10 Greatest Plot Twists In The History Of Cinema
4. Chinatown (1974)
The Plot: The first of two masterpieces on this list, Chinatown sees Jack Nicholsons iconic private investigator, J.J. Gittes, tackle a sprawling case that involves murder, political corruption, and ancestral upheaval. What starts out as a pretty innocuous matrimonial case turns into the devastating saga of the Cross family, led eerily by their patriarch, Noah Cross (John Huston).
The Twist: Gittes becomes romantically involved with Cross daughter, Evelyn (Faye Dunaway), eventually finding out that Evelyns sister is also her daughtera result of an incestuous relationship with the evil Cross when she was just 15.
Why Its Great: Great for the scene it occurs inshes my sister *slap* shes my daughter *slap* shes my sister and my daughter *what?*and great because it happens in one of one of the all-time greats, Chinatowns reveal is a stomach-punch of the most heinous kind. We know there is evil in the film, but we dont know exactly how deep that evil goes until the emotional twist ¾ of the way through. Its not so much shocking and surprising as it is disturbing and depressing, and, as the iconic last parts of the film play out, the twist and its words echo over the film's famous dénouement like a lingering mantra.