
Those didn't belong to Hollis.
For a moment Gittes doesn't know what she's talking about. Then he
follows her gaze to the glasses lying on his handkerchief.
GITTES
How do you know?
EVELYN
He didn't wear bifocals.
Gittes picks up the glasses, stares at the lens, is momentarily lost
in them.
EVELYN
From the stairs. She has her arm around Katherine.
EVELYN
Say hello to Mr. Gittes, sweetheart.
KATHERINE
(from the stairs)
Hello.
GITTES
Rises a little shakily from the arm of the sofa.
GITTES
Hello.
With her arm around the girl, talking in Spanish, Evelyn hurries her
toward the bedroom. In a moment she re-emerges.
EVELYN
(calling down)
He lives at 1712 Alameda... do you know where
that is?
REACTION GITTES
He nods slowly.
GITTES
Sure. It's Chinatown.
THRU WINDOW
Of bungalow Gittes watches Evelyn, the girl and Kyo head for Kyo's
black dusty sedan.
Gittes drops the curtain, heads swiftly to the phone. He dials.
GITTES
Sophie... is Walsh there?... yeah, listen,
pal, Escobar's going to try and book me in
about five minutes... relax, I'll tell you.
Wait in the office for two hours. If you
don't hear from me, you and Duffy meet me at
1712 Alameda.
WALSH'S VOICE
Jesus, that's in Chinatown, ain't it?
The front BELL RINGS.
GITTES
I know where it is! Just do it.
Gittes hangs up and goes to the door. He opens it. No one is there.
GITTES
(not even bothering to
look around the sides)
Come on in, Lou. We're both too late.
Escobar and his minions appear from either side of the door.
GITTES
(continuing)
Looks like she flew the coop.
Escobar nods.
ESCOBAR
I don't suppose you got any idea Where she
went?
GITTES
Matter of fact I do.
ESCOBAR
Where?
GITTES
Her maid's house. I think she knows
something's up.
ESCOBAR
What's the maid's address?
GITTES
She lives in Pedro. I'll write it down for
you.
ESCOBAR
No, Gittes, you'll show us.
GITTES
What for?
ESCOBAR
If she's not there, you're going downtown,
and you're staying there til she shows up.
GITTES
(deliberately petulant)
Gee, Lou, I'm doing the best I can.
ESCOBAR
(shoving him toward the
door)
Tell us about it on the way to Pedro.
EXT. SAN PEDRO 29TH STREET DAY
A steep hill overlooks part of the harbor. Escobar's unmarked car
pulls up to a stop in front of a Spanish duplex perched on the steep
hillside.
ESCOBAR
That's it?
GITTES
Yeah.
ESCOBAR
Well, let's go.
GITTES
Do me a favor, will you, Lou?
Escobar waits.
GITTES
(continuing)
Let me bring her down myself... she's not
armed or nothing... she won't be any
problem... I'd just like a minute alone with
her... It would mean something... to...
her... and to me.
Escobar shakes his head. For a moment it looks like it means no.
ESCOBAR
You never learn, do you, Gittes?
GITTES
(a little chagrined)
I guess not.
ESCOBAR
Give you three minutes.
GITTES
Gee, thanks, Lou.
Gittes gets out of the car, glances around, goes up the stairs. He
looks back down at Escobar. Gittes rings the bell. He waits. It
opens. It's a WOMAN who's not recognizable. She's got the remnants
of a black eye.
WOMAN
Yes?...
Gittes looks past her to Curly, the fisherman from the first scene.
He's seated at the dinner table with his father, his mother, and his
children. Curly looks up in surprise.
CURLY
(happily)
Mr. Gittes! Come in, come in.
Gittes enters and closes the door. Curly rises and comes over to
him, greets him happily.
CURLY
Gee, this is a surprise, Mr. Gittes.
GITTES
Call me Jake. How is everything?
CURLY
Just sitting down to supper, Jake. Care to
join us?
GITTES
No thanks.
CURLY
How about a glass of wine? Honey, this is.
WIFE
(coolly)
Yes, I know.
GITTES
Thanks just the same, Curly. I could use a
glass of water, though. Come out with me to
the kitchen for a second.
CURLY
(puzzled)
Sure thing.
INT. KITCHEN GITTES AND CURLY
GITTES
Curly, where's your car?
CURLY
In the garage.
GITTES
Where's that?
CURLY
Off the alley.
GITTES
Could you drive me somewhere?
CURLY
Sure, as soon as we eat.
GITTES
Right now, Curly. It can't wait.
CURLY
I'll just tell my wife.
GITTES
(pulling him out the back
door)
Tell her later.
They head out the back door and down the steps toward the garage.
EXT. ALLEY AND GARAGE
Curly pulls open the garage door. Gets in, starts the car, backs it
out. It's an old, late twenties Plymouth Sedan. Gittes hops in. They
take off. At the edge of the alley Gittes looks back.
POV FROM CURLY'S CAR
Escobar is getting out of his car, moving towards the duplex. Gittes
slips down in the seat.
GITTES' VOICE
Just drive slow for a block or two, will you,
Curly?
CURLY'S VOICE
What's this all about?
GITTES' VOICE
Tell you in a couple of blocks.
INT. SEDAN GITTES AND CURLY
GITTES
How much do you owe me, Curly?
CURLY
(embarrassed)
Oh, gee, Mr. Gittes we're going out tomorrow.
I know you been real good about it but my
cousin Auggie's sick.
GITTES
Forget it. How would you like to pay me off
by taking a couple of passengers to
Ensenada... you'd have to leave tonight.
CURLY
I don't know...
GITTES
I might be able to squeeze an extra seventy-
five bucks out of it for you. Maybe an even
hundred.
CURLY
Plus what I owe you?
GITTES
I'll throw that in too.
CURLY
(smiling)
Okay, you got yourself a boat.
EXT. MULWRAY HOME GITTES AND CURLY
Carry bags out to Curly's car. Curly opens the door for the Maid.
She gets in. He turns to Gittes.
GITTES
Tell Mrs. Mulwray to wait for half an hour
after you get there. Then if I don't show,
take her down to the boat.
CURLY
(a little worried)
You sure this is okay?
GITTES
(mildly indignant)
Curly, you know how long I been in business.
Curly nods, reassured. He gets in and takes off.
EXT. MULWRAY HOME DUSK
By the pond, cigarette smoke drifts INTO SHOT. A car pulls up. In a
moment Cross can be SEEN, looking TOWARD CAMERA.
CROSS
There you are.
He walks toward Gittes who stands by the pond, smoking.
CROSS
(continuing)
Well, you don't look any the worse for wear,
Mr. Gittes, I must say... where's the
girl?...
GITTES
I've got her.
CROSS
Is she all right?
GITTES
She's fine.
CROSS
Where is she?
GITTES
With her mother.
Cross' tone alters here.
CROSS
... with her mother?
Gittes pulls something out of his pocket and unfolds it.
GITTES
I'd like you to look at something, Mr. Cross.
CROSS
(taking it)
What is it?
GITTES
An obituary column... can you read in this
light?
CROSS
Yes... I think I can manage...
Cross dips into his coat pocket and pulls out a pair of rimless
glasses.. He puts them on, reads.
GITTES
Stares at the bifocal lenses as Cross continues to look through the
obituary column. He looks up.
CROSS
What does this mean?
GITTES
That you killed Hollis Mulwray.
Gittes is holding the bifocals with the broken lens now.
GITTES
(continuing)
Right here, in this pond. You drowned him...
and you left these.
Cross looks at the glasses.
GITTES
... the coroner's report showed Mulwray had
salt water in his lungs.
CROSS
(finally)
Hollie was always fond of tide-pools. You
know what he used to say about them?
GITTES
Haven't the faintest idea.
CROSS
That's where life begins... marshes, sloughs,
tide-pools... he was fascinated by them...
you know when we first came out here he
figured that if you dumped water onto desert
sand it would percolate down into the bedrock
and stay there, instead of evaporating the
way it does in most reservoirs. You'd lose
only twenty percent instead of seventy or
eighty. He made this city.
GITTES
And that's what you were going to do in the
Valley?
EXT. POND CROSS AND GITTES
CROSS
(after a long moment)
No, Mr. Gittes. That's what I am doing with
the Valley. The bond issue passes Tuesday.
There'll be ten million to build an aqueduct
and reservoir. I'm doing it.
GITTES
There's going to be some irate citizens when
they find out they're paying for water
they're not getting.
CROSS
That's all taken care of. You see, Mr.
Gittes. Either you bring the water to L.A. or
you bring L.A. to the water.
GITTES
How do you do that?
CROSS
Just incorporate the Valley into the city so
the water goes to L.A. after all. It's very
simple.
Gittes nods.
GITTES
(then)
How much are you worth?
CROSS
(shrugs, then)
I have no idea. How much do you want?
GITTES
I want to know what you're worth. Over ten
million?
CROSS
Oh, my, yes.
GITTES
Then why are you doing it? How much better
can you eat? What can you buy that you can't
already afford?
CROSS
(a long moment, then:)
The future, Mr. Gittes. The future. Now
where's the girl?... I want the only daughter
I have left... as you found out, Evelyn was
lost to me a long time ago.
GITTES
(with sarcasm)
Who do you blame for that? Her?
Cross makes a funny little cock of his head.
CROSS
I don't blame myself. You see, Mr. Gittes,
most people never have to face the fact that
at the right time and right place, they're
capable of anything. Take those glasses from
him, will you, Claude?
Mulvihill moves INTO VIEW. Extends his hand for the glasses. Gittes
doesn't move.
CROSS
(continuing)
It's not worth it, Mr. Gittes. It's really
not worth it.
Gittes hands over the glasses.
CROSS
(continuing)
Take us to the girl. Either Evelyn allows me
to see her, or I'm not averse to seeing
Evelyn in jail. If I have to buy the jail.
Hollis and Evelyn kept her from me for
fifteen years. It's been too long, I'm too
old.
EXT. CHINATOWN STREET NIGHT
The streets are crowded. Here and there one can see Chinese in
traditional dress.
GITTES
Driving slowly, spots Katherine with Ramon and luggage, nearly lost
in the crowd. They are walking toward a car parked near a laundry
truck.
Gittes sees them, keeps driving.
CROSS
(suddenly)
Stop the car. Stop the car!
Mulvihill tries to clobber Gittes. Gittes elbows him. The car jumps
the curb and hits a lamppost.
EXT. STREET CROSS
Leaps out of the car shouting:
CROSS
Katherine! Katherine! Wait!
Gittes is after him, grabbing him. Cross tries to swing at Gittes
with his cane. Mulvihill comes up behind Gittes and the three of
them begin an awkward wrestling match, the crowd scattering,
Mulvihill pulling his revolver, trying to hit Gittes on the side of
the head. The three men crash to the pavement.
CURLY
Starts out of the car toward Gittes. Gittes sees him.
GITTES
No, Curly, get 'em out of here! Get 'em out
of here:
He bites Mulvihill's hand and furiously pounds it into the sidewalk,
shaking gun loose. Mulvihill and Gittes Try for it but someone else
has it.
EVELYN
Holds the gun. She's shaking but apparently in control of herself.
GITTES
Rises to his feet. Mulvihill starts to help Cross up.
EVELYN
No, don't help him. Don't do anything.
Mulvihill doesn't move. Cross rises on his own. Evelyn holds the
revolver on him.
EVELYN
(continuing)
She's gone. It's no good.
CROSS
Where?
GITTES
(moving to Evelyn)
Let me handle that.
EVELYN
(to Gittes)
I'm all right.
GITTES
(she's not)
Sure, but I'd like to handle it.
Evelyn backs up as her father takes a step toward her.
CROSS
You're going to have to kill me, Evelyn.
Either that or tell me where she is.
Evelyn is backing up. Cross moving on her. Evelyn cocks the pistol.
CROSS
(continuing)
How many years have I got?... she's mine too.
EVELYN
She's never going to know that.
There's the SOUND of a SIREN. Cross lunges toward her. Gittes grabs
Cross.
Duffy and Walsh are elbowing through the crowd. Gittes sees them.
GITTES
Duffy, go over and sit on Mulvihill.
(to Walsh)
Jesus Christ, I didn't tell you to bring the
police department with you.
WALSH
Jake, it's Chinatown. They're all over the
place. You oughta know better.
GITTES
(to Walsh, meaning Cross)
Gimme your keys. Watch this old fart, will
you?
(moving to Evelyn)
Take Duffy's car. Curly's boat's in Pedro,
near the Starkist cannery. It's the Evening
Star. He'll be waiting. I'll take care of
this.
She looks to Gittes. He looks at her. She turns and He looks at her.
She turns and Escobar is standing between her Escobar is standing
between her and it.
ESCOBAR
Mrs. Mulwray, you don't want to run around
like that.
GITTES
Oh, Christ. Escobar, you don't know what's
going on. Let her go. I'll explain it later.
ESCOBAR
Mrs. Mulwray, it's a very serious offense
pointing that at an officer of the law. It's
a felony.
GITTES
Let her go. She didn't kill anybody.
ESCOBAR
(starting toward her)
I'm sorry, Mrs. Mulwray.
GITTES
Lou, she will kill you. Let her go for now.
You don't know.
ESCOBAR
Gittes, stay outta this.
Escobar continues to move toward her. Gittes grabs him.
GITTES
(to Evelyn)
Now take off.
Evelyn gets in the car. She starts it. Gittes lets Escobar go.
ESCOBAR
I'll just have her followed. She's not going
anywhere.
There's a single GUNSHOT. Both men look surprised. Down the block a
uniformed officer has fired, standing beside his double-parked car.
Duffy's sedan slows to a stop in the middle of the street. It jerks
a couple of times, still in gear, then comes to a halt.
Gittes rushes to the car. He opens it. Evelyn falls out, inert.
Blood is pouring from her right eye.
GITTES
(yelling)
No!
He holds onto Evelyn as Escobar and others hurry up. Cross himself
elbows through.
GITTES
(continuing)
Where is he? I'll kill him, I'll kill the son
of a bitch.
Several officers contain Gittes.
GITTES
(continuing; to Escobar)
Who is he, get his name? I'll kill him.
ESCOBAR
(badly shaken)
Take it easy, take it easy, it was an
accident.
GITTES
An accident?
Gittes looks down. What he sees horrifies him. Cross is on the
ground, holding Evelyn's body, crying.
GITTES
Get him away from her. He's responsible for
everything. Get him away from her!
ESCOBAR
(stunned)
Jake, you're very disturbed. You're crazy.
That's her father.
Walsh and Duffy elbow through the crowd.
ESCOBAR
(continuing; to them)
You wanna do your partner the biggest favor
of his life? Take him home. Just get him the
hell out of here!
Duffy bear hugs the protesting Gittes, along with Walsh, literally
dragging him away from the scene, with Gittes trying to shake free.
Through the crowd noises, Walsh can be heard saying, "Forget it,
Jake. It's Chinatown."
THE END