Word: nicholson
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Directed by Jack Nicholson...
That difficulty is reflected in the 16 years required to created The Two Jakes. Originally scheduled for release in the mid-80s, the film became mired in disagreements between three of four of Chinatown's creative forces. Producer Robert Evans, screen writer Robert Towne, and Nicholson. (Polanski, according to Nicholson, was not involved in the process, partly because of cost overruns). When The Two Jakes finally made it to production, Nicholson had assumed the directing responsibilites. In addition, the freshman director took it upon himself to rewrite parts of the script as he went along...
...that the plot is complicated is a severe understatment. Refusing to cater to the audience's lowest common denominator, The Two Jakes forces the viewer to pay very close attention while the plot unfolds onscreen. Towne returns to his former scripting glory (with a little bit of help from Nicholson) after sinking to an all-time low with the recently released Days of Thunder. The Two Jakes is a great detective story, with all the clues, (intelligent) action, and philosophical narrative voice overs that accompanies the best in the genre. But more than that, the film is about persons...
Films that depend on strong personalities, as opposed to strong language and strong biceps, require talented actors. Nicholson easily meets those requirements. His portrayal of Jake Gittes is superb. Nicholson's screen presence is second to none, and The Two Jakes, with good reason, draws heavily upon it. The rest of the cast, particularly Stowe and Keitel, perform well under Nicholson's strong direction. The only performance that may appear a bit off center is Tilly's, but considering the cirumstances of Kitty Berman's life, it might be expected...
...commentary on the human condition. The power of the past, and how the commitments made their carry a timeless moral weight, is the subject of the film's intelligent inquiry. Any viewer, especially one with a thoughtful appreciation of the complexities of Chinatown, cannot help but be impressed with Nicholson's The Two Jakes...