The Gambler

I've been to casinos exactly twice in my lifetime. It's easy to see what the appeal is, and I think that's what I avoid it. I can easily see myself thinking I'll earn millions and quickly busting my bank. Ah, the appeal of gambling from sports bets to poker to slot machines. Quite a jumping off point for a movie, hhmm? Maybe like 1974's The Gambler.

An English professor at a university in New York City, Axel Freed (James Caan) has a gambling problem, and this time, he's dug himself quite the hole. Gambling at an illegal casino, Freed loses $44,000 which he doesn't have, forcing him to improvise before the bookie's thugs come after him. This isn't anything new for Axel who's long struggled with gambling, but recently seemed to have gotten a grip on his addiction. He only has a few days to get his hands on the money, turning to his mother (Jacqueline Brookes) who is a doctor at a free clinic. Worrying about her son's well-being, she scrapes the bottom of the barrel to get the money Axel needs, begging her son to pay his debt and walk away from gambling. That would be the easy way to do it, wouldn't it?

From director Karel Reisz, 'Gambler' is one of those hidden gems from the 1970s. It doesn't have a huge reputation, and it can be more than a little tricky to find. It was on my Saved DVD queue at Netflix for months only to pop up on a movie channel recently. And record! I'm glad I caught up with it. Besides an excellent leading performance from James Caan, it has that perfect blend of 70s grittiness and style (but not too much). It was filmed on the streets and homes and illegal casinos in and around New York City, a great backdrop for a whole lot of movies in the 1970s. Jerry Fielding's musical score is perfect, subtle and underplayed for the most part, elevating the tension when needed as Axel struggles to cope. It certainly deserves more of a reputation for all it's got going for it. Solid drama, no frills, and that's not a bad formula.

One of my favorite actors, James Caan was struggling through his own addiction to cocaine while filming this movie, and even identifies it as one of his personal favorites in terms of roles. It's easy to see why. Caan brings Axel to life, a human being with an addiction more than a stereotype or one big cliche. Axel is successful with an excellent job as a professor, his friends and family, a girlfriend (a solid Lauren Hutton), and in general, a lot going for him. He also has a problem. Whatever he gets involved in, he's always looking for "the juice," in other words the thrill of winning, or bizarrely....losing. He tells his friend, Hips (Paul Sorvino), also his bookie, that he could make any number of bets that are sure things. What's the point then? Where's the thrill? There's got to be a possibility of losing for it to feel real, to feel the rush. It's a really simple concept that is pretty scary when you think about it.

Caan does a fine job building off that. His Axel has everything a man could/should want. That's not the definition of a self-destructive fellow now, is it? Through all the people he drives away -- friends, family, girlfriend -- he still somehow manages to make Axel Freed somewhat, remotely, kinda sorta sympathetic. Are we actually rooting for him? Maybe not, maybe we're just rooting for him not to get the crap beat out of him. He pulls cons and fast ones on just about everyone around him, but there's something very human about the character. I guess we're not rooting for him. Instead, it's more how he'll get out of one more self-caused problems. We want to see how low he'll really get, and Caan's Axel certainly pushes the limits there. It's a great, understated performance that avoids all the obvious pratfalls that could come with the part.

The cast doesn't feature much in the way of big names, but that opens the door with some potential. We meet all these people who Axel knows -- for good and bad -- like a window into the gambling world. Brooks is heartbreaking as his mother, Naomi, wanting what's best for her son but knowing she's enabling him at the same time. Hutton is very good as Billie, his girlfriend who sees him spiraling out of control. Sorvino is excellent as bookie and friend, Hips, who genuinely likes Axel but knows he's pushing the limits of their friendship. Also look for Burt Young in an effective, quick part as a bookie's enforcer, Morris Carnovsky as Axel's very rich, very successful grandfather, Carl W. Crudup as Spencer, one of Axel's students and a star player on the basketball team, and even a very young James Woods as a bank teller who incurs Axel's wrath.

If there's a weakness it comes in the finale. I'm not sure exactly what it's trying to say or what it's going for. The finale the story was seemingly building to seemed pretty obvious to me, but 'Gambler' doesn't go quite that far. It's not a bad ending, just one that isn't as strong as it could have been. I liked the movie a lot though, Axel's lectures in class ending up being a reflection on himself. Caan is pretty perfect in the part, one that any fans should definitely seek out.

The Gambler (1974): ***/****

Harry and Walter Go to New York

Some films are doomed from the start. They just are. Production problems, casting decisions, pacing/tone issues, any and all can derail a movie. There's a whole wing of Hollywood movies that are known as Epic Failures. Some overcame it, others didn't. Massively over-budget, 1976's Harry and Walter Go To New York is one that didn't despite an impressive cast.

It's 1908 and a pair of vaudeville actors, Harry (James Caan) and Walter (Elliott Gould), are struggling to make any money at all at their shows, eventually resorting to pickpocketing where they are not surprisingly caught quickly. At the same time, infamous millionaire safecracker Adam Worth (Michael Caine) is caught during a robbery and sent to prison. Working as Worth's slave-servants, Harry and Walter manage to escape and with the blueprints for the infamous bank robber's next job. Unfortunately the well-to-do Worth isn't far behind, and now it's a race against the clock to see who can pull off the job first; the bumbling performers turned con men or the experienced, expert robber?

For whatever reason, this is a movie that received generally poor reviews. On the other hand, I liked it a lot. As Roger Ebert mentions in his review, 'Harry and Walter' is clearly made in the vein of The Sting. There isn't much ink about the movie or its troubled production, but I'm guessing the massive budget problems had to do with the lavish period sets and costumes. It's turn of the century Massachusetts and New York, and everything from the ultra-detailed sets to the immaculate time-appropriate suits to the light-hearted, goofy score from David Shire works well together, especially Laszlo Kovacs' Earth-toned, dulled down color cinematography. It is a period piece, and this 1976 flick gets the period details done the right way.

I'm thinking the biggest reason for the generally negative reviews is the type of humor. Where The Sting was well-written and funny in its ability to underplay the situation, 'Harry and Walter' is not so subtle. High comedy this is not, director Mark Rydell's period-heist movie relying far more on physical humor, and bumbling humor at that. I typically don't go for that type of humor, but it worked for me here. Much of that credit goes to Caan and Gould as the buddy relationship that produces much of the laughs. I've always been a Caan fan, but this is a showier part for him, not the usual tough guy role. Case in point: he sings and dances. Caan's Harry is the confident know-it-all, Gould's Walter the quiet, nervous knows it won't work partner. They play off each other effortlessly.

If James Caan and Elliott Gould weren't enough though (and shame on you if that's the case), the supporting cast shouldn't disappoint. How often do you see Michael Caine get third billing in a movie? His Adam Worth is a scene-stealer, not quite a villain but certainly approaching that territory. Diane Keaton plays Lissa Chestnut, a crusading newspaper woman who joins the bank robbing effort and has everyone fall for her. Charles Durning is the worried bank owner trying to save his $. Also look for Lesley Ann Warren, Michael Conrad, Burt Young, Val Avery, Carol Kane, Jack Gilford, Dennis Dugan and Ted Cassidy rounding out a very deep cast.

A period piece merged with a heist flick certainly had my curiosity on high alert. The actual heist isn't anything special as Harry and Walter's "expert team" attempt to get into Durning's perfect safe. In order to create a diversion, Harry and Walter end up hijacking a stage show with their own hijinx and shenanigans. The act finally wears thin a little, but it's not enough to detract from a movie I enjoyed a lot. The cast is too talented so even if you don't go along with the physical comedy/humor, you should still get some enjoyment out of it. If nothing else, look for the prison from The Shawshank Redemption as a familiar location. Well worth checking out.

Harry and Walter Go To New York <---trailer (1976): ***/****  

Rocky III

At some point when a single successful movie becomes a successful movie franchise, there's a point where studios should just call it quits.  More sequels become unnecessary, and in a lot of ways painful to watch. Even The Godfather movies hit a major road block by the third movie.  The Rocky series is one of the weirder ones to look at in that way.  Rocky and Rocky II are classics, but after that the series went more in favor of entertainment as opposed to the drama of the first two.  None of that is to say the other four movies aren't good (okay, Rocky V sucks), but they're just not as good. Still quality but not on par with its predecessors, 1982's Rocky III.

What carries the franchise through its less-impressive efforts is basically the will-power of star, director and writer Sylvester Stallone.  In the early 1980s, he wasn't quite the cliched action star, the punch line yet that he became in later years.  I'm a fan so cliched action star isn't necessarily a bad thing, but through his ups and downs, Stallone knew what audiences liked and wanted.  High up on that list is underdog stories, the little guy getting a crack at the big time. Rocky Balboa has to be one of the most beloved characters ever in movies so even when the story is a quasi-rehash of what we've seen before, we're still rooting for him when the chips are down.

After beating Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers) for the heavyweight title, Rocky Balboa (Stallone) defends the title for three years, beating any opponent put in front of him. His trainer, Mick (Burgess Meredith), breaks down and tells him he's been beating fighters just not on his level, making Rocky want to take on the top contender for the heavyweight crown, an up and coming, viciously brutal fighter, Clubber Lang (Mr. T). The fire, the passion just aren't there though so Rocky trains but ends up getting knocked out.  After someone close to him dies following the fight, Rocky is left to question, what next?  With some help from Apollo, Balboa goes for the rematch with Lang.  If he stands any chance of winning though, he's going to have to relearn everything he knows about fighting, reinventing himself as a boxer.

The first two Rocky movies are both on their own classics in my mind, and the end of the second one with Rocky narrowly defeating Apollo in a brutal fight was an ideal ending for the series.  Any more sequels were just unneeded.  It's like Michael Jordan coming back after hitting the game-winning shot in the 1998 NBA Finals.  Don't come back, close on the highest note possible.  Thankfully where Jordan's comeback with the Washington Wizards was a disaster, Rocky III is still an above average, very entertaining movie.  It follows an almost identical formula as all the Rocky movies do, and all the familiar faces are back with a few new, interesting ones thrown in to liven things up.  Not on par with I or II, but still quality.

The key to everything of course is who else? Mr. Stallone as America's favorite underdog turned champion Rocky Balboa.  There's still something endearing about this character who has finally hit it big and wants to enjoy himself.  With wife Adrian (a less shrill Talia Shire than usual) and son, Rocky has carved out quite a name and a life for himself.  Trying to keep the drama going, Stallone's script adds a darker feel to Balboa here.  SPOILERS STOP READING SPOILERS When Mick dies after the first Lang fight, Rocky questions everything he's done, everything he's made for himself.  Even when he starts training with Apollo, he doesn't give his full effort until a heated conversation/discussion with Adrian re-lights his fire.  It's a great scene that works well because one, Stallone is a better actor than he's given credit for, and two, he has great chemistry with Shire.

On to the old and new stuff, starting with Meredith as Mick, Burt Young as the always obnoxious Pauly, and Tony Burton as Apollo turned Rocky trainer Duke. Meredith is as perfect as ever as crotchety, tightly-wound trainer, Mick, pushing Rocky wherever and whenever he can.  For the big positives though, I'll start with Weathers as Apollo Creed. He was a great foe, a great enemy in the first two, but there was still something likable about Apollo.  Team him up with Rocky as opposed to against him, and you've got a great fighting duo. Plus, Apollo becomes more than just a cardboard cutout of a character as we get to see more of him.  Hulk Hogan also makes an appearance in a charity match, playing wrestler Thunderlips (Everything that is MAN!) who throws Rocky around like a rag doll -- briefly that is. And then there's the best addition to Rocky III, Eye of the Tiger by Survivor, a song meant to be played over a training montage if there ever was one.  As for Clubber, Mr. T is perfect, the ideal overexaggerated opponent for Rocky to fight.

If you've made it this far into the review, it's safe to say you're a Rocky fan.  There's just something basic about these movies that you either love or hate with no middle ground.  If hearing the Rocky theme (listen HERE), doesn't get your blood flowing, these aren't the movies for you. If you don't smile at the ridiculously cool -- and slightly homoerotic -- training montage (watch HERE), steer clear. As a sports fan, you love to see the underdog story. As a movie fan, you love the characters and the drama. The final fight is a whopper, an epic fight that should and will have you cheering.  That's the whole point of these movies.  As sports flicks, they're hard to beat.

Rocky III <---trailer (1982): ***/****    

Convoy

Novels, short stories, memoirs, plays, comic books, journals.  Movies can be based off of just about anything, but one that never crossed my mind was a novelty song, one that briefly rose through the charts before it became a trivia question for all time.  The song is a 1975 gem from C.W. McCall that spent six weeks in the No. 1 spot on the country charts and three years later was turned into a feature length movie, 1978's Convoy.

The transition from popular song to feature length movie seems like quite a stretch to me, but maybe that's just my crazy opinion.  But as long as a studio is making a ridiculous jump from a 4-minute song to a 110-minute movie, they might as well push the pedal to the floor and hire an equally crazy/ridiculous director, Sam Peckinpah.  And big picture, it isn't as much a movie as it is a series of scenes with 18-wheeler semi-trucks driving around, a folksy soundtrack, and a lot of the cast spending most of their time reciting dialogue through CB radios.  If that's not a recipe for a successful movie, I just don't know what is.

Driving into Arizona, 18-wheeler semi drivers Rubber Duck (Kris Kristofferson), Pig Pen (Burt Young) and Spider Mike (Franklyn Ajaye) are pulled over by a local sheriff, Dirty Lyle Wallace (Ernest Borgnine), with a bone to pick. They bribe the crooked cop to get away but end up meeting him down the road in an off-road diner where a knock-down, drag 'em out brawl ensues, Lyle handcuffed to a stool at the bar.  Duck and Co. head out on the road hoping to reach the state lines before the law can get their hands on them.  With a friendly-looking hitchhiking photographer (Ali MacGraw) along for the ride, Duck takes the lead, but that crooked sheriff isn't going to let them go so easily.  But as the chase wears on, news spreads and Duck's little convoy continues to grow and grow.

Wikipedia (an always reliable source for info) points out that Convoy was part of a string of movies released in the late 1970s at the height of the CB radio/truck driver popularity.  Who knew?  That's what the movie is too, an excuse for a long line of 18-wheelers to drive in formation down the road, a lot of CB talk with far too many 'Breaker...breaker...10-4 good buddies' and Borgnine at his over the top, obnoxious best.  What I did enjoy was the stunt work done while driving the huge semi-trucks.  Doing dangerous stunts in sports cars and race cars is one thing, but these trucks are huge and the drivers handle them as if they were much smaller cars.  High speeds and sharp turns never looked so impressive.

As much as anything though, this is a very 70s movie about refusal to go along with the system and not trusting anyone in any power through the government, police or any sort of establishment.  Peckinpah's portrayal of this is less than subtle too, not helping matters.  As Duck's convoy grows bigger by the hour, government officials conclude that this is some sort of mass protest, and even when told the truth, they ignore the otherwise obvious truth in front of them.  Seymour Cassel plays the governor of a southwest state, I think Texas, who sees an opportunity to appeal to a wide range of voters by supporting Duck's "protest." But with Cassel's clueless governor and Borgnine's insane sheriff, it just gets to be a little much.

No matter the quality of the finished product -- and more often than not it was high quality -- Peckinpah always worked with some impressive casts.  Convoy's isn't the best assembly of talent, but it's a solid if not spectacular cast.  Working with Peckinpah for a third time, Kristofferson is as always very likable in his lead part as Rubber Duck.  You could say he's not acting in most of his movies, typically playing a laid back, easy going, drawling good old boy, and I'm not going to dispute that, but he's cool, I like him as a star, and that's that.  So there.  This is Borgnine that I don't like.  So ridiculously over the top, screaming his lines, those huge bug eyes glaring at you.  He's the bad guy you love to hate, but it's too much to take seriously. MacGraw, never a great actress to begin with, is here for eye candy with one of the oddest looking hairstyles I've seen.  Other than these three, none of the cast really jumps out for good or bad.

The story dawdles along for most of an hour, hour and a half and then the message comes out.  The establishment isn't going to just let Duck drive off into the sunset.  The solution is a little much though as he makes a break for 'ole Mexico, but if nothing else, for a split second it works.  If the movie ended there, it could have been a solid send-off.  But then there's another five minutes or so with a twist that negates everything the last scene just accomplished.  I don't really know what to make of the movie overall, but it's certainly a doozy. If nothing else, HERE is the song the movie's based on.

Convoy <---trailer (1978): **/**** 

Rocky II

As long as there have been movies, there have been sequels.  Of course, the familiar formula is usually that after the original, the sequel proceed to go down the drain rather quickly.  Sure, there's exceptions where the sequel might actually be better, like Godfather II and Empire Strikes Back, but a majority usually go the other way.  The first sequel to 1976's Rocky isn't on the same ground as the original, but all things considered, 1979's Rocky II is a worthwhile sequel and a strong follow-up in a series that would produce three more sequels.

What some people seem to forget is that in the original, Rocky doesn't win, he loses by the slimmest of margins.  But in the sense of being an underdog, he did what he wanted to accomplish, going the distance against the heavyweight champion of the world. It's such a good story that a sequel isn't necessary.  Rocky went the distance, got the girl, and proved everyone wrong.  Thankfully, the sequel doesn't mess anything up, instead continuing with an equally as strong story.

After going the distance against heavyweight champ Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers), Philly boxer and tough guy Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone) adapts to life as a semi-celebrity. With his payday from the fight, he ends up marrying girlfriend Adrian (Talia Shire), buys a new house for them to live in, goes on a huge shopping spree, and begins to start a family with Adrian expecting a baby soon. But at a certain point, Rocky hits a wall with nowhere to go.  He can't get a job with no real skills to offer, but he has to care for his wife and family.  All he can think of is getting back into the ring, especially when Apollo comes calling for a rematch to prove that the first fight between them was nothing more than a fluke.  With trainer Mickey (Burgess Meredith) in his corner, Rocky prepares again for the fight of his life on an even bigger stage with bigger expectations.   

Made three years after the original, II picks up immediately where the first one leaves off following the championship bout.  In general, the story follows the same basic formula as would the later sequels.  Home life, relationship with Adrian, personal problems, training montage, and fight. Rinse and repeat if necessary.  But just like Rocky, the characters are so engaging that it's an enjoyable ride even if you know where it's going from the start.  The whole cast is back as is the ever important Rocky theme, and like I mentioned in the other review, the story of an underdog everyone is betting against is hard to turn down.  One thing I'll complain about, the necessary montage sequence -- watch it HERE -- is a little too over the top with the crowd running sequence, even for a Rocky movie.

Seeing the second movie in the series just confirms Stallone's ability as an actor in my head.  Building on the character, we see that a little success doesn't change him or who he is.  He spends little of his winnings on himself, buying things for those closest to him.  At heart, Rocky is still the same lovable galoot he was before he become a celebrity.  His corny jokes, his aw shucks way of communicating, how much he loves Adrian, it all adds up perfectly to create this character.  In Part II, he's not worried about not being able to hang with the champ, he's worried about the life he has built for himself and how it will impact Adrian and the baby.  Stallone didn't get a nomination this time around, but the character is as solid as ever.

What appealed to me about this Rocky entry was the emergence of the supporting cast.  Meredith and Weathers were both key figures to the first movie, but they weren't always there with most of the story understandably devoted to Rocky and Adrian.  As Mickey, Meredith steals each and every scene he is in as fast-talking, gravelly-voiced trainer who will push Balboa to his limit and then some.  He has too many quotable lines to even mention, but my favorite has always been "I think we oughta knock his block off" or the always reliable "You're gonna eat lightning and crap thunder!"  Playing Apollo again, Weathers gets more screentime to develop a character that is seriously pissed off the Italian Stallion stuck with him for 15 rounds.  Also returning is Burt Young as Rocky's cantankerous friend, Paulie. 

One thing I thought was improved on was the actual fight, another brutal, knock down affair between Rocky and Apollo.  Instead of just long shots from behind of these two whaling on each other, we get some close-ups like we're there in the ring with the two fighters.  Just like the first one, you definitely get the feel and sense of what getting hit in the head repeatedly must feel like.  The ending of the first one would be hard to improve on, but this sure comes close on pure emotion and excitement. That's the whole movie summed up.  Not as good as the original, but it's awfully close.

Rocky II <----trailer (1979): *** 1/2 /****

Rocky

In a sports dominated world, there's the New York Yankees, the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, the Dallas Cowboys, the Los Angeles Lakers, those major teams that have a polarizing effect on fans all over the country; love them or hate them.  But something just about every sports fan can get behind is the idea of the underdog.  There's no way they can win, no way they can keep up with the champs, but even as they keep on advancing people fall in love with them.  In movie form, nowhere is that more evident than one of the best sports movies of all time, 1976's Rocky. 

A movie that came out of nowhere thanks to the work of star/producer/writer Sylvester Stallone, Rocky is that quintessential American underdog story, one that more than ever probably resonates with sports fans today 30 years after it was in theaters for the first time.  Watching it now in 2010 after five sequels, I had to remind myself that this movie was like a breath of fresh air in 1976 as it won the Best Picture and Best Directing Oscar along with nominations for stars Stallone and three co-stars.  It most definitely still has an impact today watching it, but not so much as a large scale, epic sports story, but as a character driven drama.

Living in Philadelphia, 30-year old Rocky Balboa (Stallone) works as an enforcer for a second-rate loan shark while training and boxing when he gets the chance to make some money on the side.  He drifts along in his life to a certain point, meeting up and drinking with his childhood friend Paulie (Burt Young), trying to convince Paulie's sister Adrian (Talia Shire) to go out with him.  On a bigger level, the world's undisputed heavyweight champion Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers) has a fight commitment drop out so he needs a replacement for a fight just five weeks away in Philly.  Looking for the ultimate underdog, the best story possible, Apollo asks unknown Rocky if he'd be interested.  But as a journeyman boxer, does Rocky even stand a chance against the best boxer in the world?

Even with the somewhat weaker sequels to follow, the original still packs a wallop.  It's easy to forget thanks to his roles since Rocky, but Stallone can be a great actor with the right part.  Balboa is basically that lovable galoot that everyone knows.  He's awkward in his interactions, a little dim-witted, but basically a good guy who looks out for the people he likes, and you love him for it.  He lives in a little apartment with his turtles Cuff and Link, his fish Moby Dick. Rocky trains when he feels like it and works for the loan shark collecting cash from deadbeats.  Then he's given this opportunity to rise up, to be great, and he takes it.  As his trainer Mick (Burgess Meredith) says, he always had the talent but never the resolve to put the time in to be great.

After a handful of low-budget movies that didn't do much for his career, Stallone fully steps into the spotlight here to play journeyman boxer Rocky Balboa.  By far, this is his best acting performance, and as I write that I'm trying to decide if that's a good thing or a bad thing.  He was nominated for his part, but lost to Peter Finch in Network.  Personally I would have given it to Stallone, De Niro for Taxi Driver, or William Holden in Network over Finch, but that's just me.  As good as the fight is in the finale, the sport is secondary for much of the movie.  This is a story about one man with self-doubt and concern living his life given a chance to do something great.  What does he do with it?  He worries because really, who wouldn't?

Stallone is obviously the key to the movie, but just as importantly the rest of the cast doesn't disappoint.  In the Godfather movies, Shire drives me nuts as whiny Connie Corleone, but her Adrian is a great character and a perfect counter to Stallone's Rocky.  She's shy and quiet, but opens up when actually given a chance.  Young's Paulie is that friend everyone has who you fight with constantly, but typically it's forgotten even before the fight is over.  Meredith is a scene-stealer as tough-talking trainer Mick, frustrated by Rocky's refusal to work in the past but willing to work with him if he'll commit.  All three were nominated for their performances, and unfortunately all of them came up empty.  In terms of pure acting power, 1976 was a crazy year, here's the Oscar winners and nominations. 

SPOILERS from here on in SPOILERS  I feel stupid warning about the ending because I think just about everyone knows how Rocky ends, but for those that don't, stop reading.  The night before the fight Rocky tells Adrian he knows he can't hope to win, but if he goes the distance, all 15 rounds, against the heavyweight champion he'll have accomplished something.  And what's he do? Goes all 15 rounds in a brutal fight that has both fighters battered and bloody by the end.  The whole fight is an incredible sequence and one of the best presentations of a sporting event ever.  Great end to a great movie.

The biggest test for a sports movie and its ability to stay relevant are the moments, the ones you talk about for months and even years to become.  Rocky has too many iconic moments to even count, but here goes.  There's Bill Conti's amazing Rocky theme over maybe the most iconic moment of all, the training montage. There's the actual montage, Rocky running up the stairs at the Museum of Art. There's the fight, 'Cut me, Mick!' and so much more.  One of the best sports movies ever, enough said.

Rocky <---trailer (1976): ****/**** 

Chinatown

Look back through Hollywood history and each decade had a few stars that rose above the others, those with movies that are often as much remembered and revered for the performances as the movie itself. There was Clark Gable and Spencer Tracy in the 1930s all the way through to the 2000s with George Clooney and Johnny Depp. Looking at the 1970s, several names pop up, but one especially stands out, Lakers fan extraordinaire and three-time Oscar winner Jack Nicholson.

Now officially one of Nicholson's best roles was in the closing months of 1969 -- an Oscar-nominated role in Easy Rider -- but he just kept on rolling into the 70s. And while his turn as Randall MacMurphy in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest will most likely always be remembered as Nicholson's best and most famous role, another part deserves recognition, his turn as private detective Jake 'J.J.' Gittes in Roman Polanski's 1974 detective story and period piece Chinatown.

This may come across more critically than I intend it to, but Nicholson in his personal life has become a caricature of himself in certain ways. It's easy to forget what a great actor he really is with 12 Oscar nominations to his name. His turn as Jake Gittes is typically solid Nicholson, both fiery and emotional but also calm and understated at times when the scene calls for it. He brings some charm to a character that could easily be despicable in the hands of a lesser actor, and as the lead character serves as the audience's guide because he sees exactly what we see and little else as a 1930s murder sets off an odd set of circumstances.

Working as a private detective in 1930s Los Angeles, Jake 'J.J.' Gittes (Nicholson) specializes in marriage cases and one day takes on a contract from a woman questioning if her husband is cheating on her. The husband, Hollis Mulwray (Darrell Zwerling), has become a notable public figure recently as head of the water department for a city suffering through a drought. Jake discovers Hollis is seeing a woman, but soon after the story breaks, the real Mrs. Mulwray, Evelyn (Faye Dunaway), shows up questioning how Jake got onto her husband's case. But before Jake can resolve anything, Hollis turns up dead in one of the city's water reservoirs. So starts a mystery that begins to unravel for Jake that includes corruption, phony business deals, and all sorts of shady dealings that Evelyn may or may not be involved with.

Made and released in 1974, Chinatown brings late 1930s Los Angeles to life so perfectly, so vividly that it's incredibly easy to get caught up in this winding murder mystery. Polanski films all over the city in a wide variety of locations, and everything looks immaculate from the backgrounds to the clothes -- all the guys go for the cool, stylish suit and a fedora look -- to the period cars. Everything looks and feels so authentic you're waiting for Robert Mitchum or Barbara Stanwyck to walk onto the set and join Nicholson and Dunaway in their scenes. All this is helped by Jerry Goldsmith's score that blends jazzy themes with understated music that helps drive the story and action along.

The DVD special features offered interviews with screenwriter Robert Towne, Polanski, and producer Robert Evans, all of them agreeing that this is a movie that would be difficult to make for today's audiences, and they're right. I try to avoid huge generalities about audiences because movies are subjective to each and every person watching, but movies now in 2010 and their audiences are different. Chinatown is never slow-paced, but Polanski does take his time building the story. It is a mystery that requires you to pay attention with clues hinted at and then dealt with later. This all comes together in a famously downbeat ending -- very 70s in its cynicism -- with one of the all-time great lines, 'Forget it, Jake. It's Chinatown.'

As I wrote before, Nicholson's private detective is a great performance and Dunaway is an ideal choice for a character we're led to believe is the femme fatale present in almost every noir ever made. Not so fast though as her Evelyn isn't letting Jake in on everything he needs to know, including one rather large twist toward the end. A great counter to Nicholson, and one of Dunaway's best parts which also earned an Oscar nomination (the movie earned 11 overall). Hollywood legend John Huston is on-screen for maybe 10 minutes tops in an 130-minute movie, but leaves a huge impression, as for what that impression is I'll let you find out what. Perry Lopez, Burt Young, Richard Bakalyan, Diane Ladd, Roy Jenson and John Hillerman round out the cast.

A classic film on many levels starting with the acting and continuing on down the line with Polanski's directing and John Alonzo's cinematography that echoes movies made 30 and 40 years earlier, Chinatown should definitely be on your list to see.

Chinatown <----trailer (1974): ****/****