The Two Jakes Information

The Two Jakes is a 1990 American mystery film, and a sequel to the 1974 film Chinatown.

Directed by and starring Jack Nicholson, it also features Harvey Keitel, Meg Tilly, Madeleine Stowe, Richard Farnsworth, Frederic Forrest, Pia Gronning, David Keith, Rubén Blades, Tracey Walter and Eli Wallach. Reprising their roles from Chinatown are Joe Mantell, Perry Lopez, James Hong, and, in a brief voice-over, Faye Dunaway.

It was released by Paramount Pictures on August 10, 1990. The film was not a box office success, and received mixed critical reviews. Plans for a third film about the character of J. J. Gittes near the end of his life have been abandoned.

Plot

In Los Angeles in 1948, Jake Berman (Keitel) hires private investigator Jake Gittes (Nicholson) to catch his wife in the act of committing adultery. During the sting, Berman shoots the man, who turns out to be his partner in a real estate company.

Gittes, under scrutiny for his unwitting part in the crime, must figure out if it was justifiable homicide or murder and how it connects with California's booming oil industry. There is also a connection to his own past after Gittes stumbles upon a wire recording during the investigation that mentions Katherine Mulwray, the daughter of Evelyn Mulwray (Dunaway) from Chinatown.

Cast

• Jack Nicholson as Jake "J. J." Gittes
• Harvey Keitel as Julius "Jake" Berman
• Meg Tilly as Kitty Berman
• Madeleine Stowe as Lillian Bodine
• Eli Wallach as Cotton Weinberger
• Rubén Blades as Michael "Mickey Nice" Weisskopf
• Frederic Forrest as Chuck Newty
• David Keith as Det. Lt. Loach
• Richard Farnsworth as Earl Rawley
• Tracey Walter as Tyrone Otley
• Joe Mantell as Lawrence Walsh
• James Hong as Kahn
• Perry Lopez as Capt. Lou Escobar
• Faye Dunaway as Evelyn Mulwray (voice)
• Tom Waits as Plainclothes policeman (uncredited)

Production

Screenwriter Robert Towne originally planned a trilogy involving private investigator J. J. Gittes. The third movie, called Gittes vs. Gittes, was to be set in 1968 and deal with Gittes' divorce.

Originally, producer Robert Evans was to play the "second" Jake but Towne, who was going to direct the film at that time, did not think he was the right choice and fired him. Nicholson ended up directing.

Reception

The film performed poorly in terms of box office receipts. Critical reception was mixed. Vincent Canby writing for The New York Times called it "an enjoyable if clunky movie". Variety called the film "a jumbled, obtuse yet not entirely unsatisfying follow-up to Chinatown". Roger Ebert wrote, "every scene falls into place like clockwork [...] exquisite." Desson Howe writing for The Washington Post said that "at best, the movie comes across as a competently assembled job, a wistful tribute to its former self. At worst, it's wordy, confusing and -- here's an ugly word -- boring."

Home media

The film found more success on the home media market.