3. Chinatown
Roman Polanski's much beloved LA noir masterpiece is a patient film which also embellishes in the roots of Los Angeles. The film takes place in the very early days of LA, before everything took off in the fifties and crooks were determined to control aspects of the city. Like the water. Jack Nicholson, in an iconic role, plays Jake Gittes, a private detective investigating the cheating husband of Faye Dunaway's Mrs. Mulwray. Only Gittes bites off more than he can chew, and uncovers several deep dark secrets about his client and the city itself. Polanski uses all corners of Los Angeles, filming in a crisp clear palette of khaki and white during the day. Chinatown nails down the feel of LA noir better than most LA noir did back in the day.