CHINATOWN

by

Robert Towne

THIRD DRAFT

October 9, 1973

1    FULL SCREEN PHOTOGRAPH

grainy but unmistakably a man and woman making love.

Photograph shakes. SOUND of a man MOANING in anguish.

The photograph is dropped, REVEALING ANOTHER, MORE

compromising one. Then another, and another. More moans.

CURLY'S VOICE

(crying out)

Oh, no.

2    INT. GITTES' OFFICE

CURLY drops the photos on Gittes' desk. Curly towers

over GITTES and sweats heavily through his workman's

clothes, his breathing progressively more labored. A

drop plunks on Gittes' shiny desk top.

Gittes notes it. A fan whiffs overhead. Gittes glances

up at it. He looks cool and brisk in a white linen suit

despite the heat. Never taking his eyes off Curly, he

lights a cigarette using a lighter with a "nail" on

his desk.

Curly, with another anguished sob, turns and rams his

fist into the wall, kicking the wastebasket as he does.

He starts to sob again, slides along the wall where his

fist has left a noticeable dent and its impact has sent

the signed photos of several movie stars askew.

Curly slides on into the blinds and sinks to his knees.

He is weeping heavily now, and is in such pain that he

actually bites into the blinds.

Gittes doesn't move from his chair.

GITTES

All right, enough is enough --

you can't eat the Venetian

blinds, Curly. I just had

'em installed on Wednesday.

Curly responds slowly, rising to his feet, crying. Gittes

reaches into his desk and pulls out a shot glass, quickly

selects a cheaper bottle of bourbon from several fifths

of more expensive whiskeys.

3    Gittes pours a large shot. He shoves the glass across

his desk toward Curly.

GITTES

-- Down the hatch.

Curly stares dumbly at it. Then picks it up, and drains

it. He sinks back into the chair opposite Gittes, begins

to cry quietly.

CURLY

(drinking, relaxing

a little)

She's just no good.

GITTES

What can I tell you, Kid?

You're right. When you're

right, you're right, and

you're right.

CURLY

-- Ain't worth thinking about.

Gittes leaves the bottle with Curly.

GITTES

You're absolutely right, I

wouldn't give her another

thought.

CURLY

(pouring himself)

You know, you're okay, Mr. Gittes.

I know it's your job, but you're

okay.

GITTES

(settling back,

breathing a little

easier)

Thanks, Curly. Call me Jake.

CURLY

Thanks. You know something,

Jake?

GITTES

What's that, Curly?

CURLY

I think I'll kill her.

4    INT. DUFFY & WALSH'S OFFICE

noticeably less plush than Gitte's. A well-groomed,

dark-haired WOMAN sits nervously between their two desks,

fiddling with the veil on her pillbox hat.

WOMAN

-- I was hoping Mr. Gittes could

see to this personally --

WALSH

(almost the manner

of someone

comforting the

bereaved)

-- If you'll allow us to complete

our preliminary questioning, by

then he'll be free.

There is the SOUND of ANOTHER MOAN coming from Gittes'

Office -- something made of glass shatters. The Woman

grows more edgy.

5    INT. GITTES' OFFICE - GITTES & CURLY

Gittes and Curly stand in front of the desk, Gittes

staring contemptuously at the heavy breathing hulk

towering over him. Gittes takes a handkerchief and

wipes away the plunk of perspiration on his desk.

CURLY

(crying)

They don't kill a guy for that.

GITTES

Oh they don't?

CURLY

Not for your wife. That's the

unwritten law.

6    Gittes pounds the photos on the desk, shouting;

GITTES

I'll tell you the unwritten law,

you dumb son of a bitch, you

gotta be rich to kill somebody,

anybody and get away with it.

You think you got that kind

of dough, you think you got

that kind of class?

Curly shrinks back a little.

CURLY

... No...

GITTES

You bet your ass you don't. You

can't even pay me off.

This seems to upset Curly even more.

CURLY

I'll pay the rest next trip --

we only caught sixty ton of

skipjack around San Benedict.

We hit a chubasco, they don't

pay you for skipjack the way

they do for tuna or albacore --

GITTES

(easing him out of

his office)

Forget it. I only mention it to

illustrate a point...

7    INT. OFFICE RECEPTION

He's now walking him past SOPHIE who pointedly averts her

gaze. He opens the door where on the pebbled glass can

be read: J. J. GITTES and Associates - DISCREET

INVESTIGATION.

GITTES

I don't want your last dime.

He throws an arm around Curly and flashes a dazzling

smile.

GITTES

(continuing)

What kind of guy do you

think I am?

CURLY

Thanks, Mr. Gittes.

GITTES

Call me Jake. Careful driving

home, Curly.

He shuts the door on him and the smile disappears.

8    He shakes his head, starting to swear under his breath.

SOPHIE

-- A Mrs. Mulwray is waiting for

you, with Mr. Walsh and Mr. Duffy.

Gittes nods, walks on in.

9    INT. DUFFY AND WALSH'S OFFICE

Walsh rises when Gittes enters.

WALSH

Mrs. Mulwray, may I present Mr.

Gittes?

Gittes walks over to her and again flashes a warm,

sympathetic smile.

GITTES

How do you do, Mrs. Mulwray?

MRS. MULWRAY

Mr. Gittes...

GITTES

Now, Mrs. Mulwray, what seems to

be the problem?

She holds her breath. The revelation isn't easy for her.

MRS. MULWRAY

My husband, I believe, is seeing

another woman.

Gittes looks mildly shocked. He turns for confirmation

to his two partners.

GITTES

(gravely)

No, really?

MRS. MULWRAY

I'm afraid so.

GITTES

I am sorry.

10   Gittes pulls up a chair sitting next to Mrs. Mulwray --

between Duffy and Walsh. Duffy cracks his gum.

Gittes gives him an irritated glance.

Duffy stops chewing.

MRS. MULWRAY

Can't we talk about this alone,

Mr. Gittes?

GITTES

I'm afraid not, Mrs. Mulwray.

These men are my operatives and

at some point they're going to

assist me. I can't do everything

myself.

MRS. MULWRAY

Of course not.

GITTES

Now -- what makes you certain he

is involved with someone?

Mrs. Mulwray hesitates. She seems uncommonly nervous

at the question.

MRS. MULWRAY

-- a wife can tell.

Gittes sighs.

GITTES

Mrs. Mulwray, do you love your

husband?

MRS. MULWRAY

(shocked)

... Yes of course.

GITTES

(deliberately)

Then go home and forget about it.

MRS. MULWRAY

-- but...

GITTES

(staring intently at

her)

I'm sure he loves you, too. You

know the expression, let sleeping

dogs lie? You're better off not

knowing.

MRS. MULWRAY

(with some real

anxiety)

But I have to know.

Her intensity is genuine. Gittes looks to his two

partners.

GITTES

All right, what's your husband's

first name?

MRS. MULWRAY

Hollis. Hollis Mulwray.

GITTES

(visibly surprised)

-- Water and Power?

Mrs. Mulwray nods, almost shyly. Gittes is now casually

but carefully checking out the detailing of Mrs.

Mulwray's dress -- her handbag, shoes, etc.

MRS. MULWRAY

-- he's the Chief Engineer.

DUFFY

(a little eagerly)

-- Chief Engineer?

11   Gittes' glance tells Duffy Gittes wants to do the

questioning. Mrs. Mulwray nods.

GITTES

(confidentially)

This type of investigation can

be hard on your pocketbook, Mrs.

Mulwray. It takes time.

MRS. MULWRAY

Money doesn't matter to me, Mr.

Gittes.

Gittes sighs.

GITTES

Very well. We'll see what we

can do.

12   EXT. CITY HALL - MORNING

already shimmering with heat.

A drunk blows his nose with his fingers into the fountain

at the foot of the steps.

Gittes, impeccably dressed, passes the drunk on the way

up the stairs.

13   INT. COUNCIL CHAMBERS

Former Mayor SAM BAGBY is speaking. Behind him is a huge

map, with overleafs and bold lettering:

"PROPOSED ALTO VALLEJO DAM AND RESERVOIR"

Some of the councilmen are reading funny papers and

gossip columns while Bagby is speaking.

BAGBY

-- Gentlemen, today you can walk

out that door, turn right, hop on

a streetcar and in twenty-five

minutes end up smack in the Pacific

Ocean. Now you can swim in it, you

can fish in it, you can sail in

it - but you can't drink it, you

can't water your lawns with it,

you can't irrigate an orange grove

with it. Remember -- we live next

door to the ocean but we also live

on the edge of the desert. Los

Angeles is a desert community.

Beneath this building, beneath

every street there's a desert.

Without water the dust will rise

up and cover us as though we'd

never existed!

(pausing, letting

the implication

sink in)

14   CLOSE - GITTES

sitting next to some grubby farmers, bored. He yawns --

edges away from one of the dirtier farmers.

BAGBY(O.S.)

(continuing)

The Alto Vallejo can save us from

that, and I respectfully suggest

that eight and a half million

dollars is a fair price to pay to

keep the desert from our streets

-- and not on top of them.

15   AUDIENCE - COUNCIL CHAMBERS

An amalgam of farmers, businessmen, and city employees

have been listening with keen interest. A couple of the

farmers applaud. Somebody shooshes them.

16   COUNCIL COMMITTEE

in a whispered conference.

COUNCILMAN

(acknowledging Bagby)

-- Mayor Bagby... let's hear from

the departments again -- I suppose

we better take Water and Power

first. Mr. Mulwray.

17   REACTION - GITTES

looking up with interest from his racing form.

18   MULWRAY

walks to the huge map with overleafs. He is a slender

man in his sixties, who wears glasses and moves with

surprising fluidity. He turns to a smaller, younger

man, and nods. The man turns the overleaf on the map.

MULWRAY

In case you've forgotten, gentlemen,

over five hundred lives were lost

when the Van der Lip Dam gave way

-- core samples have shown that

beneath this bedrock is shale

similar to the permeable shale

in the Van der Lip disaster.

It couldn't withstand that kind

of pressure there.

(referring to a new

overleaf)

Now you propose yet another dirt

banked terminus dam with slopes

of two and one half to one, one

hundred twelve feet high and a

twelve thousand acre water surface.

Well, it won't hold. I won't

build it. It's that simple -- I

am not making that kind of mistake

twice. Thank you, gentlemen.

Mulwray leaves the overleaf board and sits down. Suddenly

there are some whoops and hollers from the rear of the

chambers and a red-faced FARMER drives in several

scrawny, bleating sheep. Naturally, they cause

a commotion.

COUNCIL PRESIDENT

(shouting to farmer)

What in the hell do you think you're

doing?

(as the sheep bleat

down the aisles

toward the Council)

Get those goddam things out of here!

FARMER

(right back)

Tell me where to take them! You don't

have an answer for that so quick, do

you?

19   Bailiffs and sergeants-at-arms respond to the

imprecations of the Council and attempt to capture

the sheep and the farmers, having to restrain one who

looks like he's going to bodily attack Mulwray.

FARMER

(through above, to

Mulwray)

-- You steal the water from the

valley, ruin the grazing, starve

my livestock -- who's paying you

to do that, .Mr. Mulwray, that's

what I want to know!

20   OMITTED

&

21   OMITTED

22   L.A. RIVERBED - LONG SHOT

It's virtually empty. Sun blazes off it's ugly concrete

banks. Where the banks are earthen, they are parched

and choked with weeds.

After a moment, Mulwray's car pulls INTO VIEW on a flood

control road about fifteen feet above the riverbed.

Mulwray gets out of the car. Me looks around.

23   WITH GITTES

holding a pair of binoculars, downstream and just above

the flood control road -- using some dried mustard weeds

for cover. he watches while Mulwray makes his way

down to the center of the riverbed.

There Mulwray stops, tuns slowly, appears to be looking

at the bottom of the riverbed, or -- at nothing at all.

24   GITTES

trains the binoculars on him. Sun glints off Mulwray's

glasses.

25   BELOW GITTES

There's the SOUND of something like champagne corks

popping. Then a small Mexican boy atop a swayback horse

rides it into the riverbed, and into Gitte's view.

26   MULWRAY

himself stops, stands still when he hears the sound.

Power lines and the sun are overhead, the trickle of

brackish water at his feet.

He moves swiftly downstream in the direction of the

sound, toward Gittes.

27   GITTES

moves a little further back as Mulwray rounds the bend

in the river and comes face to face with the Mexican

boy on the muddy banks. Mulwray says something to the boy.

The boy doesn't answer at first. Mulwray points to the

ground. The boy gestures. Mulwray frowns. He kneels

down in the mud and stares at it. He seems to be

concentrating on it.

28   After a moment, he rises, thanks the boy and heads swiftly

back upstream -- scrambling up the bank to his car.

There he reaches through the window and pulls out a roll

of blueprints or something like them - he spreads them

on the hood of his car and begins to scribble some notes,

looking downstream from time to time.

The power lines overhead HUM.

He stops, listens to them -- then rolls up the plans and

gets back in the car. He drives off.

29   GITTES

Hurries to get back to his car. He gets in and gets right

back out. The steamy leather burns him. He takes a

towel from the back seat and carefully places it on the

front one. He gets in and takes off.

30   OMITTED

31   POINT FERMIN PARK - DUSK

Street lights go on.

32   MULWRAY

pulls up, parks. Hurries out of the car, across the park

lawn and into the shade of some trees and buildings.

33   GITTES

pulls up, moves across the park at a different angle, but

in the direction Mulwray had gone. He makes it through

the trees in time to see Mulwray scramble adroitly down

the side of the cliff to the beach below. Be seems in

a hurry. Gittes moves after him - having a little more

difficulty negotiating the climb than Mulwray did.

34   DOWN ON THE BEACH

Gittes looks to his right - where the bay is a long,

clear crescent. He looks to his left - there's a

promontory of sorts. It's apparent Mulwray has gone

that way. Gittes hesitates, then moves in that direction

-- but climbs along the promontory in order to be

above Mulwray.

35   AT THE OUTFALL

Gittes spots Mulwray just below him, kicking at the sand.

Mulwray picks up a starfish. Brushes the sand off it.

Looks absently up toward Gittes.

36   GITTES

backs away, sits near the outfall, yawns.

37   BEACON LIGHT AT POINT FERMIN

flashing in the dust.

38   CLOSE - GITTES

sitting, suddenly starts. He swears softly -- he's in

a puddle of water and the seat of his trousers is wet.

39   MULWRAY

below him in watching the water trickling down from

the outfall near Gittes.

Mulwray stands and stares at the water, apparently

fascinated. Even as Gittes watches Mulwray watching, the

volume and velocity seem to increase until it gushes in

spurts, cascading into the sea, whipping it into a foam.

40	AT THE STREET - GITTES' CAR

There's a slip of paper stuck under the windshield wiper.

Gittes pulls it off, gets in the car and turns on the

dash light. It says: "SAVE OUR CITY! LOS ANGELES IS

DYING OF THIRST! PROTECT YOUR PROPERTY! LOS ANGELES

IS YOUR INVESTMENT IN THE FUTURE!!! VOTE YES NOVEMBER

6......CITIZENS COMMITTEE TO SAVE OUR CITY, HON. SAM

BAGBY, FORMER MAYOR - CHAIRMAN." Gittes grumbles,

crumples it up and tosses it out the window. He notices

other flyers parked on a couple of cars down the street.

Gittes reaches down and opens his glove compartment.

41   INT. GLOVE COMPARTMENT

consists of a small mountain of Ingersoll pocket watches.

The cheap price tags are still on them. Gittes pulls

out one.

He absently winds it, checks the time with his own watch.

It's 9:37 as he walks to .Mulwray's car and places it

behind the front wheel of Mulwray's car. He yawns again

and heads back to his own car.

42   GITTES

arrives whistling, opens the door with "J.J. GITTES AND

ASSOCIATES - DISCREET INVESTIGATION" on it.

GITTES

Morning, Sophie.

Sophie hands him a small pile of messages. He goes

through them.

GITTES

Walsh here?

SOPHIE

He's in the dark room.

43   Gittes walks through his office to Duffy and Walsh's.

A little red light is on in the corner, over a closed

door. Gittes walks over and knocks on the door.

GITTES

Where'd he go yesterday?

WALSH'S VOICE

Three reservoirs -- Men's room of

a Richfield gas station on Flower,

and the Pig 'n Whistle.

GITTES

Jesus Christ, this guy's really

got water on the brain.

WALSH'S VOICE

What'd you expect? That's his job.

GITTES

Listen, we can't string this broad

out indefinitely -- we got to come

up with something.

WALSH'S VOICE

I think I got something.

GITTES

Oh yeah? You pick up the watch?

44   INT. DUFFY & WALSH'S OFFICE - GITTES

WALSH'S VOICE

It's on your desk. Say, you hear

the one about the guy who goes to

the North Pole with Admiral Byrd

looking for penguins?

Gittes walks to his office.

45   ON HIS DESK

is the Ingersoll watch, the crystal broken -- the hands

stopped at 2:47.

GITTES

He was there all night.

Gittes drops it, sits down. Walsh comes in carrying a

series of wet photos stuck with clothes pins onto a small

blackboard.

GITTES

(continuing; eagerly)

So what you got?

Walsh shows him the photos. He looks at them. They are

a series outside a restaurant showing Mulwray with

another man whose appearance is striking. In two

of the photos a gnarled cane is visible.

GITTES

(continuing; obviously

annoyed)

This?

WALSH

They got into a terrific argument

outside the Pig 'n Whistle.

GITTES

What about?

WALSH

I don't know -- the traffic was

pretty loud. I only heard one

thing -- apple core.

GITTES

Apple core?

WALSH

(shrugs)

Yeah.

46   INT. GITTES' OFFICE

Gittes tosses down the photos in disgust.

GITTES

Jesus Christ, Walsh -- that's what

you spent your day doing?

WALSH

Look, you tell me to take pictures,

I take pictures.

GITTES

Let me explain something to you,

Walsh -- this business requires

a certain finesse --

The PHONE has been RINGING. Sophie buzzes him.

GITTES

Yeah, Sophie?

(he picks up the phone)

Duffy, where are you?

Duffy's VOICE can be HEARD, excitedly -- "I got it. I

got it. He's found himself some cute little twist -

in a rowboat, in Echo Park."

GITTES

(continuing)

Okay, slow down -- Echo Park --

(to Walsh)

Jesus, water again.

47   WESTLAKE PARK (McARTHUR PARK)

Duffy is rowing, Gittes seated in the stern.

They pass Mulwray and a slender blonde girl in a summer

print dress, drifting in their rowboat, Mulwray fondly

doting on the girl.

GITTES

(to Duffy, as they

pass)

Let's have a big smile, pal.

He shoots past Duffy, expertly running off a couple of

fast shots. Mulwray and the girl seem blissfully

unaware of them.

48   DUFFY

turns again and they row past Mulwray and the girl,

Gittes again clicking off several fast shots.

49   CLOSE SHOT - SIGN:

"EL MACANDO APARTMENTS"

MOVE ALONG the red tiled roof and down to a lower level

of the roof where Gittes' feet are hooked over the apex

of the roof and Gittes himself is stretched face downward

on the tiles, pointing himself and his camera to a

veranda below him where the girl and Mulwray are eating.

Gittes is clicking off more shots when the tiles his

feet are hooked over come loose.

Gittes begins a slow slide down the tile to the edge of

the roof -- and possibly over it to a three-story drop.

He tries to slow himself down. The loose tile also

begins to slide.

Gittes stops himself at the roof's edge by the storm

drain and begins a very precarious turn - this time

hooking his feet in the drain itself. The loose tile

falls and hits the veranda below. He stops as it's about

to slide over the edge. He carefully lays it in the

drain. But a fragment off the cracked edge of the tile

falls.

50   WITH MULWRAY AND THE GIRL

Mulwray staring at the fragment at his feet. He looks

to the girl. He's clearly concerned. He rises, looks up

to the roof.

51   FROM HIS POV

The roof and the sign topping it betray nothing. He

slowly sits back down, staring at the tile fragment.

52   CLOSE SHOT - NEWSPAPER

DEPARTMENT OF WATER AND POWER BLOWS FUSE OVER CHIEF'S

USE OF FUNDS FOR EL MACANDO LOVE NEST.

In the style of the Hearst yellow press, there is a

heart-shaped drawing around one of the photos that

Gittes had taken. Next to it is a smaller column,

"J.J. Gittes hired by suspicious spouse."

53   INT. BARBERSHOP - GITTES

holds the paper and reads while getting his haircut and

his shoes shined. In fact, almost all the customers

are reading papers.

BARNEY

(to Gittes)

-- when you get so much publicity,

after a while you must get blas?	about it.

A self-satisfied smile comes to Gittes' face.

BARNEY

(continuing)

Face it. You're practically

a movie star.

In b.g., customers can be 0VERHEARD talking about the

drought. Interspersed with above, someone is saying,

"They're gonna start rationing water unless it rains."

Someone else says, "Only for washing your cars." Third

says, "You're not going to be able to water your lawn

either, or take a bath more than once a week." First

says, "If you don't have a lawn or a car, do you get an

extra bath?"

54   Gittes has been staring outside the barbershop. A car

is stalled. The hood is up. A man watches his

radiator boiling over.

GITTES

(laughing)

Look at that.

BARNEY

Heat's murder.

OTHER CUSTOMER

(end of conversation)

Fools names and fools faces...

55   Gittes has heard the word. He straightens up.

GITTES

(smiling; to Other

Customer)

What's that, pal?

OTHER CUSTOMER

(indicating paper)

Nothing -- you got a hell of a

way to make a living.

GITTES

-- Oh? What do. you do to make

ends meet?

OTHER CUSTOMER

Mortgage Department, First National Bank.

Gittes laughs.

GITTES

Tell me, how many people a week

do you foreclose on?

OTHER CUSTOMER

We don't publish a record in the

paper, I can tell you that.

GITTES

Neither do I.

OTHER CUSTOMER

No, you have a press agent do it.

Gittes gets out of the chair. Barney, a little concerned,

tries to restrain him, holding onto the barber sheet

around Gittes' neck.

GITTES

Barney, who is this bimbo? He a

regular customer?

BARNEY

Take it easy, Jake.

GITTES

Look, pal -- I make an honest

living. People don't come to

me unless they're miserable and

I help 'em out of a bad situation.

I don't kick them out of their

homes like you jerks who work in

the bank.

BARNEY

Jake, for Christ's sake.

56   Gittes is trying to take off his sheet.

GITTES

C'mon, get out of the barber chair.

We'll go outside and talk this

over --

The Customer is shrinking back into the chair.

BARNEY

Hey, c'mon, Jake. Sit down. Sit

down -- you hear about the fella

goes to his friend and says,

'What'll I do, I'm tired of

screwing my-wife?' and his

friend says, 'Whyn't you do

what the Chinese do?'

Gittes allows himself to be tugged back to his chair.

GITTES

I don't know how that got in the

paper as a matter of fact - it

surprised me it was so quick.

I make an honest living.

BARNEY

'Course you do, Jake.

GITTES

An honest living.

BARNEY

(continuing)

So anyway, he says, 'whyn't you

do what the Chinese do?'

57   INT. GITTES' OFFICE

Gittes comes bursting in, slapping a newspapers on his

thigh.

GITTES

Duffy, Walsh --

Walsh comes out of his office, Duffy out of the other

one.

GITTES

(continuing)

Sophie -- go to the little girl's

room for a minute.

SOPHIE

But, Mr. Gittes --

GITTES

(insisting)

Sophie.

SOPHIE

Yes, Mr. Gittes.

She gets up and leaves.

GITTES

-- so there's this fella who's

tired of screwing his wife --

DUFFY

Jake, listen -

GITTES

Shut up, Duffy, you're always in

a hurry - and his friend says why

not do what-the Chinese do? So he

says what do they do? His friend

says the Chinese they screw for a

while -- just listen a second,

Duffy --

A stunning YOUNG WOMAN appears behind Gittes in his

doorway. She's shortly joined by a small, GRAY-HAIRED

MAN. They listen, unseen by Gittes.

GITTES

(continuing)

-- and then they stop and they

read a little Confucius and they

screw some more and they stop and

they smoke some opium and then

they go back and screw some more

and they stop again and they

contemplate the moon or something

and it makes it more exciting.

So this other guy goes home to

screw his wife and after a while

he stops and gets up and goes into

the other room only he reads Life

Magazine and he goes back and he

screws some more and suddenly says

excuse me a second and he gets up

and smokes a cigarette and he goes

back and by this time his wife is

getting sore as hell. So he screws

some more and then he gets up to look

at the moon and his wife says, 'What

the hell do you think you're doing?

(Gittes breaks up)

... you're screwing like a Chinaman.'

58   Gittes hangs onto Sophie's desk laughing his ass off.

The little Gray-Haired Man winces. When Gittes looks

up he sees the Young Woman, apparently in her late

twenties. She's so stunning that Gittes nearly gasps.

YOUNG WOMAN

Mr. Gittes?

GITTES

Yes?

YOUNG WOMAN

Do you know me?

GITTES

-- well -- I think I -- I

would've remembered.

YOUNG WOMAN

Have we ever met?

GITTES

Well, no.

YOUNG WOMAN

Never?

GITTES

Never.

YOUNG WOMAN

That's what I thought. You see,

I'm Mrs. Evelyn Mulwray -- you

know, Mr. Mulwray's wife.

59   Gittes is staggered. He glances down at the newspaper.

GITTES

Not that Mulwray?

EVELYN

Yes, that Mulwray, Mr. Gittes. And

since you agree with me we've never

met, you must also agree that I

haven't hired you to do anything -

certainly not spy on my husband.

I see you like publicity, Mr.

Gittes. Well, you're going to

get it -

GITTES

Now wait a minute, Mrs. Mulwray...

She's walked past him toward the door. He stop her.

GITTES

(continuing)

-- there's some misunderstanding

here. It's not going to do any

good to get tough with me --

Evelyn flashes a cold smile.

EVELYN

I don't get tough with anybody,

Mr. Gittes. My lawyer does.

Evelyn starts out the door and Gittes starts after her.

This time he's stopped by the Gray-Haired Man who has

also come out of his office and up behind him.

GRAY-HAIRED MAN

Here's something for you, Mr.

Gittes --

Gittes turns to be handed a thick sheaf of papers, a

summons and complaint. Evelyn walks out the door.

GRAY-HAIRED MAN

(continuing;

pleasantly)

I suppose we'll be hearing from

your attorney.

Gittes stares down at the papers in his hand.

60   INT. GITTES' INNER OFFICE - GITTES, DUFFY & WALSH

On Gittes' desk. there are empty coffee cups, the summons

and complaint -- and the newspaper Gittes had brought

with him from the barber shop.

The three men are sitting, worn and silent. Walsh

chewing gum is the loudest noise in the room.

Gittes looks to Walsh with obvious irritation. Walsh

stops chewing.

Duffy puts out a cigarette in the dregs of one of the

coffee cups.

GITTES

(to Duffy)

There's seven ashtrays in this

room, Duffy.

DUFFY

Okay.

GITTES

That's a filthy habit.

DUFFY

I said okay,. Jake.

GITTES

Yeah, yeah -- if she'd come in

here saying she was Shirley Temple

you'd say okay to that, too.

WALSH

Look, Jake -- she gave us Mulwray's

real phone number and address --

GITTES

All she needed for that was the

phone book!

WALSH

No, no -- she said not to call,

her husband might answer.

GITTES

-- when I find out who that phony

bitch was --

Gittes is staring down at the newspaper. He suddenly

grabs the phone, begins dialing. A tight little smile

breaks out on his face. He buzzes Sophie.

GITTES

Sophie.

SOPHIE

Yes, Mr. Gittes.

GITTES

Get me the Times -- Whitey

Mehrholtz --

(as he waits)

And how about that snotty broad?

(the phone to his

ear)

What does she think, she's perfect?

Coming in waving her lawyers and

her money at me -- so goddam smug.

She's no better than anybody else

in this town --

Sophie BUZZES.

GITTES

(continuing)

Whitey, what's new, pal?... Yeah,

listen, where did you get those

photographs... Yeah, blowing a

fuse over the El Macando love

nest -- that's cute, Whitey...

so who sent them to you... I

sent them?

(Gittes laughs a

little hysterically)

Why would I be asking how you got

them if I sent them?... Whitey?...

Whitey?... C'mon, level with me

for once, my tit's in the wringer

and it's beginning to hurt...

yeah... yeah -- yeah.

He hangs up.

WALSH

So he says you sent them?

GITTES

(after a moment)

-- they're all a bunch of phonies.

61   OMITTED

62   INT. DEPARTMENT WATER & POWER - HALL

Gittes stops outside a door marked:

HOLLIS J. MULWRAY

CHIEF ENGINEER

63   He enters an outer office. The SECRETARY looks surprised.

GITTES

Mr. Mulwray, please.

SECRETARY

He's not in, Mr. -

GITTES

Gittes.

SECRETARY

May I ask what this is regarding?

GITTES

It's personal. Has he been out long?

SECRETARY

Since lunch.

GITTES

Gee whiz --

(he glances at his

watch)

-- and I'm late.

SECRETARY

He was expecting you?

GITTES

Fifteen minutes ago. Why don't

I go in and wait?

Without waiting for a response, he does. The Secretary

half rises in protest but Gittes is through the inner

door.

64   MULWRAY'S INNER OFFICE

The walls are covered with commendation, photos of

Mulwray at various construction sites, large maps of

watershed areas and reservoirs in the city. On the

desk is a framed, tinted photo of Evelyn in riding

clothes.

Gittes moves to the desk, watching the translucent pane

in the upper half of the door leading to the outer

office as he does.

He begins to open and close. the desk drawers after

quickly examining the top. He tries one of the drawers

and it doesn't open. He reopens the top drawer, and

the bottom one opens.

He looks in it, pulls out a checkbook. He opens it --

riffles through the stubs like he was shuffling cards.

Drops it -- finds a set of keys, an old phone book, and

a menu from a Water Department lunch at the Biltmore

Hotel in 1913. Then, Gittes hauls out the blueprints

that Mulwray had laid across the hood of his car --

they read in bold type: WATERSHED AND DRAINAGE SYSTEM

FOR THE LOS ANGELES BASIN.

He flips through them -- reads one notation in Mulwray's

neat hand: "Tues. night. Oak Pass Res. - 7 channels

used."

Gittes spots a shadow looming in front of the translucent

pane. He quickly tosses item after item back, kneeing

the drawer -- nearly knocking a spare pair of Mulwray's

glasses off the desk top when he does. He catches them,

puts them on the desk and is pacing the room as the

door opens.

65   RUSS YELBURTON

enters the room. An anxious Secretary is right behind

him.

YELBURTON

Can I help you?

(extending his hand)

Russ Yelburton, Deputy Chief in

the Department.

GITTES

(equally pleasant)

J.J. Gittes -- and it's not a

departmental matter.

YELBURTON

I wonder if you'd care to wait

in my office?

This is more a request than an invitation. Gittes nods,

follows Yelburton out, through the outer office to his

offices down the hall.

YELBURTON

(continuing; as

they're going)

You see -- this whole business

in the paper with Mr. Mulwray

has us all on edge --

66   INT. YELBURTON OFFICE

Smaller than Mulwray's, he has most noticeably a

lacquered marlin mounted on the wall. There are a couple

of other pictures of Yelburton with yellowtail and other

fish he's standing beside.

There's also a small burgee of a fish with the initials

A.C. below it, tacked onto the wall.

YELBURTON

After all, you work with a man

for a certain length of time,

you come to know him, his habits,

his values, and so forth -- well

either he's the kind who chases

after women or he isn't.

GITTES

And Mulwray isn't?

YELBURTON

He never even kids about it.

GITTES

Maybe he takes it very seriously.

67   Gittes winks. Yelburton chuckles appreciatively,

loosening up a little.

GITTES

You don't happen to know where

Mr. Mulwray's having lunch?

YELBURTON

I'm sorry, I --

GITTES

Well, tell him I'll be back.

Gittes spots a card tray on Yelburton's desk.

GITTES

(continuing)

-- Mind if I take one of your

cards? In case I want to get

in touch with you again.

YELBURTON

Help yourself.

68   Gittes fishes a couple off the tray, puts them in his

handkerchief pocket. He goes out the door, nearly running

into a man who is standing by the Secretary's desk -

about GITTES' age only a head taller and a foot wider,

dressed in a plain suit that fits him about as well as

a brown paper bag.

GITTES

Mulvihlll, what are you doing

here?

69   OUTER OFFICE - YELBURTON, MULVIHILL AND GITTES

MULVIHILL stares at Gittes with unblinking eyes, remains

by the desk.

MULVIHILL

They shut my water off, what's

it to you?

GITTES

How'd you find out? You don't

drink it, you don't take a bath

in it, maybe they sent you a

letter. Ah, but then you'd have

to be able to read.

Mulvihill moves toward Gittes, shaking with fury.

Yelburton steps between them.

GITTES

(continuing)

Relax, Mulvihill, glad to see you.

(to Yelburton)

Do you know Claude Mulvihill here?

YELBURTON

Hope so. He's working for us.

70   OMMITTED

71   GITTES

turns off onto a winding road. It goes up into the

foothills.

Gittes swerves, missing a dog stretched out lazily in

the road. Gittes honks and yells indignantly at the

sleepy animal.

72   Gittes stops on a curve. Above a steep bank and partially

hidden is the Mulwray home -- designed and constructed

with shade and curves that are dramatic. When he turns

off the ignition, the distant SOUND of the SURF can be

HEARD.

Gittes heads up to the entrance.

73   EXT. MULWRAY HOUSE - GITTES

rings the bell. He waits.

A powerful CHINESE BUTLER with heavy hair and a half-

jacket of gold on one front tooth, answers the door.

GITTES

J.J. Gittes to see Mr. Mulwray.

He hands the Chinese Butler a card from his wallet. The

Butler takes it and disappears, leaving Gittes standing

in the doorway.

Gittes stands, and sweats, watching a Japanese GARDENER

trim a hedge. There's a SQUEAKING SOUND. Gittes moves

a few feet off the porch.

74   POV - GARAGE

A chauffeur is washing down a cream-colored Packard with

a chamois. Steam rises off the hood. The squeaking has

obviously come from the chamois.

75   CHINESE BUTLER

in doorway.

CHINESE BUTLER

Please.

Gittes looks behind him. The Chinese Butler is gesturing

for him to follow.

76   THROUGH THE HOUSE - GITTES

follows him, trying to check out the rooms as he goes.

A maid is cleaning in the den. They pass through it out

some French doors along a trellised walkway to a large

pond with running water.

CHINESE BUTLER

You wait, please.

77   Gittes is left standing by the pond. It's suddenly very

quiet except for the runnning water. The pond is over-

flowing. After a moment, the Gardener comes running back.

He smiles at Gittes, probes into the pond.

There's something gleaming in the bottom of it. Gittes

notes it. After a moment, the Gardener drops the long

probe -- the waters recede.

78   EXT. POND - GITTES AND JAPANESE GARDENER - DAY

GARDENER

(to Gittes)

Bad for glass.

GITTES

(not understanding)

Yeah sure. Bad for glass.

The Gardener nods, and is off, leaving Gittes staring at

the object in the bottom of the pond that is gleaming.

He looks at the tool the Gardener was using, hesitates,

picks .it up and starts to probe into the pond himself,

toward the gleaming object.

He then spots Evelyn rounding a turn, coming down the

trellised pathway. He casually belts the probe, holds

onto it for poise.

Evelyn is wearing jeans that are lathered white on the

inside of the thighs and laced with brown horsehair.

She's wearing riding boots, is perspiring a little, but

looks younger than she did in the office.

EVELYN

Yes, Mr. Gittes?

Gittes is a little taken aback at seeing Evelyn. He is

annoyed as well. Nevertheless, he is elaborately polite.

GITTES

Actually, I'm here to see your

husband, Mrs. Mulwray.

He laughs. a little nervously. He waits for a reply.

There is none. The Chinese Butler appears on the veranda.

EVELYN

Would you like something to drink?

GITTES

What are you having?

EVELYN

Iced tea.

GITTES

Yeah -- fine, thank you.

Chinese Butler nods, disappears

79   EXT. POND AND GARDEN - MULWRAY HOUSE - DAY

Evelyn sits at a glass-topped table. Gittes Joins her.

EVELYN

My husband's at the office.

GITTES

Actually he's not. And he's moved

from his apartment at the El Macando.

EVELYN

(sharply)

That's not his apartment.

GITTES

Anyway I -- the point is, Mrs.

Mulwray, I'm not in business to

be loved, but I am in business,

and believe me, whoever set up

your husband, set me up. L.A.'s

a small town, people talk --

He waits for a response. Then:

GITTES

(continuing;

uneasily)

I'm just trying to make a living,

and I don't want to become a

local Joke -

EVELYN

Mr. Gittes, you've talked me into

it. I'll drop the lawsuit.

GITTES

What ?

EVELYN

I said I'll drop it.

The iced tea comes on a tray which Ramon sets down

between them.

EVELYN

(continuing;

pleasantly)

-- so let's just -- drop the

whole thing. Sugar? Lemon --

GITTES

Mrs. Mulwray?

EVELYN

(as she's mixing

one of the drinks)

-- Yes, Mr. Gittes?

GITTES

I don't want to drop it.

80   Evelyn looks up. Gittes smiles a little sheepishly.

GITTES

I should talk this over with your

husband.

EVELYN

(a little concerned)

Why?... What on earth for?

Look, Hollis seems to think

you're an innocent man.

GITTES

Well, I've been accused of many

things, Mrs. Mulwray, but never

that.

Again he laughs a little nervously. Again no reaction.

GITTES

(continuing)

You see, somebody went to a lot

of trouble here, and I want to

find out, lawsuit or no lawsuit.

I'm not the one who's supposed to

be caught with my pants down...

so I'd like to see your husband --

unless that's a problem.

EVELYN

(with a slight edge)

What do you mean?

GITTES

May I speak frankly, Mrs. Mulwray?

EVELYN

You may if you can, Mr. Gittes.

GITTES

(determined to be

polite)

-- Well, that little girlfriend,

she was attractive -- in a cheap

sort of way of course -- she's

disappeared. Maybe they disappeared

together somewhere.

EVELYN

(with rising anger)

Suppose they did. How does it

concern you?

GITTES

-- Nothing personal, Mrs. Mulwray,

I just --

EVELYN

It's very personal. It couldn't

be more personal. Is this a

business or an obsession with you?

GITTES

Look at it this way -- Now this

phony broad, excuse the language,

says she's you, she's hired me.

Whoever put her up to it, didn't

have anything against me. They

were out to get your husband.

Now if I see him, I can help him

did you talk this morning?

81   Evelyn brushes lightly at the horsehair on her Jeans.

EVELYN

-- No. I went riding rather early --

GITTES

-- Looks Like you went quite a

distance --

EVELYN

No, Just riding bareback, that's

all. Anyway, you might try the

Oak Pass or Stone Canyon Reservoirs

-- sometimes at lunch Hollis takes

walks around them -- otherwise he'll

be home by 6:30.

GITTES

I'll stop by.

EVELYN

Please call first.

Gittes nods.

82   EXT. OAK PASS RESERVOIR - DAY

Gittes drives up a winding road, following a flood

channel up into the parched hills.

83   TWO FIRE TRUCKS

one a rescue truck, are at the entrance to the reservoir.

The chain link fence with its KEEP OUT sign is open and

there are people milling around. The reservoir is below.

Gittes' car is stopped by a couple of UNIFORMED POLICE.

GUARD

Sorry, this is closed to the

public, sir.

Gittes hesitates only a moment, then:

GITTES

(to the Guard)

It's all right -- Russ Yelburton,

Deputy Chief in the Department.

He fishes out one of Yelburton's cards from his

handkerchief pocket -- hands it to the Guard.

GUARD

Sorry, Mr. Yelburton. Go on down.

84   Gittes drives past the Guards, through the gate, along

the reservoir. He spots a police car and an unmarked

one as well.

Gittes stops and gets out of the car. Several men with

their backs turned, one talking quietly, staring down

into the reservoir where other men in small skiffs are

apparently dredging for something.

One of the men turns and sees Gittes. He recognizes

Gittes and is visibly shocked.

LOACH

Gittes -- for Chrissakes --

GITTES

Loach --

LOACH

(moving to Gittes,

taking him by the

arm)

-- C'mon, get out of here before --

85   EXT. RESERVOIR - DAY

Loach tries to ease him down the path.

GITTES

Before what? What the hell's

going on?

At the sound of his raised voice, a man standing at the

edge of the channel, talking to two boys in swimming

trunks, turns around. He's a tall, sleek Mexican in

his early thirties, LUIS ESC0BAR.

Both Gittes and Escobar register considerable surprise

at seeing one another. The men around them are extremely

uneasy.

Loach is actually sweating. Finally, Escobar smiles.

ESCOBAR

Hello, Jake.

GITTES

(without smiling)

How are you, Lou?

ESCOBAR

-- I have a cold I can't seem to

shake but other than that, I'm

fine.

GITTES

Summer colds are the worst.

ESCOBAR

Yeah, they are.

Gittes reaches into his pocket, pulls out his cigarette

case.

A FIREMAN

No smoking, sir -- it's a fire

hazard this time of year --

ESCOBAR

I think we can make an exception

-- I'll see he's careful with the

matches.

GITTES

(lighting up)

Thanks, Lou.

ESCOBAR

How'd you get past the guards?

GITTES

Well, to tell you the truth, I

lied a little.

86   Escobar nods. They walk a couple of steps -- the other

police -- two plainclothesmen and a uniformed officer

watch them.

ESCOBAR

You've done well by yourself.

GITTES

I get by.

ESCOBAR

Well, sometimes it takes a while

for a man to find himself and I

guess you have.

LOACH

Poking around in other people's

dirty linen.

GITTES

Yeah. Tell me. You still throw

Chinamen into jail for spitting

on the laundry?

ESCOBAR

You're behind the times, Jake --

they've got steam irons now --

(smiles)

And I'm out of Chinatown.

GITTES

Since when?

ESCOBAR

Since I made Lieutenant --

It's apparent Gittes is impressed despite himself.

GITTES

Congratulations.

ESCOBAR

Uh-huh -- so what are you doing

here?

GITTES

Looking for someone.

ESCOBAR

Who?

GITTES

Hollis Mulwray. You seen him?

ESCOBAR

Oh yes.

GITTES

I'd like to talk to him.

ESCOBAR

You're welcome to try. There he is.

87   Escobar points down to the reservoir -- a couple of men

using poles with hooks are fishing about in the water.

It can be SEEN that one of them has hooked something.

He shouts. The other man hooks it, too. They pull,

revealing the soaking back of a man's coat -- they start

to pull the body into the skiff.

88   INT. CORONER'S OFFICE - EVELYN AND ESCOBAR

are standing over the body of Mulwray. Escobar has the

sheet drawn back. Evelyn nods.

Escobar drops the sheet. Escobar and Evelyn move a

few feet to one side and whisper, almost as though they

were trying to keep the corpse from hearing them.

ESCOBAR

-- It looks like he was washed

the entire length of the runoff

channel -- could he swim?

EVELYN

Of course.

ESCOBAR

-- Obviously the fall must have

knocked him out --

Evelyn nods slightly Escobar coughs. A coroner's

assistant wheels the body out of the office.

ESCOBAR

(continuing)

-- This alleged affair he was

having -- the publicity didn't

make him morose or unhappy?

89   OUTSIDE THE CORONER'S

Gittes has been sitting on a wooden bench, smoking and

listening. At this question, he rises and looks through

the doorway.

9O   Escobar sees him, ignores him. Evelyn doesn't see him.

EVELYN

... Well, it didn't make him

happy...

ESCOBAR

But there is no possibility he

would have taken his own life?

EVELYN

(sharply)

No.

ESCOBAR

(a little uncomfortably

now)

Mrs. Mulwray, do you happen to know

the name of the young woman in

question?

Evelyn shows a flash of annoyance.

EVELYN

No.

ESCOBAR

Do you know where she might be?

EVELYN

Certainly not!

Escobar and Evelyn move slowly toward the door.

ESCOBAR

You and your husband never

discussed her?

EVELYN.

(stopping, faltering)

He... we did... he wouldn't tell

me her name. We quarreled over

her... of course -- it came as a

complete surprise to me --

ESCOBAR

A complete surprise?

EVELYN

-- Yes.

ESCOBAR

But I thought you'd hired a

private investigator --

EVELYN

A private investigator?

ESCOBAR

(gesturing vaguely

toward the door)

Mr. Gittes.

EVELYN

Well yes --

91   Evelyn looks up to see Gittes standing in the doorway

only a foot or two from her. She stops cold. They look

at one another for a long moment.

EVELYN

(her eyes on Gittes)

But I... I... did that because

I thought it was a nasty rumor I'd

put an end to...

She finishes, looks plaintively at Gittes. Escobar is

right at her back. Gittes says nothing.

ESCOBAR

-- And when did Mr. Gittes inform

you that these rumors had some

foundation in fact?

Evelyn looks at Escobar but doesn't know how to answer him.

GITTES

(smoothly)

-- Just before the story broke in

the papers, Lou.

92   Escobar nods. They begin to walk slowly, again have to

move out of the way as some other corpse is being wheeled

out of one of the Coroner cubicles.

ESCOBAR

-- You wouldn't happen to know

the present whereabouts of the

young woman.

GITTES

-- No.

ESCOBAR

Or her name?

GITTES

-- No.

They have walked a few steps further down the hall.

EVELYN

Will you need me for anything

else, Lieutenant?

ESCOBAR

I don't think so, Mrs. Mulwray.

Of course you have my deepest

sympathy -- and -- if we need

anymore information, we'll be

in touch.

GITTES

I'll walk her to her car, be

right back.

93   ESCOBAR'S POV

Evelyn glances at Gittes. They go through a couple of

outer doors and pass several reporters who have been

in the outer hall, laughing, kidding, the tag end of

lines like "only in L.A." and "Southern Cafeteria."

Gittes hurries her past the reporters who flank them,

asking questions. Gittes brushes them aside.

94   EVELYN AND GITTES - AT HER CAR

in a small parking lot.

Evelyn fumbles in her bag, looking feverishly for some-

thing in her purse.

GITTES

Mrs. Mulwray?... Mrs. Mulwray.

EVELYN

(flushed, perspiring)

... Just a minute...

GITTES

(touching her gently)

-- You left your keys in the ignition.

EVELYN

Oh... thank you.

She glances down, leans against the side of the car.

EVELYN

(continuing)

Thank you for going along with

me. I just didn't want to explain

anything... I'll send you a check.

GITTES

(puzzled)

A check?

Evelyn gets in her car.

EVELYN

To make it official, I hired you.

She drives off, leaving Gittes gaping.

95   INT. CORONER'S OFFICE HALLWAY

GITTES

Don't give me that, Lou. You

hauled me down here for a statement.

Escobar shrugs.

ESCOBAR

I don't want it anymore.

GITTES

No?

ESCOBAR

No -- it was an accident.

GITTES

You mean that's what you're going

to call it.

Escobar looks up.

ESCOBAR

That's right.

(contemptuously)

Out of respect for his civic

position.

Resume walking.

Gittes laughs.

GITTES

What'd he do, Lou, make a pass

at your sister?

Escobar stops.

ESCOBAR

No -- he drowned a cousin of mine

with about five hundred other

people. But -- they weren't

very important, Just a bunch of

dumb Mexicans living by a dam.

Now beat it, Gittes, you don't

come out of this smelling like

a rose, you know.

GITTES

Oh yeah? Can you think of

something to charge me with?

ESCOBAR

When I do, you'll hear about it.

Gittes nods, turns, and walks down the hall.

96   OUTSIDE MORGUE

Gittes stops by a body on the table, the toe tagged with

Mulwray's name. MORTY is standing near it in a doorway

to an adjoining room. A RADIO is on, and with it the

announcement that they're about to hear another chapter

in the life of Lorenzo Jones and his devoted wife, Belle.

Another Coroner's assistant sits at the table, listening

to the radio and eating a sandwich.

97   Gittes ambles into the room.

MORTY

(a cigarette dangling

out of his mouth)

Jake, what're you doin' here?

GITTES

Nothin', Morty, it's my lunch

hour, I thought I'd drop by and

see who died lately.

Gittes picks up the sheet and pulls it back. CAMERA

GETS ITS FIRST GLIMPSE of Mulwray's body -- eyes open,

the face badly cut and bruised.

MORTY

Yeah? Ain't that something?

Middle of a drought, the water

commissioner drowns -- only in L.A.

GITTES

(looking at. Mulwray)

-- Yeah -- banged up pretty bad --

MORTY

-- That's a long fall.

GITTES

-- So how are you, Morty?

Morty is wheeling in another body with the help of an

assistant.

MORTY

-- Never better. You know me, Jake.

As he begins to move the body into the refrigerator, he

breaks into a wrenching spasm of coughing. Gittes spots

the other body, lowers the. sheet on Mulwray.

GITTES

(picking up on cough)

-- Yeah -- so who you got there?

Morty pulls back the sheet.

MORTY

Leroy Shuhardt, local drunk --

used to hang around Ferguson's

Alley --

Morty brushes some sand from the man's face, laughs.

MORTY

(continuing)

-- Quite a character. Lately he'd

been living in one of the downtown

storm drains -- had a bureau dresser

down there and everything.

98   Gittes has already lost interest. He starts away.

GITTES

-- Yeah.

MORTY

Drowned, too.

This stops Gittes.

GITTES

Come again?

MORTY

Yeah, got dead drunk, passed out

in the bottom of the riverbed.

GITTES

The L.A. River?

MORTY

(a little puzzled)

Yeah, under Hollenbeck Bridge,

what's wrong with that?

Gittes has moved back to the body, looks at it more

closely.

GITTES

It's bone dry, Morty.

MORTY

It's not completely dry.

GITTES

Yeah, well he ain't gonna drown

in a damp riverbed either, I don't

care how soused he was. That's

like drowning in a teaspoon.

Morty shrugs.

MORTY

We got water out of him, Jake.

He drowned.

Gittes walks away mumbling.

GITTES

Jesus, this town...

99   EXT. SUNSET BOULEVARD - GITTES - DAY

He's parked on an overpass -- the sign HOLLENBECK BRIDGE

on one of its concrete columns. Gittes looks down into

the riverbed below.

100  FROM THE BRIDGE

Gittes can see the muddy remains of a collapsed shack,

its contents strewn down river from the bridge. Below

him, lying half over the storm drain and one wall that

was on the bank of the river is a sign that proclaims

OWN YOUR OWN OFFICE IN THIS BUILDING $5000 to $6000

which was used as a roof of sorts. Downstream, there's

the dresser, an oil drum, a Ford seat cushion, an Armour

lard can, etc. -- the trashy remains of Shuhardt's home.

101  Gittes scrambles down the embankment and as he lands near

the storm drain one shoe sinks, ankle deep into mud.

Gittes pulls it out, swearing.

He begins to walk a little further downstream when he

hears the vaguely familiar SQUISHY CLOP of something.

Clearing the bridge. on the opposite side is the little

Mexican Boy, again on his swayback horse, riding along

the muddy bank.

They look at one another a moment.

GITTES

(calling out to him)

You were riding here the other

day, weren't you...?

The Boy doesn't answer.

GITTES

(continuing)

Speak English?... Habla Ingles?

THE BOY

(finally)

Si.

GITTES

Didn't you talk to a man here

-- few days ago... wore glasses

... he...

The Boy nods.

GITTES

(continuing)

What did you talk about, mind

my asking?

The shadows of the two are very long now.

THE BOY

(finally)

The water.

GITTES

What about the water?

THE BOY

-- when it comes.

GITTES

-- When it comes? What'd you

tell him?

THE BOY

Comes in different parts of the

river -- every night a different

part.

Gittes nods. The horse snorts. The Boy rides slowly on.

102  EXT. RIVEBED - DUSK

Gittes scrambles up the embankment to note the direction

the storm drain by Hollenbeck Bridge takes. It is headed

above toward the Hollywood Hills, where the sun is

setting.

103  EXT. GITTES IN CAR - NIGHTFALL

winding his way up a section of the Hollywood Hills. He

picks up on an open flood channel with the spotlight by

the driver's windwing.

104  GITTES IN CAR- MOVING

along the flood channel. It is dark now and Gittes follows

the channel with the car spotlight. He turns at a fork

in the road which allows him to continue following the

flood channel.

105  FURTHER UP - MOVING

The road is narrower. Gittes drives more slowly. Foliage

is overgrown in the channel so its bottom cannot be

glimpsed.

106  STILL FURTHER - NIGHT

The road is dirt. Heavy clusters of oak trees and

eucalyptus are everywhere. It is very still. Another

turn and a pie-shaped view of a lake of lights in the

city below can be GLIMPSED.

107  POV - CHAIN-LINK FENCE

over the road, bolted. It says OAK PASS RESERVOIR.

KEEP OUT. NO TRESPASSING.

The chain-link itself actually extends over the flood

channel and down into it, making access along the

channel itself impossible.

108  Gittes backs up, turns off the motor, the car lights, the

spotlight. A lone light overhead on tension wires is the

sole illumination. There is only the eerie SOUND of the

tension WIRES HUMMING.

Gittes gets out of the car, clubs the fence near the

Flood channel itself.

109  ON THE OTHER SIDE

Gittes carefully works his way up through the thick

Foliage toward a second and large chain-link fence.

Lights from the reservoir still higher above can be SEEN.

Suddenly there is a GUNSHOT. Then ANOTHER. Gittes dives

into the flood control channel, which is at this point

about four feet deep and six feet wide. There is the

SOUND of men scurrying through the brush, coming near

him, then retreating. Gittes loses himself among the

ivy in the channel.

He waits. The men seem to have passed him by. But there

is another SOUND now -- an echoing growing sound. It

puzzles Gittes. He starts to lift his head to catch

the direction.

110  GITTES IN FLOOD CONTROL CHANNEL - NIGHT

Then he's inundated with a rush of water which pours over

him, knocks off his hat, carries him down the channel,

banging into its banks, as he desperately tries to grab

some of the overgrowth to hang on and pull himself out.

But the force of the stream batters him and carries him

with it until he's brought rudely to the chain-link

fence. It stops him cold. He's nearly strained through

it.

Swearing and choking, he pulls himself out of the rushing

water by means of the fence itself.

Drenched, battered, he slowly climbs back over the fence

and makes his way toward his car.

111  AT GITTES' CAR

He fishes for his car keys, looks down -- one shoe is

missing.

GITTES

(grumbling)

Goddam Florsheim shoe, goddammit.

He starts to get into his car but Mulvihill and a SMALLER

MAN stop him -- Mulvihill pulling his coat down and

pinning his arms -- holding him tightly. The smaller man

thrusts a switchblade knife about an inch and a half up

Gittes' left nostril.

SMALLER MAN

(shaking with emotion)

Hold it there, kitty cat.

112  CLOSE - GITTES

frozen, the knife in his nostril, the street lamp over-

head gleaming on the silvery blade.

THE SMALLER MAN

You are a very nosey fellow, kitty

cat... you know what happens to

nosey fellows?

The Smaller Man actually seems to be trembling with rage

when he says this. Gittes doesn't move.

SMALLER MAN

(continuing)

Wanna guess? No? Okay.

lose their noses.

With a quick flick the Smaller Man pulls back on the

blade, laying Gittes' left nostril open about an inch

further. Gittes screams. Blood gushes down onto his shirt

and coat.

Gittes bends over, instinctively trying to keep the blood

from getting on his clothes. Mulvihill and the Smaller

Man stare at him.

THE SMALLER MAN

(continuing)

Next time you lose the whole thing,

kitty cat. I'll cut it off and

feed it to my goldfish, understand?

MULVIHILL

Tell him you understand, Gittes.

113  EXT. OAK PASS RESERVOIR - NIGHT

Gittes is now groveling on his hands and knees.

GITTES

(mumbling)

I understand...

Gittes on the ground can see only his tormentor's two-

tone brown and white wing-tipped shoes -- lightly

freckled with his blood.

114  THE SHOE

comes up and lightly shoves Gittes into the ground.

the SOUND of FOOTSTEPS RETREATING, Gittes gasping.

115  INT. GITTES' OFFICE - GITTES

sits behind his desk, BACK TO CAMERA, not moving. Duffy

sits staring at nothing, Walsh moves uneasily around the

room.

The PHONE is RINGING. Sophie BUZZES.

GITTES

(pressing down

intercom)

Yeah, Sophie.

SOPHIE'S VOICE

A Miss Sessions calling.

GITTES

Who?

SOPHIE'S VOICE

Ida Sessions.

GITTES

Don't know her -- take a number.

116  NEW ANGLE - REVEALING

a bandage spread-eagled across Gittes' nose.

WALSH

So some contractor wants to

build a dam and he makes a

few payoffs. So what?

Gittes turns slowly to Walsh. He lightly taps his nose.

WALSH

(	continuing)

Think you can nail Mulvihill?

They'll claim you were trespassing.

GITTES

I don't want Mulvihill. I. want the

big boys that are making the payoffs.

DUFFY

Then what'll you do?

GITTES

Sue the shit out of 'em.

WALSH

Yeah?

GITTES

Yeah -- what's wrong with you

guys? Think ahead. We find 'em,

sue 'em -- we'll make a killing.

(a dazzling smile)

We'll have dinner at Chasen's

twice a week, we'll be pissing

on ice the rest of our lives.

WALSH

Sue people like that they're

liable to be having dinner with

the Judge who's trying the suit.

Gittes looks irritated. The PHONE RINGS again.

SOPHIE'S VOICE

Miss Ida Sessions again. She says

you know her.

GITTES

Okay.

117  Gittes picks up the phone. He winks to his boys.

GITTES

(continuing)

Hello, Miss Sessions. I don't

believe we've had the pleasure.

IDA'S VOICE

-- Oh yes we have... are you

alone, Mr. Gittes?

GITTES

(clowning a little

for the boys)

Isn't everybody? What can I do

for you, Miss Sessions?

Walsh promptly starts to tell Duffy the Admiral Byrd

story.

IDA'S VOICE

Well, I'm a working girl, Mr.

Gittes -- I didn't come in to see

you on my own.

GITTES

-- When did you come in?

IDA'S VOICE

-- I was the one who pretended to

be Mrs. Mulwray, remember?

ll8  Walsh has finished off the punch line and both men are

laughing raucously. Gittes drops the mail he's been

loafing through and puts his hand over the receiver.

GITTES

(to Duffy and Walsh)

Shut the fuck up!

(then back to Ida)

... Yes I remember -- nothing,

Miss Sessions, just going over

a detail or two with my associates

... you were saying?

IDA'S VOICE

Well I never expected anything

to happen like what happened to

Mr. Mulwray, the point is if it

ever comes out I want somebody

to know I didn't know what would

happen.

GITTES

-- I understand... if you could

tell me who employed you, Miss

Sessions -- that could help us

both --

IDA'S VOICE

Oh no --

GITTES

... Why don't you give me your

address and we can talk this over?

IDA'S VOICE

No, Mr. Gittes -- just look in

the obituary column of today's

Times...

GITTES

The obituary column?

IDA'S VOICE

You'll find one of those people --

GITTES

'Those people?' Miss Sessions --

She hangs up. Gittes looks to his two men.

119  OMITTED

120  INT. BROWN DERBY - CLOSE ON NEWSPAPER

Gittes is seated, flips through the paper until he finds

the OBITUARY COLUMN -- scans it, looks up -- abruptly

tears the column from the paper and puts it in his

pocket.

When he closes the paper we can SEE headlines in the

left hand column: WATER BOND ISSUE PASSES COUNCIL.

Ten million dollar referendum to go before the public.

Evelyn Mulwray is standing at the table as he does so.

He rises, allows her to sit.

121  CLOSE ON EVELYN

Gittes watches her as she removes her gloves slowly...

She's wearing dove gray gabardine -- subdued, tailored.

GITTES

Thanks for coming... drink?

The waiter's appeared. Evelyn is looking at Gittes' nose.

EVELYN

Tom Collins -- with lime, not

lemon, please.

Evelyn looks down and smoothes her gloves. When she

looks back up she stares expectantly at Gittes.

Gittes pulls out a torn envelope. The initials ECM can

be SEEN in a delicate scroll on the comer of it.

GITTES

I got your check in the mall.

EVELYN

Yes. As I said, I was very

grateful.

Gittes' fingers the envelope. He coughs.

GITTES

Mrs. Mulwray, I'm afraid that's

not good enough.

EVELYN

(a little embarrassed)

Well, how much would you like?

121  CLOSE ON EVELYN

GITTES

Stop it. The money's fine. It's

generous but you've shortchanged

me on the story.

EVELYN

(coolly)

I have?

GITTES

I think so. Something besides

your husband's death was bothering

you. You were upset but not that

upset.

EVELYN

Mr. Gittes...

(icily)

Don't tell me how I feel.

The drinks come. The waiter sets them down.

GITTES

Sorry. Look, you sue me, your

husband dies, you drop the

lawsuit like a hot potato, and

all of it quicker than wind from

a duck's ass -- excuse me. Then

you ask me to lie to the police.

EVELYN

It wasn't much of a lie.

GITTES

-- If your husband was killed it

was.

(meaning check)

-- This can look like you paid

me off to withhold evidence.

EVELYN

But he wasn't killed.

Gittes smiles.

GITTES

I think you're hiding something,

Mrs. Mulwray.

122  Evelyn remains unperturbed.

EVELYN

-- Well, I suppose I am...

actually I knew about the affair.

GITTES

How did you find out?

EVELYN

My husband.

GITTES

He told you?

Evelyn nods.

GITTES

(continuing)

-- And you weren't the slightest

bit upset about it?

EVELYN

-- I was grateful.

Evelyn for the first time appears a little embarrassed.

GITTES

You'll have to explain that,

Mrs. Mulwray.

EVELYN

-- Why?

GITTES

(a flash of

annoyance)

Look, I do matrimonial work, It's

my metiay. When a wife tells me

she's happy her husband is cheating

on her it runs contrary to my

experience.

Gittes looks significantly to Evelyn.

EVELYN

Unless what?

GITTES

(looking directly

at her)

She's cheating on him.

122  Evelyn doesn't reply.

GITTES

(continuing)

-- Were you?

123  Evelyn is clearly angry but she is controlling it.

EVELYN

I don't like the word 'cheat.'

GITTES

Did you have affairs?

EVELYN

(flashing)

Mr. Gittes --

GITTES

Did he know?

EVELYN

(almost an outburst)

Well I wouldn't run home and tell

him whenever I went to bed with

someone, if that's what you mean.

This subdues Gittes a little. Evelyn is still a little

heated.

EVELYN

(continuing; more

calmly)

-- Is there anything else you

want to know?

GITTES

Where you were when your husband

died.

EVELYN

I can't tell you.

GITTES

You mean you don't know where

you were?

EVELYN

I mean I can't tell you.

GITTES

-- You were seeing someone, too.

124  Evelyn looks squarely at him. She doesn't deny it.

GITTES

-- For very long?

EVELYN

I don't see anyone for very long,

Mr. Gittes. It's difficult for

me. Now I think you know all

you need to about me. I didn't

want publicity. I didn't want

to go into any of this, then or

now. Is this all?

Gittes nods.

GITTES

Oh, by the way. What's the 'C'

stand for?

He's been fingering the envelope. .

EVELYN

(she stammers

slightly)

K... Cross.

GITTES

That your maiden name?

EVELYN

Yes... why?

GITTES

No reason.

Evelyn turns into Gittes.

EVELYN

You must've had a reason to ask

me that.

GITTES

(shrugs)

No. I'm just a snoop.

EVELYN

You seem to have had a reason

for every other question.

GITTES

No, not for that one.

EVELYN

I don't believe you.

Gittes suddenly turns sharply in to Evelyn.

GITTES

(moving in)

Do me a favor. Sit still and

act like I'm charming.

Evelyn involuntarily draws back.

GITTES

(continuing)

There's somebody here. Say

something. Anything. Something

like we're being intimate.

125  Evelyn reluctantly allows Gittes to move closer and

dangle his hand in front of their faces. She stares

at him.

EVELYN

(meaning his nose)

How did it happen?

GITTES

(quietly)

Been meaning to talk to you

about that.

EVELYN

(quietly)

Maybe putting your nose in other

people's business?

GITTES

(quietly)

More like other people putting

their business in my nose.

Evelyn actually smiles a little.

WOMAN'S VOICE

You son of a bitch.

Gittes looks up and flashes his smile.

GITTES

Mrs. Match. How're you?

Mrs. MATCH is swaying over the table, a plump woman with

a glass of whiskey in one hand, a large purse in the

other, and a menacing look in her eye.

MRS. MATCH

Don't give me that, you son of

a bitch.

GITTES

Okay.

Gittes turns back to Evelyn.

EVELYN

(softly)

Another satisfied client?

GITTES

Another satisfied client's wife.

MRS. MATCH

Look at me, you son of a bitch.

You... you bastard. Are you

happy, are you happy now?

126  She tries to take a swipe at Gittes with her purse.

Gittes covers himself. Waiters rush over.

MRS. MATCH

-- You smug son of a bitch. My

husband's so upset he sweats all

night! How do you think that makes

me feel?

GITTES

Sweaty?

Mrs. Match swings at Gittes again and again. She catches

him on the nose. It hurts. He covers it -- then swings

his leg out from under the table and deftly kicks her

in the shin.

Mrs. Match drops her purse and spills her drink. She

grabs her shin, hopping around a little. The waiters

who had tried to restrain her now try to keep her from

falling over.

GITTES

Let's get out of here before she

picks up her purse.

They rise and move toward the door.

EVELYN

(quietly)

Tough guy, huh?

Gittes looks, sees she's kidding, and nods.

127  OUTSIDE IN THE PARKING LOT - DUSK

Gittes' car has been .brought by the parking attendant.

The attendant opens the passenger side for Evelyn.

EVELYN

Oh, no. I've got my own car.

The cream-colored Packard.

GITTES

(to attendant who

dutifully starts

for her car)

Wait a minute, sonny.

(to Evelyn)

I think you better come with me.

EVELYN

What for? There's nothing more

to say.

(to attendant)

Get my car, please.

The attendant starts after it again. Gittes leans on

the open door of his car and in to Evelyn. He talks

quietly but spits it out.

GITTES

Okay, go home. But in case

you're interested your husband

was murdered. Somebody's dumping

tons of water out of the city

reservoirs when we're supposedly

in the middle of a drought, he

found out, and he was killed.

There's a waterlogged drunk in

the morgue -- involuntary manslaughter

if anybody wants to take the trouble

which they don't. it looks like half

the city is trying to cover it all

up, which is fine with me. But,

Mrs. Mulwray --

(now inches from her)

-- I goddam near lost my nose!

And I like it. I like breathing

through it. And I still think

you're hiding something.

Evelyn steadies herself on the open car door. She stares

at Gittes for a long moment. Then he gently tugs the

car door closed.

EVELYN

Mr. Gittes --

He drives off into the Wilshire traffic, leaving Evelyn

looking after him.

128  INT.. DWP - MULWRAY'S OFFICE DOOR

with its lettering:

HOLLIS I. MULWRAY

CHIEF ENGINEER

Gittes goes through the door to the Secretary. She looks

up. She recognizes Gittes again and is not happy to see

him.

GITTES

J.J. Gittes to see Mr. Yelburton.

The Secretary immediately gets up and goes into the inner

office.

Gittes turns and strolls around the office a moment --

he sees a photographic display of THE HISTORY OF THE DWP

- THE EARLY YEARS, along the wall. He stops as he spots

a photo of the man with the cane Gittes had seen photos

of earlier -- He is standing high in the mountains, near

a pass. The caption reads JULIAN CROSS - 1905. Cross

is strikingly handsome.

Gittes immediately pulls out the envelope containing

Evelyn's check. He looks at the corner of it, his

thumb pressing down under the middle initial C, then

he looks back to the photos --

The Secretary returns.

SECRETARY

Mr. Yelburton will be busy for

some time.

GITTES

Well I'm on my lunch hour. I'll

wait.

SECRETARY

He's liable to be tied up

indefinitely.

GITTES

I take a long lunch. All day

sometimes.

Gittes pulls out a cigarette case, offers the Secretary

one. She refuses, He lights up and begins to hum 'The

Way You Look Tonight,' strolling along the wall looking

at more photographs.

129  INT. MULWRAY'S OFFICES

Here he spots several photos of a much younger Mulwray,

along with Julian Cross. One of the captions: HOLLIS

MULWRAY AND JULIAN CROSS AS THE AQUEDUCT CLEARS THE

SANTA SUSANNAH PASS - 1912. Gittes, still humming,

turns to the Secretary.

GITTES

Julian Cross worked for the water

department?

SECRETARY

(looking up)

Yes. No.

GITTES

(humming, then)

He did or he didn't?

SECRETARY

He owned it.

Gittes is genuinely surprised. at this.

GITTES

He owned the water department?

SECRETARY

Yes.

GITTES

He owned the entire water supply

for the city?

SECRETARY

Yes.

GITTES

(really surprised)

How did they get it away from him?

SECRETARY

(a sigh, then)

Mr. Mulwray felt the public should

own the display -- the water. If

you'll just read the display --

GITTES

(glances back, hums,

then)

Mulwray? I thought you said

Cross owned the department.

SECRETARY

-- Along with Mr. Mulwray.

GITTES

They were partners.

SECRETARY

(testily)

Yes. Yes, they were partners.

She gets up, annoyed, and goes into Yelburton's inner

office.

Gittes goes back to the photographs. He hears a

SCRATCHING SOUND, apparently coming from just outside the

outer door.

He moves quickly to it, hesitates -- swiftly opens the

door. workmen are behind it, scraping away Mulwray's

name on the outer door -- looking up at Gittes in some

surprise.

The Secretary returns, sees the workman on the floor.

SECRETARY

(to Gittes)

Mr. Yelburton will see you now.

Gittes nods graciously, heads on into Yelburton's office.

130  INT. DWP - YELBURTON & GITTES

There is a subtle but perceptible difference in

Yelburton's attitude. He's now head of the department.

YELBURTON

Mr. Gittes, sorry to keep you

waiting -- these staff meetings,

they just go on and on --

GITTES

Yeah -- must be especially tough

to take over under these

circumstances.

YELBURTON

Oh yes. Hollis was the best

department head the city's ever

had. My goodness, what happened

to your nose?

GITTES

(smiles)

I cut myself shaving.

YELBURTON

You ought to be more careful.

That must really smart.

GITTES

Only when I breathe.

YELBURTON

(laughing)

Only when you breathe... don't tell

me you're still working for

Mrs. Mulwray?

GITTES

I never was.

YELBURTON

(stops smiling)

I don't understand.

GITTES

Neither do I, actually. But you

hired me -- or you hired that chippie

to hire me.

YELBURTON

Mr. Gittes, you're not making a

bit of sense.

GITTES

Well, look at it this way, Mr.

Yelburton. Mulwray didn't want

to build a dam -- and he had a

reputation that was hard to get

around, so. you decided to ruin it.

Then he found out that you were

dumping water every night -- then

he -- was drowned.

YELBURTON

Mr. Gittes! That's an outrageous

accusation. I don't know what

you're talking about.

GITTES

Well, Whitey Mehrholtz over at

the Times will. Dumping thousands

of gallons of water down the toilet

in the middle of a drought -- that's

news.

131  Gittes heads toward the door.

YELBURTON

Wait -- please sit down, Mr. Gittes.

We're... well, we're not anxious

for this to get around, but we have

been diverting a little water

to irrigate avocado and walnut

groves in the northwest

valley. As you know, the farmers

there have no legal right to our

water, and since the drought we've

had to cut them off -- the city

comes first, naturally. But,

well, we've been trying to help

some of them out, keep them from

going under. Naturally when you

divert water -- you get a little

runoff.

GITTES

Yeah, a little runoff. Where are

those orchards?

YELBURTON

I said, the northwest valley.

GITTES

That's like saying they're in

Arizona.

YELBURTON

Mr. Gittes, my field men are out

and I can't give you an exact

location...

Gittes nods.

GITTES

You're a married man, am I right?

YELBURTON

Yes...

GITTES

Hard working, have a wife and kids...

YELBURTON

Yes...

GITTES

I don't want to nail you -- I

Just want to know who put you up

to it. I'll give you a few days

to think it over --

(hands him a card)

-- call me. I can help. Who knows?

Maybe we can lay the whole thing off

on a few big shots -- and you can

stay head of the department for

the next twenty years.

Gittes smiles -- leaves an unsmiling Yelburton.

132  INT. GITTES OFFICE

Gittes enters, drops his hat on Sophie's desk. Sophie

tries to tell him something but Gittes goes on into his

office.

133  EVELYN MULWRAY

is sitting, smoking. She looks up when he enters.

EVELYN

What's your usual salary?

Gittes moves to his desk, barely breaking stride at the

sight of her.

GITTES

Thirty-five bucks daily for me,

twenty for each of my operators --

plus expenses, plus my fee if I

show results.

He's sitting now. Evelyn is very pale now, obviously

very shaken.

EVELYN

Whoever's behind my husband's

death, why have they gone to all

this trouble?

GITTES

-- Money. How they plan to make

it by emptying the reservoirs --

that I don't know.

EVELYN

I'll pay your salary plus five

thousand dollars if you find out

what happened to Hollis and who

is involved.

Gittes buzzes Sophie.

GITTES

Sophie, draw up one of our

standard forms for Mrs. Mulwray.

(he leans back; to

Evelyn)

Tell me, did you get married

before or after Mulwray and your

father sold the water department?

Evelyn nearly jumps at the question.

GITTES

(continuing)

Your father is Julian Cross, isn't

he?

EVELYN

Yes, of course -- it was quite a

while after. I was just out of

grade school when they did that.

GITTES

-- so you married your father's

business partner?

Evelyn nods. She lights another cigarette.

GITTES

(continuing; staring

at her, points to

the ashtray)

You've got one going, Mrs. Mulwray.

EVELYN

-- Oh.

134  She quickly stubs one out.

GITTES

Is there something upsetting about

my asking about your father?

EVELYN

No!... yes, a little. You see

Hollis and my fa -- my father had

a falling out...

GITTES

Over the water department -- or

over you?

EVELYN

(quickly)

Not over me. Why would they have

a falling out over me?

GITTES

(noting her

nervousness)

-- Then it was over the water

department.

EVELYN

Not exactly. Well, I mean, yes.

Yes and no. Hollis felt the public

should own the water but I don't

think -- my father felt that way.

Actually, it was over the Van der

Lip. The dam that broke.

GITTES

-- Oh, yeah?

EVELYN

Yes. He never forgave him for it.

GITTES

Never forgave him for what?

EVELYN

For talking him into building it,

he never forgave my father... They

haven't spoken to this day.

GITTES

(starts a little)

You sure shout that?

EVELYN

Of course I'm sure.

GITTES

What about you -- do you and your

father get along?

135  Sophie comes in with the form, cutting off Evelyn's

reply. Gittes places two copies on a coffee table in

front of Evelyn.

GITTES

Sign here... The other copy's for

you.

She signs it. When she looks back up, Gittes is staring

intently at her.

EVELYN

What are you thinking?

GITTES

(picking up one of

copies, folding it,

putting it in his

pocket)

Before this -- I turned on the

faucet, it came out hot and cold,

I didn't think there was a thing

to it.

136  INT. SEAPLANE

The engines make the small cabin vibrate. Gittes threads

his way down the tiny aisle of the eight passenger cabin,

which is full of middle-aged men in old clothes and

their fishing gear. Gittes is poked by a pole -- has to

move along.

One of the old men says something to him.

GITTES

(above the engines)

What?

OLD MAN

You'll have to sit with the pilot.

Gittes moves forward into the cockpit, the PILOT looks

up -- nods for Gittes to sit down, first moving a half-

eaten cheese sandwich out of Gittes' seat.

137  EXT. HARBOR- SEAPLANE

taxiing down the ramp into the sea. In a moment, it

kicks up a spray of foam and takes off.

138  INT. COCKPIT

The island gradually looming larger before the Pilot and

Gittes.

The Pilot glances over at Gittes -- who, as usual, is

impeccably dressed -- a contrast to the others on the

plane.

PILOT

(above the engines)

Well, you're not going fishing.

Gittes shakes his head.

GITTES

Not exactly.

PILOT

(winks)

But that's what you told your

wife ---

The Pilot laughs raucously. Gittes laughs politely.

PILOT

-- lots of fellas do. Tell the

little woman they're going on a

fishing trip, then shack up with

some little twist on the island

... she pretty?

GITTES

(abruptly)

I'm going to see a man called

Julian Cross -- ever heard of him?

PILOT

Is the Pope Catholic? Who are

you, mister?... I ask because he

doesn't see a whole lot of people.

GITTES

I'm working for his daughter.

PILOT

(surprised)

That right?... She used to be

some looker.

GITTES

She ain't exactly long in the

tooth now.

PILOT

She must be about thirty-three,

thirty-four.

GITTES

You must be thinking of a different

daughter --

PILOT

No, he's only got one, I remember

her age, I read it in the newspapers

when she ran away.

GITTES

She ran away?

PILOT

Oh yeah, it was a big thing at

the time -- Julian Cross' daughter.

God almighty. She was a wild

little thing.

139  He gives a sidelong glance to Gittes, a little concerned

he's said too much.

PILOT

(continuing)

Course, she settled down nicely.

GITTES

(smiling a little)

Well, you never know, do you?

PILOT

(loosening up)

That's for sure.

GITTES

Why'd she run away?

PILOT

Oh, you know -- she was sixteen

or seventeen.

GITTES

(nudging him)

We missed the best of it, didn't

we, pal?

Both men laugh a little lewdly.

PILOT

She ran off to Mexico -- rumor was

she was knocked up and didn't even

know who the father was -- went

there to get rid of it.

GITTES

You don't say?

PILOT

Cross was looking for her all

over the country -- offered rewards,

everything. Felt real sorry for

him, with all his money.

140  ALBACORE CLUB - DAY

A pleasant but unobtrusive clapboard blue and white

building on the bay overlooking the harbor. The sea-

plane lands. A motor launch with a burgee of a fish

flying from it turns and heads in the direction of the

plane.

141  EXT. WINDING ROAD - RANCHO DEL CRUCE

Gittes, driven in a station wagon, passes under the sign

with a cross painted below the name.

The ranch itself is only partially in a valley on the

island -- as the wagon continues one can SEE that it is

actually a miniature California, encompassing desert,

mountains and canyon that tumble down palisades to the

windward side of the sea.

The wagon comes to a halt where a group of hands are

clustered around a corral. The circle of men drift

apart, leaving JULIAN CROSS standing, using a cane for

support, reedy but handsome in a rough linen shirt and

jeans. When he talks his strong face is lively, in repose

it looks ravaged.

142  EXT. BRIDLE PATH - GITTES & CROSS

walking toward the main house -- a classic Monterey. A

horse led on a halter by another ranch hand slows down

and defecates in the center of the path they are taking.

Gittes doesn't notice.

CROSS

Horseshit.

Gittes pauses, not certain he has heard correctly.

GITTES

Sir?

CROSS

I said horseshit.

(pointing)

Horseshit.

GITTES

Yes, sir, that's what it looks

like -- I'll give you that.

143  Cross pauses when they reach the dung pile. He removes

his hat and waves it, inhales deeply.

CROSS

Love the smell of it. A lot of

people do but of course they

won't admit it. Look at the

shape.

Gittes glances down out of politeness.

CROSS

(continuing; smiling,

almost enthusiastic)

Always the same.

Cross walks on. Gittes follows.

GITTES

(not one to let it

go)

Always?

CROSS

What? Oh, damn near -- yes.

Unless the animal's sick or

something.

(stops and glances.

back)

-- And the steam rising off it

like that in the morning -- that's

life, Mr. Gittes. Life.

They move on.

CROSS

(continuing)

Perhaps this preoccupation with

horseshit may seem a little

perverse, but I ask you to

remember this -- one way or

another, it's what I've dealt

in all my life. Let's have

breakfast.

144  EXT. COURTYARD VERANDA - GITTES & CROSS AT BREAKFAST

Below them is a corral where hands take Arabians, one by

one, and work them out, letting them run and literally

kick up their heels. Cross' attention is diverted by

the animals from time to time. An impeccable Mexican

butler serves them their main course, broiled fish.

CROSS

You know, you've got a nasty

reputation, Mr. Gittes. I like

that.

GITTES

(dubious)

Thanks.

CROSS

-- If you were a bank president

that would be one thing -- but

in your business it's admirable.

And it's good advertising.

GITTES

It doesn't hurt.

CROSS

It's why you attract a client

like my daughter.

GITTES

Probably.

CROSS

But I'm surprised you're still

working for her -- unless she's

suddenly come up with another

husband.

GITTES

No -- she happens to think the

last one was murdered.

Cross is visibly surprised.

CROSS

How did she get that idea?

GITTES

I think I gave it to her.

Cross nods.

CROSS

Uh-huh -- oh I hope you don't

mind. I believe they should be

served with the head.

145  Gittes glances down at the fish whose isinglass eye

is glazed over with the heat of cooking.

GITTES

-- Fine, as long as you don't

serve chicken that way.

CROSS

(laughs)

Tell me -- what do the police

say?

GITTES

They're calling it an accident.

CROSS

Who's the investigating officer?

GITTES

Lou Escobar -- he's a Lieutenant.

CROSS

Do you know him?

GITTES

Oh yes.

CROSS

Where from?

GITTES

-- We worked Chinatown together,

CROSS

Would you call him a capable man?

GITTES

Very.

CROSS

Honest?

GITTES

-- Far as it goes -- of course

he has to swim in the same water

we all do.

CROSS

Of course -- but you've got no

reason to think he's bungled

the case?

GITTES

None.

CROSS

That's too bad.

GITTES

Too bad?

CROSS

It disturbs me, Mr. Gittes. It

makes me think you're taking my

daughter for a ride -- financially

speaking, of course. How much are

you charging her?

GITTES

(carefully)

My usual fee -- plus a bonus

if I come up with any results.

CROSS

Are you sleeping with her? Come,

come, Mr. Gittes -- you don't have

to think about that to remember,

do you?

Gittes laughs.

GITTES

If you want an answer to that

question I can always put one

of my men on the job. Good

afternoon, Mr. Cross.

CROSS

Mr. Gittes! You're dealing with

a disturbed woman who's lost her

husband. I don't want her taken

advantage of. Sit down.

GITTES

What for?

CROSS

-- You may think you know what

you're dealing with -- but

believe me, you don't.

146  This stops Gittes. He seems faintly mused by it.

CROSS

Why is that funny?

GITTES

It's what the D.A. used to tell

me about Chinatown.

CROSS

Was he right?

Gittes shrugs.

CROSS

(continuing)

... Exactly what do you know

about me, Mr. Gittes?

GITTES

Mainly that you're rich and too

respectable to want your name in

the papers.

CROSS

(grunts, then)

'Course I'm respectable. I'm

old. Politicians, ugly buildings

and whores all get respectable if

they last long enough. I'll double

whatever your fees are -- and I'll

pay you ten thousand dollars if

you can find Hollis' girlfriend.

GITTES

His girlfriend?

CROSS

Yes, his girlfriend.

GITTES

You mean the little chippie he

was with at the El Macando?

CROSS

Yes. She's disappeared, hasn't

she?

GITTES

-- Yeah.

CROSS

Doesn't that strike you as odd?

GITTES

No. She's probably. scared to

death.

CROSS

Wouldn't it be useful to talk to

her?

GITTES

Maybe.

CROSS

If Mulwray was murdered, she was

probably one of the last people

to see him.

GITTES

You didn't see Mulwray much, did

you?

CROSS

-- No --

GITTES

-- When was the last time?

147  Cross starts to reply, then there's the SOUND of a

MARIACHI BAND and some men in formation clear a bluff

about a hundred yards off. They are dressed like

Spanish dons on horseback. For the most part they are

fat in the saddle and pass along in disordered review

to the music..

CROSS

Sheriff's gold posse... bunch of

damn fools who pay $5,000 apiece

to the sheriff's re-election. I

let 'em practice up out here.

GITTES

-- Yeah. Do you remember the

last time you talked to Mulwray?

Cross shakes his head.

CROSS

-- At my age, you tend to lose

track...

GITTES

Well, It was about five days ago.

You were outside the Pig 'n Whistle

-- and you had one hell of an

argument.

Cross looks to Gittes in some real surprise.

GITTES

(continuing)

I've got the photographs in my

office -- if they'll help you

remember. What was the argument

about?

CROSS

(a long pause, then:)

My daughter.

GITTES

What about her?

CROSS

-- Just find the girl, Mr. Gittes

I think she is frightened and I

happen to know Hollis was fond of

her. I'd like to help her if I

can.

GITTES

I didn't realize you and Hollis

were so fond of each other.

148  Cross looks hatefully at Gittes.

CROSS

Hollis Mulwray made this city --

and he made me a fortune... We

were a lot closer than Evelyn

realized.

GITTES

-- If you want to hire me, I

still have to know what you and

Mulwray were arguing about.

CROSS

(painfully)

Well... she's an extremely jealous

person. I didn't want her to find

out about the girl.

GITTES

How did you find out?

CROSS

I've still got a few teeth in my

head, Mr. Gittes -- and a few

friends in town.

GITTES

Okay -- my secretary'll send you

a letter of agreement. Tell me

-- are you worried about that girl,

or what Evelyn might do to her?

CROSS

Just find the girl.

GITTES

-- I'll look into it -- as soon

as I check out some avocado groves.

CROSS

Avocado groves?

GITTES

We'll be in touch, Mr. Cross.

149  INT. HALL OF RECORDS - DAY

Dark and quiet except for the whirring of fans. Gittes

approaches one of the CLERKS at a desk.

GITTES

I'm a little lost -- where can I

find the plat books for the

northwest valley?

The Clerk's droopy eyes widen a little.

CLERK

Part of it's in Ventura County.

We don't have Ventura County in

our Hall of Records.

Which is a snotty remark. Gittes smiles.

GITTES

I'll settle for L.A. County.

CLERK

(regards him, then)

Row twenty-three, section C.

The Clerk turns away abruptly. Gittes regards his back

a moment, then goes to the stacks.

150  THROUGH THE STACKS

Gittes sees the Clerk turn to another, say something.

The second clerk gets on the phone. Gittes watches a

moment, then swiftly turns his attention to the stacks.

He hauls down the northwest valley volume, opens it.

It's huge and there's a lot to go through.

The print itself makes him squint.

INSERT PAGE

showing TRACT, LOT, PARCEL, even a METES AND BOUNDS

designation where the description of the land parcel is

long and hopelessly involved -- e.g. '6000 paces to Rio

Seco, thence 7000 paces to Loma Linda, etc.' These

Descriptions are old and faded -- in the owners' column,

however -- there are numerous freshly-typed names -

pasted over the prior owners.

151  GITTES

Hauls the huge volume back to the Clerk's desk.

GITTES

(to Clerk)

Say... uh... sonny.

152  The Clerk turns sharply around.

GITTES

How come all these new names are

pasted into the plat book?

CLERK

Land sales out of escrow are

always recorded within the week.

Gittes looks a little surprised.

GITTES

Then these are all new owners?

CLERK

-- That's right.

GITTES

(astonished)

-- But that means that most of

the valley's been sold in the

last few months.

CLERK

If that's what it says.

GITTES

Can I check one of these volumes

out?

CLERK

(quietly snotty)

Sir, this is not a lending library,

it's the Hall of Records.

GITTES

Well, then -- how about a ruler?

CLERK

A ruler?

GITTES

The print's pretty fine. I forgot

my glasses. I'd like to be able

to read across.

The exasperated Clerk reaches around -- rummages -- slaps

a ruler on the desk.

Gittes goes back to the stacks with the ruler. He opens

the book, places the ruler not horizontally but

vertically.

153  OMITTED

154  INSERT PLAT BOOK NORTHWEST VALLEY

Beside the OWNER column he places the ruler, looks toward

the clerks -- then swiftly rips down the page, tearing

out a strip about two inches wide -- containing the

owner's name and property description.

As he tears, he either sniffles or coughs -- to cover

the SOUND of the PAPER being ripped.

155  EXT. ROAD - GITTES DRIVING - DAY

amidst a hall of shimmering dust and heat, parched and

drying groves, narrower roads.

He passes a ramshackle home, next to a rotting orchard.

There is a "SOLD" sign on the collapsing barn. Gittes

stops -- checks it against the names he had taken from

the Hall of Records.

156  OLD STUCCO BUILDINGS FURTHER ON.

and a few withered pepper trees. Gittes has paused at

this dried-up intersection. There is a "SOLD" sign on a

drug store. Gittes looks O.S.

Coming INTO VIEW above the arid fields is a spiraling

cloud of purple smoke. Gittes heads in that direction.

157  OMITTED

158  Gittes parks at the edge of the field. About twenty

yards away is a man mounted on a strange machine, holding

a lid off it -- billowing lavender clouds are belching

forth.

Several CHILDREN are watching the man at work.

GITTES

(to one of the Children)

Say, pal, what's he doing?

CHILD

Making some rain.

Gittes nods, walks over to the man who is elaborately

busying himself with the intricacies of his machine.

He's aware of Gittes watching him.

GITTES

Well, you're just the man I'm

looking for.

The Rainmaker now glances down at Gittes, who as usual

is immaculately dressed.

GITTES

Some associates and I are thinking

of buying property out here -- of

course, we're worried about the

rainfall.

The Rainmaker steps down.

RAINMAKER

No problem with me on the Job.

GITTES

-- Yeah.

(glancing around

at the desolate,

dry field)

Do you have any references?

159  RAINMAKER & GITTES

RAINMAKER

City of La Habra Heights -- filled

an 800,000 gallon reservoir with

sixteen inches of rain in two

days.

GITTES

(nods)

That's swell. But how about

here?

(pulling out names

from his pocket)

Ever worked for Robert Knox, Emma

Dill, Clarence Speer, Marian

Parsons, or Jasper Lamar Crabb?

RAINMAKER

Never heard of 'em... new owners?

GITTES

-- Yeah.

RAINMAKER

(climbing back .up)

Lot of turnover these days.

Better tell them to get in touch

with me if they want to hang onto

their land.

GITTES

-- Yeah, I'll do that.

160  GITTES DRIVING

is now covered with a film of dust:

He reaches a fork in the dirt road. There are a couple

of mailboxes.

Gittes takes this fork and begins a slow ascent.

As he does, the tops of a line of bright green trees

can be SEEN, coming more and more INTO VIEW, row upon

row of avocado and walnut groves, their foliage heavy.

The few structures in the distance are white-washed,

and well kept, right down to the white-washed stones

that mark the pathway to the home. Towering above it

all is a huge wooden water tank.

Gittes drives through a gate that has "NO TRESPASSING"

and "KEEP OUT -- PRIVATE PROPERTY" signs neatly printed

on it.

He drives down the road into the grove.

161  GITTES

pulls to a halt in the road flanking the orchard lanes.

He puts the car in neutral, stares at the trees. By

contrast with what he has seen -- they are lush and

beautiful, their heavy branches barely swaying in a

light breeze,

Then a SHOTGUN BLAST abruptly strips bare the branches.

of the tree he'd been staring at.

162  EXT. AVOCADO GROVES - DAY

Gittes is shocked. He looks behind him. Riding on

horseback down the field in the direction he had just

driven is a Red-Faced Man in overalls. His hat blows

off his head. He does not, however, lose the shotgun

he has just used. Gittes' lane of retreat is denied

him. He guns the car, and takes off down one of the

orchard lanes.

163  MOVING WITH GITTES

The dirt lane is rough. As Gittes nears the end of

it, a Younger Man on a mule blocks the exit.

Gittes veers a sharp left, knocking a branch off one

of the trees, heading down one of the cross-lanes. Here

he's pursued by a scraggly dog that nips at the tires.

Gittes yells at it.

164  ANGLE ON GROVE

Two farmers on foot, one using a crutch, run down the

lanes toward a dust trail rising above the trees --

they've spotted it -- clearly it's from Gittes' car.

This hide-and-seek chase between one man on horseback,

one on a mule and a couple on foot continues up and

down and across the orchard lanes -- until Gittes'

front tire and radiator are ruptured by another

SHOTGUN BLAST.

Gittes' car veers off, scattering a stray gaggle of

geese -- and smacks into an avocado tree, shaking loose

a barrage of the heavy fruit onto Gittes and the car.

Gittes immediately tries to get out through the branches

over the back of his car, but he's pulled off it by one

of the younger farmers -- a huge brute who he begins to

tussle with -- the Crippled Farmer begins to bang Gittes

on the back with his crutch. The two of them manage to

pound Gittes to the ground within moments, where the

Crippled Farmer continues to whack away at Gittes with

the crutch.

The older Red Faced Farmer with the shotgun and the Man

on a mule ride up.

RED FACED FARMER

All right, quit it! Quit now!

Search the man, see if he's armed.

165  Gittes is hefted half off the ground and the two younger

Farmers spin him around, going through his clothes.

Gittes is badly banged up and half out on his feet.

They toss his wallet, his silver cigarette case, etc.

on the ground.

RED FACED FARMER

I said see if he's armed, not empty

his pockets.

BIG FARMER

-- He ain't armed.

Gittes leans against the back of his car, breathing

heavily.

RED FACED FARMER

All right, mister -- who you with

-- water department or the real

estate office --

Gittes' back is to the Red Faced Farmer. He has trouble

catching his breath. The Crippled Farmer pokes him rudely in

the back with his crutch. Gittes turns sharply.

GITTES

(to Crippled Farmer)

Get away from me!

CRIPPLED FARMER

Answer him!

GITTES

Touch me with that thing again and

you'll need a pair of them.

BIG FARMER

(shoving Gittes)

Whyn't you pick on somebody your

own size?

RED FACED FARMER

I said cut that out! Give him

a chance to say something.

Gittes looks up at the Red Faced Farmer.

GITTES

(reaching down for

his wallet)

Name's Gittes -- I'm a private

investigator and I'm not with

either one.

RED FACED FARMER

Then what are you doing out here?

GITTES

-- Client hired me to see...

whether or not the water department's

been irrigating your land.

RED FACED FARMER

Irrigating my land?

(exploding)

The water department's been sending

you people to blow up my water

tanks! They threw poison down

three of my wells! I call that

a funny way to irrigate -- who'd

hire you for a thing like that?

166  Gittes reaches into his pocket -- the paper's on the

ground. He picks it up.

GITTES

Mrs. Evelyn Mulwray --

BIG FARMER

Mulwray? That's the son of a

bitch who's done it to us.

GITTES

Mulwray's dead -- you don't know

what you're talking about, you dumb

Oakie --

The Big Farmer takes a swing at Gittes. Gittes kicks him

squarely in the nuts, knees him in the jaw after he's

doubled up, and hits him solidly. The Crippled Farmer

takes careful aim and brings his crutch down on the back

of Gittes' head. Gittes is knocked to the ground and

lies still beside the Big Farmer who is writhing in agony

in the dirt.

RED FACED FARMER

Well -- that's that.

167  BLACK SCREEN

There's a PURLING SOUND, which soon becomes defined into

the SOUND OF VOICES talking quietly -- about whether to

move or not to move, doctors, etc.

168  CLOSE - EVELYN MULWRAY

is staring down at Gittes who's lying in the screened-in

porch of the farmers. His wife, the Red Faced Farmer,

and the Big Farmer are there, along with the dog.

The Red Faced Farmer's wife has set tea out. The farmers

-- all of them -- now seem awkward and a little

embarrassed.

169  FRONT PORCH - RED FACE FARMER'S HOUSE -

REACTION - GITTES - DUSK

He focuses on Evelyn who sits right next to him. He's

got dried blood down the side of his face from his nose,

a huge mouse on his cheek, and his clothes are torn in

a couple of spots.

GITTES

(to Evelyn)

What's going on?

DUBOIS

(quietly, almost as

if he were in a

hospital)

-- You didn't look too good, so we

thought we better call your employer.

Gittes nods. He checks his watch. He looks out -- It's

almost evening. Gittes says nothing. The wife of the

Red Faced Farmer (DUBOIS) looks reproachfully at Dubois.

Gittes feels the back of his head, It obviously hurts

him.

170  EXT. DUBOIS FARMHOUSE - EVENING

Evelyn and Gittes go out to her car, the cream colored

Packard. Dubois accompanies them -- along with the Big

Farmer who is carrying a crate of something. Gittes has

cleaned himself up a little.

DUBOIS

-- Look here, if it's all the same

with you, we'll get your car patched

up --If you'll tell me what your

trousers run you, I'll make good on

them, Mr. Gittes.

GITTES

It's okay, Mr. Dubois.

DUBOIS,

(to Evelyn)

-- It's just that they're after

everybody out here, tearing up our

irrigation ditches -- trying to make

our land worthless so they can pick

it up for twenty-five dollars an

acre --

Gittes nods.

DUBOIS

(continuing)

Anyway -- Earl here is sorry, too.

He wants to give you something to

take back with you.

Gittes looks. Earl has the huge crate he's holding brim-

full of avocados.

GITTES

Thanks, Earl.

171  INT. CAR - EVELYN & GITTES - DUSK

Evelyn driving.

GITTES

Thanks for coming...

Gittes pulls out cigarette case, takes one -- offers one

to Evelyn who refuses.

GITTES

-- That dam is a con job.

EVELYN

What dam?

GITTES

The one your husband opposed --

they're conning L.A. into building

it, only the water won't go to

L.A. -- it'll go here.

EVELYN

The Valley?

GITTES

Everything you can see, everything

around us -- I was at the Hall of

Records today --

(whips out papers,

turns on the car

light)

-- That bother you?

EVELYN

No.

GITTES

(looking over papers)

In the last three months, Robert

Knox has bought 7,000 acres, Emma

Dill 12,000 acres, Clarence Speer

5,000 acres, and Jasper Lamar

Crabb 25,000 acres.

EVELYN

Jasper Lamar Crabb?

GITTES

Know him?

EVELYN

No, I think I'd remember.

GITTES

Yeah -- they've been blowing these

farmers out of here and buying

their land for peanuts -- Have

any idea what this land'll be worth

with a steady water supply? About

thirty million more than they paid.

EVELYN

-- And Hollis knew about it?

GITTES

It's why he was killed -- Jasper

Lamar Crabb -- Jasper Lamar Crabb --

He's pulling out his wallet, excitedly now, spilling its

contents onto the seat. He pulls out the obituary column

he'd folded up earlier in the day.

GITTES

(continuing)

We got it. We got it, baby.

EVELYN

What? What is it?

GITTES

There was a memorial service at

the Mar Vista Inn today for Jasper

Lamar Crabb. He died three weeks

ago.

EVELYN

Is that unusual?

GITTES

Two weeks ago he bought those

25,000 acres. That's unusual.

172  EXT. MAR VISTA INN AND REST HOME - NIGHT

Evelyn's car pulls up before the elegant Spanish rest

home, its entryway illuminated by streetlights. There

is a small sign giving the name of the place in elegant

neon scroll. It sits on the rolling green lawns.

Gittes gets out of the car with Evelyn. He offers her

his arm and they go up the walkway to the entrance.

173  INT. MAR VISTA INN AND REST HOME - NIGHT

Gittes and Evelyn are approached by an unctuous man in

his forties, with a flower in his buttonhole. He sees

Evelyn first --

PALMER

Hello there, I'm Mr. Palmer. Can

I help you folks?

Then he gets a clear look at Gittes -- bruised, trousers

torn, etc.

GITTES

Yes, I sure hope so. It's Dad --

(indicating his

disheveled appearance)

-- I just can't handle him anymore,

can I, sweetheart?

Evelyn shakes her head.

PALMER

Oh my goodness.

GITTES

(hastily)

Nothing to do with Dad. It's me,

actually.

EVELYN

They just don't get along very well.

Dad's a lamb with anyone else.

PALMER

(not so sure)

Oh -- well -- I don't know --

GITTES

Naturally, I want the best for him,

money is no object --

PALMER

-- Perhaps if we could meet your

father --

GITTES

There's just one question.

PALMER

Of course.

GITTES

Do you accept anyone of the Jewish

persuasion?

Evelyn can't quite conceal her surprise at the question.

PALMER

(very embarrassed)

I'm sorry -- we don't.

GITTES

(smoothly)

Don't be sorry, neither does Dad.

Wanted to make sure though, didn't

we, honey?

174  Evelyn stares back at Gittes, amused and appalled.

She manages to nod.

GITTES

Just to be certain, I wonder if

you could show us a list of your

patients?

PALMER

(polite but pointed)

We don't reveal the names of our

guests as a matter of policy. I

know you'd appreciate that if your

father came to live with us.

Gittes locks eyes with Palmer.

GITTES

(confidentially)

That's exactly what we wanted to

hear.

PALMER

Oh, good.

GITTES

I wonder, is it too late for us

to have a look around?

PALMER

I don't think so -- be happy to

show you --

GITTES

Would you mind if we took a stroll

on our own?

PALMER

-- Just, if you will, confine

yourself to the main building --

it's nearly bedtime.

GITTES

We understand, c'mon, sweetheart.

He takes Evelyn.

175  INT. PARLOR - EVELYN

looking. Either by accident or design, the primarily

octogenarian guests have segregated themselves. In one

wing, the men are playing pinochle, some are playing

dominoes -- one elderly gentleman sits. by himself

carefully peeling an orange.

In an adjacent parlor several white-headed ladies work

on a quilt.

Gittes grabs Evelyn's hand.

GITTES

(quietly)

They're all here. Every goddam

name.

Gittes points to the wall -- it says ACTIVITIES BOARD.

There are titles -- LAWN BOWLING - BRIDGE - FISHING -

CROQUET -- below them are the names of the guests,

entered under certain activities, for certain days.

After Evelyn looks, she turns to Gittes.

GITTES

(continuing;

indicating the

ancients around

them)

You're looking at the owners of

a 50,000 acre empire.

EVELYN

(astonished)

They can't be.

GITTES

They may not know it -- but they are.

176  Gittes strolls toward the women knitting and working on

the quilt.

GITTES

Hello, girls.

Two of the ladies giggle. The third continues to busy

herself with her quilt, off by herself.

GITTES

(continuing)

Which one of you is Emma Dill?

Two of them say "she is," and point in different

directions. The third gives them a curt look and

goes back to her knitting. Gittes approaches her.

GITTES

Are you Emma?

Some old voice is singing softly, "Don't Sit Under the

Apple Tree."

EMMA

-- Yes.

GITTES

I've been wanting to meet you.

EMMA

Why?

GITTES

-- Did you know that you're a very

wealthy woman?

EMMA

(stitching, smiles)

-- I'm not.

GITTES

Well you own a lot of land.

EMMA

Not anymore. Oh, some time ago,

my late husband owned a good deal

of beach property in Long Beach --

but we lost it.

Gittes looks at the quilt. In it is the head of a fish

-- among the rest of the crazy quilt pattern. Gittes

spots it.

GITTES

That's just lovely.

EMMA

Thank you...

177  He looks through the quilt for other pieces of the fish

-- comes across the tail -- and by it -- the initials

A.C.

GITTES

(indicating tail)

-- Where did you get this material?

EMMA

(what it sounds like)

The apple core club --

GITTES

-- The apple core?

EMMA

No -- the albacore. It's a fish.

My grandson's a member -- and they

take very nice care of us.

GITTES

How do they do that?

EMMA

Give us things -- not just some

old flag like this, but --

GITTES-

(kneeling)

But what?

PALMER'S VOICE

We're a sort of unofficial charity

of theirs, Mr. Gittes. Would you

care to come this way? Someone

wants to see you.

Gittes looks up, sees Palmer standing in the doorway,

looking taut and a little drawn. Evelyn is beside him.

She gestures -- as if there's someone behind Palmer.

Gittes rises.

GITTES

See you later, Emma.

He walks toward Palmer who waits for him to walk in

front.

178  AT THE ENTRANCE HALL - MULVIHILL

Is waiting. He's got his hand in his pocket. Evelyn

looks to Gittes. The four of them stand there, Mulvihill

towering over everyone.

MULVIHILL

Come on -- I want you to meet

somebody, Gittes.

GITTES

(glancing from Palmer

to Mulvihill)

Can -- we leave the lady out of

this?

MULVIHILL

(a little uncertain)

-- Yeah, why not?

GITTES

Okay, I'd like to walk her to her

car.

EVELYN

I'll stay.

GITTES

(taking her by the

arm)

Get in the car.

MULVIHILL

I'll see she makes it.

Mulvihill has walked up beside Gittes. He makes the

mistake of opening the glass door in the entryway,

putting his back to Gittes for a moment. Gittes swiftly

pulls Mulvihill's jacket up over his head. He spins him

around. With his jacket covering his face, Gittes hammers

away at Mulvihlll, beating him against the glass door,

along the wall, mercilessly pounding his fists into the

cloth until the cloth turns red and Mulvihill begins to

sink to the red tile floor. Palmer screams. Evelyn stands

there astonished. Mulvihill's gun has clattered to the

floor.

GITTES

(as Mulvihill hits

the floor, to Evelyn)

What are you waiting for? Get in

the car!

Evelyn goes.

179  Mulvihill tries to get up again. Palmer starts to go for

the gun, nearly picking it up. Gittes slaps it out of

his hand and kicks it. It goes flying down the hall, at

least thirty feet; hits the wall. Palmer goes screaming

off into the night. Gittes turns back to Mulvihill who

starts to get up, then collapses.

Gittes goes out the front door, ignoring the excited

audience of ancients behind him.

180  OUTSIDE

As Gittes walks down the pathway, he stops -- two men are

coming toward him. One of them is shorter, and has the

nervous, jerky moves of the man who slit his nose.

Gittes stops. The two men fan out and continue to move

toward him. Gittes spots the two-tone shoes. He begins

to back up.

Suddenly there is a pair of headlights flashing

brilliantly behind the two men. In a moment Evelyn's car

is headed across the lawn directly toward the two men,

accelerating as it gets near them. They look in

disbelief, then dive for safety. The car skids to a stop,

fishtailing a little on the grass.

Evelyn opens the passenger door.

EVELYN

Get in.

Gittes jumps in and she takes off across the lawn,

tilting the elegant little neon sign on the lawn as

she goes. Two SHOTS ARE FIRED.

181  INT. CAR - EVELYN & GITTES

Evelyn looking straight ahead, driving. After a moment

she takes one hand off the wheel and rubs her left eye a

little. Gittes watches her. He smiles.

182  EXT. VERANDA - MULWRAY HOME - NIGHT

Gittes stands on the veranda, smoking a cigarette,

staring off into the night.

Evelyn comes out to the veranda, carrying a tray with

whiskey and an ice bucket on it. She sets it down --

Gittes turns.

GITTES

(watching her pour)

Maid's night off?

EVELYN

Why?

GITTES

(a little surprised,

he laughs)

What do you mean, 'why?' Nobody's

here, that's all.

EVELYN

(handing Gittes his

drink)

-- I gave everybody the night off --

GITTES

-- Easy, It's an innocent question.

EVELYN

No question from you is innocent,

Mr. Gittes.

GITTES

(laughing)

I guess not -- to you, Mrs. Mulwray.

Frankly you really saved my a--

my neck tonight.

They drink.

EVELYN

Tell me something -- does this

usually happen to you, Mr. Gittes?

GITTES

What's that, Mrs. Mulwray?

EVELYN

-- Well, I'm only judging on the

basis of one afternoon and an evening,

but if that's how you go about your

work, I'd say you're lucky to get

through a whole day.

GITTES

(pouring himself

another drink)

-- Actually this hasn't happened

to me in some time.

EVELYN

-- When was the last time?

GITTES

Why?

EVELYN

Just -- I don't know why.

I'm asking.

Gittes touches his nose, winces a little.

GITTES

It was in Chinatown.

EVELYN

What were you doing there?

GITTES

(taking a long drink)

-- Working for the District Attorney.

EVELYN

Doing what?

183  Gittes looks sharply at her. Then:

GITTES

As little as possible.

EVELYN

The District Attorney gives his

men advice like that?

GITTES

They do in Chinatown.

She looks at him. Gittes stares off into the night.

Evelyn has poured herself another drink.

EVELYN

Bothers you to talk about it,

doesn't It?

Gittes gets up.

GITTES

No -- I wonder -- could I -- do

you have any peroxide or something?

He touches his nose lightly.

EVELYN

Oh sure. C'mon.

She takes his hand and leads him back into the house.

184  INT. BATHROOM - MIRROR

Gittes pulls the plaster off his nose, stares at it in

the mirror. Evelyn takes some hydrogen peroxide and some

cotton out of a medicine cabinet. Evelyn turns Gittes'

head toward her. She has him sit on the pullman tile

adjacent to the sink.

EVELYN

Doctor did a nice job...

She begins to work on his nose with the peroxide. Then

she sees his cheek -- checks back in his hair.--

EVELYN

(continuing)

-- Boy oh boy, you're a mess

GITTES

-- Yeah --

EVELYN

(working on him)

-- So why does it bother you to

talk about it... Chinatown...

GITTES

-- Bothers everybody who works

there -- but to me -- It was --

Gittes shrugs.

EVELYN

-- Hold still -- why?

GITTES

-- You can't always tell what's

going on there --

EVELYN

... No -- why was it --

GITTES

I thought I was keeping someone

from being hurt and actually I ended

up making sure they were hurt.

EVELYN

Could you do anything about it?

185  They're very close now as she's going over a mouse very

near his eye.

GITTES

Yeah -- make sure I don't find

myself in Chinatown anymore --

wait a second --

He takes hold of her and pulls her even closer,

EVELYN

(momentarily freezing)

-- What's wrong?

GITTES

Your eye.

EVELYN

What about it?

GITTES

(staring intently)

There's something black in the

green part of your eye.

EVELYN

(not moving)

Oh that... It's a flaw in the

iris...

GITTES

... A flaw...

EVELYN

(she almost shivers)

... Yes, sort of a birthmark...

Gittes kisses her lightly, gradually rises until he's

standing holding her. She hesitates, then wraps her arms

around him.

186  INT. MULWRAY BEDROOM - TELEPHONE

on a nightstand, city lights visible through the open

window behind it. It is RINGING. Evelyn's arm reaches

INT0 SHOT. SOUND of something hitting the headboard.

Gittes moans.

VIEW SHIFTS TO INCLUDE Gittes in bed, holding his head,

which he's just hit. Evelyn pauses in her reach to the

phone. She turns to him, whispers, "I'm sorry," kisses

him on the head and lips. PHONE CONTINUES TO RING. She

picks it up.

EVELYN

Hello...

(in Spanish now)

No, no, I'll come and help,

just keep watching her and don't

do anything until I get there...

'bye.

VIEW SHIFTS AGAIN TO INCLUDE Gittes in bed, watching

Evelyn next to him as she's talking on the phone. She

hangs up. She touches Gittes' cheek lightly.

EVELYN

I have to go.

Gittes stares at her silently.

GITTES

Where?

EVELYN

-- Just -- I have to.

GITTES

And I want to know where.

EVELYN

(she starts out of

bed)

Please don't be angry... believe

me, it's got nothing to do with

you --

GITTES

(stopping her)

Where are you going?

EVELYN

(near tears)

Please!... Trust me this much...

(she kisses him

lightly)

I'll be back -- look, there is

something I should tell you. The

fishing club that old lady mentioned,

the pieces off the flag --

GITTES

The Albacore Club.

EVELYN

It has to do with my father.

GITTES

I know.

EVELYN

He owns it. You know?

GITTES

I saw him.

EVELYN

(sitting up straight)

You saw my fa -- father? When?

GITTES

This morning.

EVELYN

(panicked)

You didn't tell me.

GITTES

There hasn't been a lot of time.

187  She leaps out of bed, throwing on a robe.

EVELYN

What did he say?

(insistent)

What did he say ?

GITTES

-- That you were jealous, and

he was worried about what you

might do.

EVELYN

Do? To who?

GITTES

Mulwray's girlfriend, for one

thing. He wanted to know where

she was.

Evelyn starts quickly for the bathroom, then comes back

and kneels by the side of the bed, takes Gittes' hand.

EVELYN

I want you to listen to me -- my

father is a very dangerous man.

You don't know how dangerous. You

don't know how crazy.

GITTES

Give me an example.

EVELYN

You may think you know what's going

on, but you don't.

GITTES

That's what your father said --

you're telling me he's in back of

this whole thing?

EVELYN

It's possible.

GITTES

Including the death of your husband?

EVELYN

It's possible -- please don't ask

me any more questions now. Just

wait, wait for me -- I'll be back.

I need you here.

She kisses him, rushes to the bathroom, shuts the door.

Gittes stares at it a moment. Then leaps out of bed,

rummages around, tosses on his trousers. He grabs his

shoes, throws them on. Then hurries out of the bedroom.

188  EXT. MULWRAY HOME - GITTES

running across the driveway to the garage. There are two

cars there -- Mulwray's Buick and Evelyn's Packard.

Gittes moves over to the Buick, opens the passenger's

door.

189  INT. BUICK - GITTES

checks the ignition. No key is in it. He pulls a couple

of wires from under the dash -- starts to mess with them,

seems satisfied. Slides out across the seat, slams the

door.

190  EXT. MULWRAY DRIVEWAY - NIGHT

Gittes hurries over to the Packard. He gets down on the

driveway, lying on his back, bracing himself. With the

heel of his shoe, he kicks at the right rear taillight of

the car. He shatters the red lens, gets up. He carefully

pulls the red lens off the taillight, exposing the white

light beneath it. He tosses the red lens into the

shrubbery and hurries back toward the house.

191  ONE RED AND ONE WHITE TAILLIGHT - MOVING - NIGHT

Evelyn's car speeds along the curves on Sunset Boulevard,

the red and white lights coming IN AND OUT OF VIEW.

192  GITTES DRIVING - NIGHT

behind the wheel of Mulwray's car, keeping a healthy

distance from Evelyn in front of him. .

193  EVELYN'S PACKARD

pulls up before a small little bungalow-house. She gets

out, looks up and down the street. There is nothing.

She hurries on up the walkway to the front door.

194  DOWN THE STREET - GITTES IN BUICK

Idles the engine with the lights off. He brings the car

a few yards further down the street, parking it near

Evelyn's.

Gittes gets out of the car and goes up the walkway.

The curtains are drawn except for one of the small

windows on the side of the house. He goes to it and

looks, balancing on the edge of the porch.

195  THROUGH THE WINDOW

Gittes sees Evelyn's Oriental servant rush through the

living room of the small house. In a moment he re-emerges

back through the living room carrying a tray with a glass

and pitcher on it.

196  GITTES

around to the side of the house. He runs into shrubbery

and a short picket fence.

He climbs over it, follows along the stucco wall to a

series of windows at the corner of the house. These all

have shades on them. He can hear someone crying in the

house. Someone else talking alternately firmly and

plaintively in Spanish. Here the windows have blinds.

He moves to one where the blind is not completely drawn

-- there's an inch or so of space at the bottom.

197  THROUGH THE WINDOW

Gittes can see the servant again. Evelyn is pacing back

and forth in and out of his line of vision. After a

moment someone rises INTO SHOT -- obviously from lying

on a bed. The figure is just a few feet from Evelyn. Her

tear-stained face comes INTO VIEW. It is unmistakably

the girl Gittes had last seen with Hollis Mulwray.

Mulwray's girlfriend. She's looking up to Evelyn,

speaking in Spanish -- her words are not discernible

but the tone is -- bitter, anguished. A newspaper is

strewn about the room.

Evelyn kneels. She insists that the girl swallow down

some pills. The girl reluctantly does.

198  GITTES

continues to watch.

199  EXT. STREET - EVELYN - NIGHT

emerges from the house, goes to her car and gets in.

200  INT. CAR

Evelyn sees Gittes sitting in her car, staring coldly

at her.

GITTES

Okay, give me the keys.

EVELYN

(stunned, furious)

You bastard.

GITTES

-- It's either that or you drive

to the police yourself..

EVELYN

The police?

GITTES

C'mon, Mrs. Mulwray -- you've got

your husband's girlfriend tied up

in there!

EVELYN

She's not tied up!

GITTES

You know what I mean. You're

keeping her there against her will.

EVELYN

I am not!

GITTES

Then let's go talk to her.

201  Gittes starts to get out of the car. Evelyn grabs his

arm, nearly screaming:

EVELYN

No!

Her intensity actually rips Gittes' already partially

torn jacket. He looks at it and her. It seems to have

a momentary calming effect on both of them.

EVELYN

(continuing)

She's too upset.

GITTES

What about?

EVELYN

Hollis' death. I tried to keep

it from her, I didn't want her

upset before I could make plans

for her to leave.

GITTES

You mean she just found out?

EVELYN

Yes.

GITTES

That's not what it looks like,

Mrs. Mulwray.

EVELYN

What does it look like?

GITTES

Like she knows about Hollis' death

-- like she knows more than you

want her to tell.

EVELYN

You're insane.

Gittes explodes.

GITTES

Just tell me the truth -- I'm not

the police. I don't care what

you've done. I'm not going to

hurt you -- but one way or another

I'm going to know.

EVELYN

You won't go to the police if I

tell you?

GITTES

I will if you don't.

A long pause. Evelyn's head sinks onto the steering

wheel, her hair covering her face.

EVELYN

She's my sister.

202  Evelyn is breathing very deeply now -- not crying, but

the kind of deep breathing that comes from real hysteria.

Gittes puts an arm on her shoulder.

GITTES

Take it easy... If it's your sister

it's your sister... why all the

secrecy?

She lifts her head and looks up at him. He's genuinely

puzzled.

EVELYN

(really upset)

I can't...

GITTES

Because of Hollis? Because she

was seeing your husband? Was that

it? Jesus Christ, say something.

Was that it?

She nods. Gittes sighs.

EVELYN

(finally)

I would never ever have harmed

Hollis. I loved him more than my

own family. He was the most gentle,

decent man imaginable... and he

put up with more from me than

you'll ever know... I just wanted

him to be happy...

She begins to cry softly.

GITTES

(after a moment)

-- I took your husband's Buick...

(he opens the car

door)

I'll return it tomorrow.

EVELYN

Aren't you coming back with me?

GITTES

-- Don't worry. I'm not telling

anybody about this.

EVELYN

... That's not what I meant.

There is a long moment of silence. Gittes looks over to

Evelyn. Her hair covers most of her face from him.

GITTES

(finally)

Yeah, well... I'm very tired,

Mrs. Mulwray. Good night.

He gets out and slams the car door. She drives off.

203  INT. SHOWER - GITTES' APARTMENT - GITTES

The spray is hitting him full on the top of the head.

Gittes is so exhausted he's literally holding onto the

nozzle as the water pours down. He shuts the shower off,

reaches weakly for a towel -- dabs his nose lightly with

it.

204  INT. GITTES' BEDROOM - GITTES

pads around in elegant silk pajamas.

He walks over to the window where morning light is

streaming in. He closes the curtains, collapses on the

bed, on top of the covers, inert. Almost immediately the

PHONE RINGS. Gittes lets it go on for a moment, then

picks it up without saying anything.

VOICE ON PHONE

(male)

Gittes?... Gittes?

GITTES

-- Yeah.

VOICE ON PHONE

Ida Sessions wants to see you.

GITTES

Who?

VOICE 0N PHONE

Ida Sessions, you remember Ida.

Gittes slowly rises to one elbow.

GITTES

-- Yeah?... I do?

VOICE ON PHONE

Sure you do.

GITTES

-- Well, tell you what, pal. If

Ida wants to see me she can call

me -- at my office.

He hangs up, falls back down. PHONE RINGS AGAIN.

AND AGAIN. Gittes swears, picks it up.

VOICE ON PHONE

684 1/2 East Tensington -- Echo

Park. She begged me to call.

She's waiting for you.

Before Gittes can say anything, the phone clicks dead.

205  EXT..CERRITOS TOWER ROAD - HOLLYWOOD HILLS -

EARLY MORNING

Gittes pulls up. It is a bungalow courtyard with a

very narrow walkway and sickly green stucco.

206  EXT. IDA SESSIONS' APARTMENT - DAY

Gittes at the front door. It's slightly ajar. He knocks.

Nothing. He opens it and enters.

207  INT. LIVING ROOM

Morning light filters through the half-open blinds. Dust

particles in the shafts of light. It's still and empty.

Gittes sees something down the hall, under the legs of a

telephone table. Gittes moves toward it. It is grotesque.

When he gets closer he can see it's a wilted head of

lettuce. Just inside the kitchen some radishes and onions

lie on the linoleum. Gittes walks on into the kitchen.

208  INT. KITCHEN

Clearing the kitchen counter, Gittes sees IDA SESSIONS

lying on her back on the floor, surrounded by the

groceries from a broken bag. Ice cream has melted around

her. Her eyes are open, a stream of ants is moving across

the ice cream and into her mouth. She's recognizable as

the woman who posed as Evelyn Mulwray.

Gittes kneels over her. He gingerly opens her handbag,

fishes for its contents, takes them and looks at them on

the kitchen counter -- wallet with a few bills in it,

driver's license. with her name -- a Screen Actors Guild

card. Gittes nods -- turns, carefully replaces the items

in the purse.

He idly opens the broom closet, pantry, and even

Frigidaire -- which is all but empty. Then he steps over

her body and moves across the hall to a door that is

slightly ajar.

209  INT. BATHROOM

Gittes enters and turns on the light.

ESCOBAR

Find anything interesting, Gittes?

Escobar and another PLAINCLOTHED MAN stand in the

bathroom by the entrance to the bedroom door. Gittes

turns around. A THIRD MAN is now coming down the hall

from the bedroom.

Gittes looks at the two, doesn't reply.

ESCOBAR

What are you doing here?

GITTES

Didn't you call?

ESCOBAR

(jerk of his head

toward the kitchen)

How do you happen to know her?

GITTES

I don't.

ESCOBAR

(turning toward

other room)

-- Let me show you something.

210  INT. KITCHEN

Escobar points to the number MU 7279 on the side of one

of the kitchen cabinets.

ESCOBAR

Isn't that your number?

GITTES

Is it? I forget. I don't call

myself that often.

ESCOBAR

Just to be on the safe side, we

had Loach here give you a ring.

He indicates one of his assistants.

ESCOBAR'S ASSISTANT

(a slight sneer)

What happened to your nose, Gittes?

Somebody slam a bedroom window on it?

GITTES

(right back, smiling)

Nope, your wife got excited, crossed

her legs a little too quick. You

understand, pal.

The Assistant starts to move for Gittes who is ready for

him. Escobar steps between the two.

ESCOBAR

(to other Assistant)

Loach.

(Escobar pulls out

a drawer)

How about these? Look familiar?

In the open drawer are the photos of Mulwray and the

girl in the park, boat, and at the El Macando on the

veranda.

GITTES

(no point in denying it)

Yeah, I took 'em. So what?

ESCOBAR

How did she --

(meaning the corpse)

-- happen to have them?

Gittes takes a deep breath.

GITTES

Either you tell me or I guess -

'cause I don't have the answer.

Escobar nods.

ESCOBAR

You really think I'm stupid, don't

you, Gittes?

GITTES

I don't think about it one way or

the other. But if you want, give

me a day or two, and I'll get

back to you. Now I'd like to go

home.

ESCOBAR

I want the rest of the pictures.

GITTES

What pictures?

ESCOBAR

(meaning the corpse)

This broad hired you, Gittes, not

Evelyn Mulwray.

GITTES

Yeah?

ESCOBAR

Yeah -- somebody wanted to shake

down Mulwray, she hired you, and

that's how you happen to know

Mulwray was murdered.

GITTES

I heard it was an accident.

ESCOBAR

C'mon, you think you're dealing

with a bunch of assholes? Mulwray

had salt water in his goddam lungs!

Now how did he get that... in a fresh

water reservoir?

211  Gittes is surprised at this piece of information, but

remains nonplussed.

ESCOBAR

You were following him night and

day You saw who killed him.

You even took pictures of it.

It was Evelyn Mulwray -- she's

been paying you off like a slot

machine ever since her husband

died.

GITTES

(smiling)

You accusing me of extortion?

ESCOBAR

Absolutely.

GITTES

-- I don't think I need a day or

two -- you're even dumber than

you think I think you are. Not

only that, I'd never extort a nickel

out of my worst enemy, that's where

I draw the line, Escobar.

ESCOBAR

Yeah, I once knew a whore who for

enough money would piss in a

customer's face -- but she'd never

shit on his chest. That's where

she drew the line.

GITTES

(smiling)

Well, I hope she wasn't too much

of a disappointment to you, Lou.

Escobar manages a thin smile.

ESCOBAR

I want those photographs, Gittes.

We're talking about accessory after

the fact, conspiracy, and extortion

-- minimum.

GITTES

Why do you think Mulwray's body

was moved you dimwit? Evelyn

Mulwray knocked off her husband

in the ocean -- and thought it

would look like more of an accident

if she hauled him up to the Oak

Pass Reservoir?

This is a little telling.

GITTES

(continuing)

Mulwray was murdered and moved --

because somebody didn't want his

body found in the ocean.

ESCOBAR

And why's that ?

GITTES

He found out somebody was dumping

water there. That's what they

were trying to cover up by moving

him.

This stops Escobar. He's dumbfounded by it.

ESCOBAR

What are you talking about?

GITTES

C'mon I'll show you.

Escobar hesitates.

GITTES

(continuing)

C'mon - make a decision, Lou.

You're in charge.

The men around Escobar look to him. Escobar grudgingly

nods.

212  CLOSE SHOT - STORM DRAIN

It yawns AT CAMERA, only a trickle of water dropping into

the ocean.

VIEW WIDENS TO INCLUDE Escobar, Gittes, and two Plain-

clothesmen, standing and staring at the empty pipe as if

they expect it to talk.

GITTES

(squinting in sunlight)

It's too late.

ESCOBAR

Too late for what?

GITTES

They only dump the water at night.

213  A THIRD ASSISTANT runs down the side of the cliff and

Over to Escobar.

ESCOBAR

Reach anybody?

THIRD ASSISTANT

Yelburton, he's the new chief.

ESCOBAR

I know who he is. Well?

THIRD ASSISTANT

He says --

GITTES

I know what he says.

ESCOBAR

(to Gittes)

Shut up.

(to Assistant)

Go on.

THIRD ASSISTANT

Yelburton says they're irrigating

in the valley -- there's always a

little runoff when they do that.

And he says is Gittes knows that,

and has been going around making

irresponsible accusations for the

last week.

Escobar turns to Gittes. Stares at him for a long moment.

ONE OF ASSISTANTS

Let's swear out a warrant for her

arrest. What are we waiting for?

GITTES

(meaning Escobar)

-- Because he just made lieutenant,

and he wants to hang onto his

little gold bar.

Escobar stares hatefully at Gittes.

ESC0BAR

Have your client in my office in

two hours -- and remember. I

don't have to let you go. I've

got you for withholding evidence

right now.

214  EXT. MULWRAY HOME - DAY

Gittes in Mulwray's Buick whips into the driveway. He

looks in the garage. Evelyn's car is gone. Only the

Gardener's truck is there.

Gittes hurries along the pathway and up to the house.

He rings the doorbell. Scarcely waiting for an answer

he tries it. It's locked. He reaches into his pocket

-- pulls out his cigarette case, takes a pick out of

the side and starts to fool with the lock.

The Maid opens the door abruptly, stares in some surprise

at Gittes.

GITTES

Where's Mrs. Mulwray?

MAID

No esta.

215  Gittes looks past the Maid to the center of the living

room -- where luggage is packed and neatly piled.

The Maid is actually in the process of throwing covers

over the furniture.

GITTES

(indicating luggage)

Is Mrs. Mulwray going someplace?...

(no answer)

on a trip?... vacation?...

MAID

No esta in casa.

Gittes nods. He continues through the house and out back

to the veranda.

216  EXT. MULWRAY VERANDA - GITTES

is unsettled. Sees the Gardener working by the pond.

He wanders a few yards in that direction.

217  GARDENER

spots Gittes, half-bows, nods and smiles.

218  GITTES

in turn, nods, smiles.

GITTES

-- bad for glass.

219  GARDENER

breaks into a big grin. Nods again.

GARDENER

Oh yes, bad for glass.

He points to the newly mown lawn.

GARDENER

(continuing)

Salt water velly bad for glass.

220  GITTES

can't quite believe what he's heard,

GITTES

Salt water?

The Gardener nods vigorously. Points to the pond.

GARDENER

Velly velly bad.

Gittes has moved to the pond. He kneels. Clinging to the

edge of it he can now see as he could have before if he'd

looked closely, a starfish.

221  CLOSE STARFISH

It has one leg missing. The fifth point on the star is

Just beginning to grow back.

222  GITTES

touches the water, tastes it. He licks his lips, then

spots something glinting in the bottom of the pond.

GITTES

What's that... down there?

The Gardener peers into the pond.

GITTES

(continuing)

... there.

The Gardener spots it. He rolls up his trousers, gets in

the pond, and reaches into the bottom, his chin actually

touching the water. He misses the object, which seems to

scoot away like an animal. Then he grasps it. He lifts it

out of the water and holds a pair of eye glasses,

rimless, bent, his finger poking through the frame where

one lens is shattered.

The Gardener seems surprised. Gittes looks at the

glasses. They are heavily bifocal and reflect the sun.

223  INT. MULWRAY HOME

Gittes holds the phone to his ear. On the telephone

table, lying on his handkerchief are the glasses.

The Maid hovers around over Gittes' shoulder, uneasily

watching him.

CROSS' VOICE

Hello.

GITTES

Have you got your checkbook handy,

Mr. Cross? I've got the girl.

CROSS' VOICE

-- you've got her? Where?

GITTES

Do you remember the figures we

discussed?

CROSS' VOICE

Of course I do. Where are you?

GITTES

-- at your daughter's house.

How soon can you get here?

CROSS' VOICE

Two hours... tell me, will

Evelyn be there as well?

GITTES

Either that or she'll be in jail.

CROSS' VOICE

What are you talking about?

GITTES

Just bring your checkbook.

Gittes hangs up.

224  EXT. BUNGALOW-HOUSE - ADELAIDE DRIVE

Gittes pulls up in Mulwray's Buick. He hurries to the

front door, pounds on it.

The Chinese servant answers the door.

CHINESE SERVANT

You wait.

GITTES

(short sentence in

Chinese)

You wait.

225  Gittes pushes past him. Evelyn, looking a little worn but

glad to see him hurries to the door. She takes Gittes'

arm.

EVELYN

How are you? I was calling you.

She looks at him, searching his face.

GITTES

-- Yeah?

They move into the living room. Gittes is looking around

it.

EVELYN

Did you get some sleep?

GITTES

Sure.

EVELYN

Did you have lunch?

Kyo will fix you something --

GITTES

(abruptly).

-- where's the girl?

EVELYN

Upstairs. Why?

GITTES

I want to see her.

EVELYN

...she's having a bath now... why

do you want to see her?

Gittes continues to look around. He sees clothes laid out

for packing in a bedroom off the living room.

GITTES

Going somewhere?

EVELYN

Yes, we've got a 4:30 train to

catch. Why?

Gittes doesn't answer. He goes to the phone and dials.

GITTES

J. J. Gittes for Lieutenant

Escobar

EVELYN

What are you doing? What's wrong?

I told you we've got a 4:30 --

GITTES

(cutting her off)

You're going to miss your train!

(then, into phone)

Lou, meet me at 1412 Adelaide

-- it's above Santa Monica

Canyon... yeah, soon as you can.

EVELYN

What did you do that for?

GITTES

(a moment, then)

You know any good criminal lawyers?

EVELYN

(puzzled)

-- no...

GITTES

Don't worry -- I can recommend a

couple. They're expensive but you

can afford it.

EVELYN

(evenly but with

great anger)

What the hell is this all about?

Gittes looks at her -- then takes the handkerchief out

Of his breast pocket -- unfolds it on a coffee table,

revealing the bifocal glasses, one lens still intact.

Evelyn stares dumbly at them.

GITTES

I found these in your backyard --

in your fish pond. They belonged to

your husband, didn't they?... didn't

they?

EVELYN

I don't know. I mean yes, probably.

GITTES

-- yes positively. That's where

he was drowned...

EVELYN

What are you saying?

GITTES

There's no time for you to be

shocked by the truth, Mrs. Mulwray.

The coroner's report proves he was

killed in salt water. Just take my

word for it. Now I want to know

how it happened and why. I want

to know before Escobar gets here

because I want to hang onto my

license.

EVELYN

-- I don't know what you're talking

about. This is the most insane...

the craziest thing I ever...

Gittes has been in a state of near frenzy himself.

gets up, shakes her.

GITTES

Stop it! - I'll make it easy. --

You were jealous, you fought, he

fell, hit his head -- it was an

accident -- but his girl is a

witness. You've had to pay her

off. You don't have the stomach

to harm her, but you've got the

money to shut her up. Yes or no?

EVELYN

... no...

GITTES

Who is she? And don't give me that

crap about it being your sister.

You don't have a sister.

Evelyn is trembling.

EVELYN

I'll tell you the truth...

Gittes smiles.

GITTES

That's good. Now what's her name?

EVELYN

-- Katherine.

GITTES

Katherine?... Katherine who?

EVELYN

-- she's my daughter.

226  Gittes stares at her. He's been charged with anger and

when Evelyn says this it explodes. He hits her full in

the face. Evelyn stares back at him. The blow has forced

tears from her eyes, but she makes no move, not even to

defend herself.

GITTES

I said the truth!

EVELYN

-- she's my sister --

Gittes slaps her again.

EVELYN

(continuing)

-- she's my daughter.

Gittes slaps her again.

EVELYN

(continuing)

-- my sister.

He hits her again.

EVELYN

(continuing)

My daughter, my sister --

He belts her finally, knocking her into a cheap Chinese

vase which shatters and she collapses on the sofa,

sobbing.

GITTES

I said I want the truth.

EVELYN

(almost screaming it)

She's my sister and my daughter!

Kyo comes running down the stairs.

EVELYN

(continuing;

in Chinese)

For God's sake, Kyo, keep her

upstairs, go back!

Kyo turns after staring at Gittes for a moment then

goes back upstairs.

EVELYN

(continuing)

-- my father and I, understand,

or is it too tough for you?

Gittes doesn't answer.

EVELYN

(continuing)

... he had a breakdown... the

dam broke... my mother died...

he became a little boy... I was

fifteen... he'd ask me what to

eat for breakfast, what clothes

to wear!... It happened... then

I ran away...

GITTES

to Mexico...

She nods.

EVELYN

Hollis came and took... care

of me... after she was born...

he said... he took care of her...

I couldn't see her... I wanted to

but I couldn't... I just want to

see her once in a while... take care

of her... that's all... but I don't

want her to know... I don't want

her to know...

GITTES.

... so that's why you hate him...

Evelyn looks slowly up at Gittes.

EVELYN

-- no... for turning his back on

me after it happened! He couldn't

face it...

(weeping)

I hate him.

Gittes suddenly feels the need to loosen his tie.

GITTES

-- yeah... where are you taking her

now?

EVELYN

Back to Mexico.

GITTES

You can't go by train. Escobar'll

be looking for you everywhere.

EVELYN

How about a plane?

GITTES

That's worse... Just get out of

here -- walk out, leave everything.

EVELYN

I have to go home and get my things --

GITTES

-- I'll take care of it.

EVELYN

Where can we go?

GITTES

...where does Kyo live?

EVELYN

-- with us.

GITTES

On his day off. Get the exact

address.

EVELYN

-- okay...

She stops suddenly.

EVELYN

Those didn't belong to Hollis.

For a moment Gittes doesn't know what she's talking

about. Then he follows her gaze to the glasses lying on

his handkerchief.

GITTES

How do you know?

EVELYN

He didn't wear bifocals.

Gittes picks up the glasses, stares at the lens, is

momentarily lost in them.

227  EVELYN

from the stairs. She has her arm around Katherine.

EVELYN

Say hello to Mr. Gittes, sweetheart.

KATHERINE

(from the stairs)

Hello.

228  GITTES

rises a little shakily from the arm of the sofa.

GITTES

Hello.

With her arm around the girl, talking in Spanish,

Evelyn hurries her toward the bedroom. In a moment she

re-emerges.

EVELYN

(calling down)

-- he lives at 1712 Alameda... do

you know where that is?

229  REACTION - GITTES

He nods slowly.

GITTES

-- sure. It's Chinatown.

230  THRU WINDOW

of bungalow Gittes watches Evelyn, the girl and Kyo head

for Kyo's black dusty sedan.

Gittes drops the curtain, heads swiftly to the phone. He

dials.

GITTES

Sophie... is Walsh there?... yeah,

listen, pal, Escobar's going to try

and book me in about five minutes...

relax, I'll tell you. Wait in the

office for two hours. If you don't

hear from me, you and Duffy meet me

at 1712 Alameda.

WALSH'S VOICE

-- Jesus, that's in Chinatown, ain't

it?

231  The front BELL RINGS.

GITTES

I know where it is! Just do it.

Gittes hangs up and goes to the door. He opens it. No

one is there.

GITTES

(not even bothering

to look around the

sides)

Come on in, Lou -- we're both too

late.

Escobar and his minions appear from either side of the

door.

GITTES

(continuing)

Looks like she flew the coop.

Escobar nods.

ESCOBAR

I don't suppose you got any idea

W	here she went?

GITTES

Matter of fact I do.

ESCOBAR

Where?

GITTES

Her maid's house. I think she

knows something's up.

ESCOBAR

What's the maid's address?

GITTES

She lives in Pedro -- I'll write it

down for you --

ESCOBAR

No, Gittes, you'll show us.

GITTES

What for?

ESCOBAR

If she's not there, you're going

downtown, and you're staying there

til she shows up.

GITTES

(deliberately

petulant)

Gee, Lou, I'm doing the best I can.

ESCOBAR

(shoving him toward

the door)

Tell us about it on the way to

Pedro.

232  EXT. SAN PEDRO - 29TH STREET - DAY

A steep hill overlooks part of the harbor. Escobar's

unmarked car pulls up to a stop in front of a Spanish

duplex perched on the steep hillside.

ESCOBAR

That's it?

GITTES

-- yeah.

ESCOBAR

Well, let's go.

GITTES

Do me a favor, will you, Lou?

Escobar waits.

GITTES

(continuing)

Let me bring her down myself...

she's not armed or nothing... she

won't be any problem... I'd just

like a minute alone with her...

It would mean something... to...

her... and to me.

Escobar shakes his head. For a moment it looks like it

means no.

ESCOBAR

You never learn, do you,

Gittes?

GITTES

(a little

chagrined)

I guess not.

ESCOBAR

-- Give you three minutes.

GITTES

Gee, thanks, Lou.

Gittes gets out of the car, glances around, goes up the

stairs. He looks back down at Escobar. Gittes rings the

bell. He waits. It opens. It's a WOMAN who's not

recognizable. She's got the remnants of a black eye.

WOMAN

Yes?...

Gittes looks past her to Curly, the fisherman from the

first scene. He's seated at the dinner table with his

father, his mother, and his children. Curly looks up in

surprise.

CURLY

(happily)

Mr. Gittes! Come in, come in.

233  Gittes enters and closes the door. Curly rises and comes

over to him, greets him happily.

CURLY

Gee, this is a surprise, Mr. Gittes.

GITTES

Call me Jake. How is everything?

CURLY

Just sitting down to supper, Jake.

Care to join us?

GITTES

No thanks --

CURLY

How about a glass of wine? Honey,

this is --

WIFE

(coolly)

Yes, I know.

GITTES

Thanks just the same, Curly. I

could use a glass of water, though --

come out with me to the kitchen

for a second.

CURLY

(puzzled)

Sure thing.

234  INT. KITCHEN - GITTES AND CURLY

GITTES

Curly, where's your car?

CURLY

In the garage.

GITTES

Where's that?

CURLY

Off the alley.

GITTES

Could you drive me somewhere?

CURLY

Sure, as soon as we eat --

GITTES

Right now, Curly. It can't wait.

CURLY

I'll just tell my wife.

GITTES

(pulling him out

the back door)

-- tell her later.

They head out the back door and down the steps toward

The garage.

235  EXT. ALLEY AND GARAGE

Curly pulls open the garage door. Gets in, starts the

car, backs it out. It's an old, late twenties Plymouth

sedan. Gittes hops in. They take off. At the edge of

the alley Gittes looks back.

POV FROM CURLY'S CAR

Escobar is getting out of his car, moving towards the

duplex. Gittes slips down in the seat.

GITTES' VOICE

Just drive slow for a block or two,

will you, Curly?

CURLY'S VOICE

What's this all about?

GITTES' VOICE

Tell you in a couple of blocks.

236  INT. SEDAN - GITTES AND CURLY

GITTES

How much do you owe me, Curly?

CURLY

(embarrassed)

Oh, gee, Mr. Gittes -- we're going

out tomorrow. I know you been real

good about it but my cousin Auggie's

sick.

GITTES

Forget it. How would you like to

pay me off by taking a couple of

passengers to Ensenada... you'd

have to leave tonight.

CURLY

-- I don't know...

GITTES

-- I might be able to squeeze an

extra seventy-five bucks out of it

for you -- maybe an even hundred.

CURLY

-- plus what I owe you?

GITTES

I'll throw that in too.

CURLY

(smiling)

Okay, you got yourself a boat.

237  EXT. MULWRAY HOME - GITTES AND CURLY

carry bags out to Curly's car. Curly opens the door for

the Maid. She gets in. He turns to Gittes.

GITTES

Tell Mrs. Mulwray to wait for half

an hour after you get there -- then

if I don't show, take her down to

the boat.

CURLY

(a little worried)

-- you sure this is okay?

GITTES

(mildly indignant)

Curly, you know how long I been in

business.

Curly nods, reassured. He gets in and takes off.

238  EXT. MULWRAY HOME - DUSK

by the pond, cigarette smoke drifts INTO SHOT. A car

pulls up. In a moment Cross can be SEEN, looking TOWARD

CAMERA.

CROSS

There you are.

He walks toward Gittes who stands by the pond, smoking.

CROSS

(continuing)

Well, you don't look any the worse

for wear, Mr. Gittes, I must say...

where's the girl?...

GITTES

I've got her.

CROSS

Is she all right?

GITTES

She's fine.

CROSS

Where is she?

GITTES

With her mother.

Cross' tone alters here.

CROSS

... with her mother?

Gittes pulls something out of his pocket and unfolds it.

GITTES

I'd like you to look at something,

Mr. Cross --

CROSS

(taking it)

What is it?

GITTES

An obituary column... can you read

in this light?

CROSS

Yes... I think I can manage...

Cross dips into his coat pocket and pulls out a pair of

rimless glasses.. He puts them on, reads.

239  GITTES

stares at the bifocal lenses as Cross continues to look

through the obituary column. He looks up.

CROSS

What does this mean?

GITTES

-- that you killed Hollis Mulwray --

Gittes is holding the bifocals with the broken lens now.

GITTES

(continuing)

-- right here, in this pond. You

drowned him... and you left these.

Cross looks at the glasses.

GITTES

...the coroner's report showed

Mulwray had salt water in his

lungs.

CROSS

(finally)

Hollie was always fond of tide-pools.

You know what he used to say about

them?

GITTES

Haven't the faintest idea.

CROSS

-- that's where life begins...

marshes, sloughs, tide-pools... he

was fascinated by them... you know

when we first came out here .he

figured that if you dumped water

onto desert sand it would percolate

down into the bedrock and stay

there, instead of evaporating the

way it does in most reservoirs.

You'd lose only twenty percent

instead of seventy or eighty. He

made this city.

GITTES

-- and that's what you were going

to do in the Valley?

240  EXT. POND - CROSS AND GITTES

CROSS

(after a long moment)

-- no, Mr. Gittes. That's what

I am doing with the Valley. The

bond issue passes Tuesday -

there'll be ten million to build

an aqueduct and reservoir. I'm

doing it.

GITTES

There's going to be some irate

citizens when they find out they're

paying for water they're not getting.

CROSS

That's all taken care of. You see,

Mr. Gittes. Either you bring the

water to L.A. -- or you bring L.A.

to the water.

GITTES

How do you do that?

CROSS

-- just incorporate the Valley into

the city so the water goes to L.A.

after all. It's very simple.

Gittes nods.

GITTES

(then)

How much are you worth?

CROSS

(shrugs, then)

I have no idea. How much do you

want?

GITTES

I want to know what you're worth --

over ten million?

CROSS

Oh, my, yes.

GITTES

Then why are you doing it? How

much better can you eat? What can

you buy that you can't already

afford?

CROSS

(a long moment,

then:)

The future, Mr. Gittes -- the

future. Now where's the girl?...

I want the only daughter I have

left... as you found out, Evelyn

was lost to me a long time ago.

GITTES

(with sarcasm)

Who do you blame for that? Her?

Cross makes a funny little cock of his head.

CROSS

I don't blame myself. You see,

Mr. Gittes, most people never

have to face the fact that at

the right time and right place,

they're capable of anything. Take

those glasses from him, will you,

Claude?

Mulvihill moves INTO VIEW. Extends his hand for the

glasses. Gittes doesn't move.

CROSS

(continuing)

It's not worth it, Mr. Gittes.

It's really not worth it.

Gittes hands over the glasses.

CROSS

(continuing)

Take us to the girl. Either

Evelyn allows me to see her, or

I'm not averse to seeing Evelyn

in jail -- if I have to buy the

jail -- Hollis and Evelyn kept

her from me for fifteen years --

it's been too long, I'm too old.

241  EXT. CHINATOWN STREET - NIGHT

The streets are crowded. Here and there one can see

Chinese in traditional dress.

242  GITTES

driving slowly -- spots Katherine with Ramon and luggage,

nearly lost in the crowd. They are walking toward a car

parked near a laundry truck.

Gittes sees them, keeps driving.

CROSS

(suddenly)

Stop the car. Stop the car!

Mulvihill tries to clobber Gittes. Gittes elbows him.

The car jumps the curb and hits a lamppost.

243  EXT. STREET - CROSS

leaps out of the car shouting:

CROSS

Katherine! Katherine! Wait!

Gittes is after him, grabbing him. Cross tries to swing

at Gittes with his cane. Mulvihill comes up behind Gittes

and the three of them begin an awkward wrestling match,

--the crowd scattering, Mulvihill pulling his revolver,

trying to hit Gittes on the side of the head. The three

men crash to the pavement.

244  CURLY

starts out of the car toward Gittes. Gittes sees him.

GITTES

No, Curly, get 'em out of here!

Get 'em out of here:

He bites Mulvihill's hand and furiously pounds it into

the sidewalk, shaking gun loose. Mulvihill and Gittes

Try for it but someone else has it.

245  EVELYN

Holds the gun. She's shaking but apparently in control

of herself.

246  GITTES

rises to his feet. Mulvihill starts to help Cross up.

EVELYN

No, don't help him. Don't do

anything.

Mulvihill doesn't move. Cross rises on his own. Evelyn

holds the revolver on him.

EVELYN

(continuing)

-- she's gone. It's no good.

CROSS

Where?

GITTES

(moving to Evelyn)

Let me handle that.

EVELYN

(to Gittes)

I'm all right.

GITTES

(she's not)

Sure, but I'd like to handle it.

Evelyn backs up as her father takes a step toward her.

CROSS

You're going to have to kill me,

Evelyn. Either that or tell me

where she is.

Evelyn is backing up. Cross moving on her. Evelyn cocks

the pistol.

CROSS

(continuing)

How many years have I got?...

she's mine too.

EVELYN

-- she's never going to know that.

There's the SOUND of a SIREN. Cross lunges toward her.

Gittes grabs Cross.

Duffy and Walsh are elbowing through the crowd.

Gittes sees them.

GITTES

Duffy -- go over and sit on Mulvihill.

(to Walsh)

Jesus Christ, I didn't tell you

to bring the police department

with you.

WALSH

Jake -- it's Chinatown. They're

all over-the place. You oughta

know better.

GITTES

(to Walsh, meaning

Cross)

Gimme your keys. Watch this old

fart, will you?

(moving to Evelyn)

Take Duffy's car. Curly's boat's

in Pedro, near the Starkist

cannery. It's the Evening Star.

He'll be waiting. I'll take

care of this.

247  She looks to Gittes. He looks at her. She turns and

He looks at her. She turns and Escobar is standing

between her Escobar is standing between her and it.

ESCOBAR

Mrs. Mulwray, you don't want to

run around like that.

GITTES

Oh, Christ. Escobar, you don't

know what's going on. Let her go.

I'll explain it later.

ESCOBAR.

Mrs. Mulwray, it's a very serious

offense -- pointing that at an

officer of the law. It's a felony.

GITTES

Let her go. She didn't kill anybody.

ESCOBAR

(starting toward her)

I'm sorry, Mrs. Mulwray --

GITTES

Lou, she will kill you -- let her

go for now. You don't know.

ESCOBAR

Gittes, stay outta this.

Escobar continues to move toward her. Gittes grabs him.

GITTES

(to Evelyn)

Now take off.

Evelyn gets in the car. She starts it. Gittes lets

Escobar go.

ESCOBAR

I'll just have her followed --

she's not going anywhere --

There's a single GUNSHOT. Both men look surprised. Down

the block a uniformed officer has fired, standing beside

his double-parked car. Duffy's sedan slows to a stop in

the middle of the street. It jerks a couple of times,

still in gear, then comes to a halt.

Gittes rushes to the car. He opens it. Evelyn falls out,

inert. Blood is pouring from her right eye.

GITTES

(yelling)

No!

He holds onto Evelyn as Escobar and others hurry up.

Cross himself elbows through.

GITTES

(continuing)

Where is he? I'll kill him, I'll

kill the son of a bitch --

Several officers contain Gittes.

GITTES

(continuing;

to Escobar)

Who is he, get his name? I'll kill

him --

ESCOBAR

(badly shaken)

Take it easy, take it easy, it was

an accident --

GITTES

An accident --

Gittes looks down. What he sees horrifies him. Cross is

on the ground, holding Evelyn's body, crying.

GITTES

Get him away from her. He's

responsible for everything. Get

him away from her!

ESCOBAR

(stunned)

Jake -- you're very disturbed.

You're crazy. That's her father.

Walsh and Duffy elbow through the crowd.

ESCOBAR

(continuing;

to them)

You wanna do your partner the

biggest favor of his life? Take

him home. Just get him the hell

out of here!

Duffy bear hugs the protesting Gittes, along with Walsh,

literally dragging him away from the scene, with Gittes

trying to shake free. Through the crowd noises, Walsh can

be heard saying, "Forget it, Jake -- it's Chinatown."

THE END