Exploring narrative in Chinatown

In film, narrative is the story and plot that the film shows and also the way that it is told. A simple narrative structure is – beginning, event, climax, and resolution. Although a lot of successful films use this structure, thrillers normally have a more complex and twisting narrative to appeal more to the audience.

The complex narratives within thriller films differ. Some use twists within the plot in order to engage the viewer, whilst others use cliff-hangers to leave the audience on edge and thinking about the film. Thrillers are also often presented from the point of view of a character within the film which presents things in a different light, as this is normally from the male protagonist’s point of view.

Thriller narratives all have some key features. These include mystery, romance, secrets, suspense, and mistrust. The narrative also often focuses on good vs. evil, and a sense of crime and corruption.

Chinatown is a good example of a thriller and thriller narrative. The film is shown from the perspective of JJ Gittes, the male protagonist in the film, which means the audience sees things from his perspective, and therefore viewing him as the ‘good guy’. Like with a lot of thrillers, the protagonist has flaws – he drinks and he smokes, which is a key thriller signifier.

The narrative of Chinatown is full of twists, turns and spirals. Examples of twists within the narrative include – the woman pretending to be Evelyn Mulwray in order to spy on Hollis Mulwray, and Katherine being both Evelyn’s daughter and sister. These twists add to the mystery within the narrative, which is a key feature within thrillers. Mystery is a key factor in the narrative of Chinatown, as the entire plot is built around the mystery regarding the intricate water scandal, the murder of Mulwray, and less important mysteries, such as the mysterious phonecall to Evelyn. These mysteries also tie in with the thriller signifier of crime and corruption, with the murder being a prime example of this within the film. Seeing as JJ Gittes is a private investigator, these key thriller narrative examples are inevitable, as is the theme of chases and pursuits. There are two key pursuits within Chinatown; the first is when JJ Gittes breaks into land to try and investigate the water situations, and the second is right at the end of the film, where Evelyn and Katherine are trying to escape, but the police open fire and Evelyn is killed. Another element to the narrative is romance which is often seen in thrillers, Chinatown included. The romance is, predictably, between the male protagonist, JJ Gittes, and the femme fatale, Evelyn Mulwray.

Overall, the narrative within Chinatown features in a lot of other thriller films, with the twisting turning narrative being the crucial element. Narrative is extremely important in films of the thriller genre because it presents things in certain ways to the audience via the point of view of one of the characters. The twists in the narrative, along with the mystery and corruption keep the audience interested and always intrigued as to what is happening next.