Mrs. Mulwray is NOT a femme fatale, she is actually the ONLY honest and sincere person in the film. One subject of the film is Jake's pattern of being harmful to the women he cares about. The mysterious 'other' woman he failed to save in Chinatown hangs over the story, particularly in scenes with Escobar, who is somehow mixed up in that previous personal disaster. There is much we don't know. The St. Francis Dam failure in the 1920's was indeed due to faulty foundations and cost almost 500 lives. Los Angeles is desert and the movie in many scenes makes us feel the encroaching dust, heat and lifelessness being held at bay. Nandu Hinds played Jake's secretary Sophie with the doll-like face. This small but unforgettable role was her ONLY screen credit. She went on to be one of the top Beverly Hills / Rodeo Drive etc. Real estate agents and is still at work.
Review of Chinatown
