The Perfect Structure
Chinatown's screenplay is not just good — it is structurally perfect. Every scene advances the plot while deepening character. Every line of dialogue does double duty. There is not a wasted word in the entire script.
The Ending
The ending of Chinatown is famously bleak: "Forget it, Jake. It's Chinatown." This is not nihilism — it is the logical conclusion of a story about power and corruption. Towne fought the ending. Polanski insisted. He was right.