"You may think you know what you're dealing with, but believe me, you don't." " Why is that funny?" " The DA used to say that in Chinatown." "Was he right?" "Exactly what do you know about me?" "Sit down." "You're rich, and too respectable to want your name in the newspapers." "Of course I'm respectable." "I'm old." "Politicians, ugly buildings and whores get respectable if they last a long time." "I'll double your fee and pay you $10,000 if you find Hollis's girlfriend." " Girlfriend?" " Disappeared, hasn't she?" " Wouldn't it be useful to talk to her?" " Maybe." "If he was murdered, she may be the last to see him alive." "When was the last time you saw him?" "Sheriff's gold posse." "Damn fools." "They paid $5,000 apiece toward the sheriff's re-election." "I let them practice up here." " Do you know when you last saw him?" " At my age you tend to forget." "Five days ago, at the Pig  Whistle." "You had one hell of an argument." "I got the pictures in my office, if that'll help you remember." " What did you argue about?" " My daughter." " What about her?" " Just find the girl, Mr Gittes." "I know Hollis was fond of her." "I'd like to help her if I can." "I had no idea you and Hollis were that fond of one another." "Hollis Mulwray made this city, and he made me a fortune." "We were a lot closer than Evelyn realised." "If you want to hire me, I still have to know what the argument was about." "My daughter's very jealous." "I didn't want her to find out about the girl." " How did you find out?" " I've still got a few friends in town." "Okay..." "I'll have my secretary draw up the papers." "Are you frightened for the girl or what Evelyn might do to her?" "Just find the girl." "I'll look into it, as soon as I've checked out some orange groves." " Orange groves?" " We'll be in touch, Mr Cross." "Could you tell me where the plat books for the Northwest Valley are?" "Part of it's in Ventura County." "We don't have them in our Hall of Records." "Then I'll settle for L.A. County." "Row 23, section C." "Weasel." "Sonny, why do they have all those names pasted in the plat books?" "Land sales out of escrow are recorded within the week." " Then these are all new owners?" " That's right." "That means that most of the Valley's sold in the last few months." "Can I check one of these volumes out?" "This is not a lending library, it's the Hall of Records." " How about a ruler?" " A ruler?" "The print's fine, and I left my glasses at home." "I'd like to be able to read across." "I thank you." "Hold it right there!" "All right, quit it now!" "Search the man, see if he's armed." "I didn't tell you to empty his pockets." " Search him!" " He ain't armed." "Who are you with, the Water Department or the real estate office?" "Get away from me!" "Come near me with that again, you'll need a pair of them!" " Pick on somebody your own size." " Give him a chance to say something." "The name's Gittes, private investigator." "I'm not with either one of them." "What are you doing out here?" "A client hired me to see if the Water Department was irrigating your land." "The Water Dept.'s been sending people out here to blow up my water tanks." "They put poison in my wells." "That's a funny way to irrigate." "Who'd hire you for a thing like that?" " Mrs Evelyn Mulwray." " That's the one who's done it to us." "Mulwray's dead." "You don't know what you're talking about, you dumb Okie." "Well, that's that." "What's going on?" "You didn't look good." "We thought we better call your employer." "Thanks for coming." "That dam your husband opposed is a con job." "They're conning L.A. Into building it, but the water's coming here, not to L.A." "Everything you can see." "All around us." "I was at the Hall of Records today." "In the last three months, Robert Knox has bought 7,000 acres." "Emma Dill: 12,000." "C. Speer: 5,000." "Jasper Lamar Crabb: 25,000 acres." "Jasper Lamar Crabb?" "I think I would have remembered that name." "They're blowing the farmers out and then buying their land for peanuts." "You know what this land would be worth with a steady water supply?" "About 30 million more than they paid for it." " Hollis knew about this?" " That's why he was killed." "Jasper Lamar Crabb..." " We got it." " What is it?" ""A memorial was held at the Mar Vista Inn for Jasper Lamar Crabb."" " He passed away two weeks ago." " Is that unusual?" "He passed away two weeks ago." "One week ago he bought the land." "That's unusual." "Hello, I'm Mr Palmer." "Can I help you folks?" "Yes, I hope so." " It's Dad." "I can't handle him anymore." " My goodness." " It's nothing with Dad, it's me." " Dad's an angel with everyone else." " But when he and my h..." " I don't know." "Of course, I'm anxious for him to have the best." "Money is no object." " Perhaps if we met with your father." " There is one question..." "Do you accept people of the Jewish persuasion?" " I'm sorry, but we don't." " Neither does Dad." "We had to be sure." "Would it be possible to see a list of your patients, just to be certain?" "We never reveal the names of our guests." "It's policy." " You'd agree if your father lived here." " Exactly what I wanted to hear you say." " Is it too late for us to look around?" " No, allow me to show you." " Could we stroll on our own?" " Yes, if you stay in the main building." " It's almost bedtime." " We understand." "Come, my sweet." "Charley, you ought to know better than that." "They're all there." "Every goddam name." "You're looking at the owners of a 50,000 acre empire." "They may not know it, but they are." "Hello, girls." "Are any of you Emma Dill?" "Are you Emma?" " I've wanted to meet you a long time." " Why?" " Did you know you were very wealthy?" " I'm not." " You own a lot of land." " No more." "Some time ago, my late husband owned a lot of beach property,   but we lost it." "That's very beautiful." "Where did you get this piece of material?" "At the Albacore Club." "Albacore." "It's a fish." "My grandson is a member." "They take very nice care of us." " How do they do that?" " Give us things." "Not just a flag, but..." " But what?" " We're an unofficial charity to them." "Would you come with me?" "Someone wants to talk with you." "Goodbye, ladies." "I want you to meet someone, Gittes." " Can we leave the lady out of this?" " Yeah, why not." " I'd like to see her to the car." " She knows where it's at." " I'll stay." " Get in the car." "Maid's night off?" " Why?" " Because nobody's here, that's why." "I gave everyone the night off." " Easy, it's an innocent question." " No question from you is innocent." "I guess you're right." "To you, Mrs Mulwray." "Frankly, tonight you saved my a..." "you saved my neck." "Tell me, Mr Gittes, does this often happen to you?" "What's that?" "I'm judging only on part of today, but if this is how you go about your work, " " I'd say you'd be lucky to get through a whole day." " This hasn't happened for a long time." " When was the last time?" " Why?" " It's an innocent question." " In Chinatown." " What were you doing there?" " Working for the District Attorney." " Doing what?" " As little as possible." " The DA gives you advice like that?" "They do in Chinatown." "Why did you leave the police force?" "Do you have any peroxide, or anything like that?" "Surely." "Come this way." "God!" "That's a nasty cut." "I had no idea." "Sorry!" "Is it painful?" "It must be painful." " What's wrong?" " Your eye." "What about it?" "There's something black in the green part of your eye." "Oh, that." "It's a flaw in the iris." " A flaw?" " Yes, it's a sort of birthmark." " Did you wear a uniform?" " Sometimes." "You must have looked cute in blue." "Give me a break, will you?" "I want to know more about you." "Not now." "You really don't like to talk about the past, do you?" "I'm tired." " Why does it bother you to talk of it?" " It bothers everybody who works there." " Where?" " Chinatown." "Everybody." " To me it was just bad luck." " Why?" "You can't always tell what's going on." "Like with you." "Why was..." "Why was it bad luck?" "I was trying to keep someone from being hurt." "I ended up making sure that she was hurt." "Cherchez la femme." "Was there a woman involved?" "Of course." "Dead?" "Yes, hello?" "Oh, my God!" "Don't do anything." "Don't do anything until I get there." "I have to go." " Where?" " It's just that I have to." " I want to know where you're going." " Don't be angry." "It has nothing to do with you or any of this." " Where are you going?" " Please..." "Trust me this much." "I'll be back." "There is something that I should tell you   about the fishing club that old lady mentioned." " The Albacore Club." " It has to do with my father." " I know." " He owns it..." "You know?" "I saw him." "You saw... my father?" " When?" " This morning." " You didn't tell me." " Well, there hasn't been much time." "What did he say?" " What did he say?" " That you were jealous." " That he was afraid what you might do." " To whom?" "Mulwray's girlfriend, for one." "He wanted to know where she was." "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." "Are you trying to tell me that he might be behind all of this?" "It's possible." " Even the death of your husband?" " It's possible." "Now please, don't ask me any more questions." "Just wait for me here." "I need you here." " Give me the keys." " You...!" "It's either that or you drive yourself to the police." "Come on, Mrs Mulwray." "You have your husband's girlfriend tied up in there." " She's not tied up." " You're holding her against her will." "I am not." " Okay, then let's go talk to her." " No!" "She's too upset." " What about?" " Hollis's death." "I tried to keep it from her until I could make plans for us to leave." "She just found out about it?" " That's not what it looks like." " What does it look like?" "Like she knows more than you want her to tell." " You're insane." " Tell me the truth." "I'm not the police." "I don't care what you've done." "I don't want to hurt you." " You won't go to the police if I tell you?" " I will if you don't." "She's my sister." "Take it easy." "If she's your sister, she's your sister." "Why all the secrecy?" "I can't..." "Is it because she was seeing your husband?" "Is that it?" "I'd never have harmed Hollis." "He was the most gentle, decent man imaginable." "And he put up with more from me than you'll ever know." "I wanted him to be happy." "I borrowed your husband's car." "I'll bring it back in the morning." " Aren't you coming back with me?" " Don't worry, I won't tell anybody." "That's not what I meant." "Yeah, well..." "I'm tired, Mrs Mulwray." "Good night." "Gittes?" "Gittes?" " Yeah?" " Ida Sessions wants to see you." " Who?" " Ida Sessions." "You remember Ida." " Yeah, I do...?" " Sure you do." "I'll tell you what, pal..." "If Ida wants to see me, she can call me at my office." "848 East Kensington, Echo Park." "She begged me to call." "She's waiting for you." "Find anything interesting, Gittes?" " What are you doing around here?" " Didn't you call me?" " How come you happen to know her?" " I don't." "I want to show you something." " Isn't that your phone number?" " I forget, I don't call myself that often." "Just to make sure, we had Loach give you a call." "What happened to your nose?" "Get a bedroom window slammed on it?" "Nope." "Your wife got excited, she crossed her legs a little too quick." " They look familiar?" " Yeah, I took them." "So what?" " How did she happen to have them?" " Either you tell me or I guess." " Do you really think I'm stupid?" " Let me think on it." "I'll get back to you." " Now I'd like to go home." " I want the other pictures." "This broad hired you, not Evelyn Mulwray." "Somebody wanted to shake Mulwray down." "She hired you." "That's how you found out he was murdered." " I heard it was an accident." " You think we're a bunch of assholes?" "Mulwray had salt water in his lungs." "You tailed him day and night." "You saw who killed him." "You even took pictures." "It was Evelyn Mulwray." "She's been paying you off ever since." "You accuse me of extortion?" "You're dumber than you think I think you are." "I wouldn't extort a nickel from my worst enemy." "I want the pictures." "Accessory after the fact, conspiracy and extortion." "You think Evelyn killed her husband in the ocean,   then dragged him up to a reservoir to make it look more like an accident?" "He was moved because somebody didn't want his body found in the ocean." "He found out they were dumping water and trying to cover it up." " What the hell are you talking about?" " Come on, I'll show you." "Come on, Lou, you're in charge." "Make a decision." "It's too late." "They only dump the water at night." " Reach anybody?" " Yelburton." "He's the new chief." " I know." "Go on." " He says..." " I know what he says." " Shut up!" "Go on." "He says there's irrigation in the Valley, and there's always a little run-off." "He says Gittes knows this, and that he's made irresponsible accusations." "Let's get a warrant for her arrest." "What are we waiting for?" "He just made lieutenant." "He wants to hang on to his little gold bar." "Have her in my office in two hours." "Remember, I don't have to let you go." "I've got you right now for withholding evidence." "Where's Mrs Mulwray?" "Are these her bags?" "Is she going on a trip?" "What going on here?" "Is she going on a vacation?" " Mrs Mulwray no home." " Well, I'll just have a look around." " Yeah, bad for the glass." " Yes, bad for glass." "Salt water very bad for glass." "Salt water?" "Very, very bad." "See?" "What's that?" "Right there." "There." " You wait." " You wait." "How are you?" "I've been calling you." " Have you slept?" " Sure." "Have you had lunch?" " Where's the girl?" " Upstairs." "Why?" " I want to see her." " She's having a bath right now." " Why do you want to see her?" " Going someplace?" "Yes, we have a 5:30 train to catch." "Jake..." "J.J. Gittes for Lt. Escobar." " What's wrong?" "I said we have a 5:30..." " You're gonna miss your train." "Lou, meet me at 1972 Canyon Drive." "Yeah, as soon as you can." " Why did you do that?" " You know any criminal lawyers?" " No." " No worry, I can recommend a couple." "They're expensive, but you can afford it." "Will you please tell me what this is all about?" "I found these in your backyard, in the pond." "They belonged to your husband, didn't they?" " I don't know." "Yes, probably." " Positively." "He was drowned there." " What?" " There's no time to be shocked." "The coroner proved he had salt water in his lungs when he was killed." "I want to know how it happened, and why,   before Escobar gets here." "I don't want to lose my license." "I don't know what you are talking about." "This is the craziest..." "Stop it!" "I want to make it easy for you." "You were jealous, you had a fight." "He hit his head." "It was an accident." "But his girl is a witness." "So you had to shut her up, and you had the money to do it." " Yes or no?" " No!" "Who is she?" "She's not your sister, you don't have one." "I'll tell you the truth." "Good." "What's her name?" " Katherine." " Katherine who?" "She's my daughter." " I said I want the truth!" " She's my sister." "She's my daughter." "My sister, my daughter." "I said I want the truth!" "She's my sister and my daughter!" "Khan, please, go back." "For God's sake, keep her upstairs." "My father and I..." "Understand?" "Or is it too tough for you?" "He raped you?" " Then what happened?" " I ran away." "To Mexico?" "Hollis came and took care of me." "I couldn't see her." "I was 15." "I wanted to but I..." "I couldn't." "Then..." "Now I want to be with her." "I want to take care of her." " Where are you gonna take her now?" " Back to Mexico." "You can't take the train." "Escobar will be looking for you everywhere." " How about a plane?" " That's worse." "You betterjust go." "Leave all this stuff here." "Where does Khan live?" " Get the exact address." " All right." "Those didn't belong to Hollis." " How do you know?" " He didn't wear bifocals." " Katherine, say hello to Mr Gittes." " Hello." "Hello." "He lives at 1712 Alameda." "Do you know where that is?" "Sure." "Sophie, get me Walsh." "Listen pal, Escobar's gonna try and book me in about five minutes." " What's the matter?" " Relax and I'll tell you." "If you don't hear from me in two hours, you and Duffy come to 1712 Alameda." " Jesus, that's in Chinatown, aint it?" " I know where it is." "Just do it." "Come on in, Lou." "Looks like we're both too late." "She flew the coop." "And you've no idea where she went?" "As a matter of fact I do." "Her maid's house." "She knows something's up." "What's the maid's address?" " She lives in Pedro." "I'll write it down..." " No, Gittes, you're gonna show us." "What for?" "Because if she ain't there, you're gonna stay downtown until she does show up." "Gee Lou, I'm doing the best I can." "Tell us about it on the way to San Pedro." " Let's get the little lady." " Can I ask you a favour?" "I'd like to bring her out myself." "She's not armed, she won't be a problem." "I just want a minute alone with her." "It would mean a lot to her, and to me." "You never learn, do you, Jake?" "I guess not." "Okay..." "I'll give you three minutes." "Just three minutes." "Gee, thanks, Lou." "Hello." "Mr Gittes, come in!" "This is some surprise." " Call me Jake." "How you doing, Curly?" " Care to join us?" " No, thanks." " A glass of wine?" "This is the fella..." " I know." " No, thank you." "But I'd like a glass of water." "Come out in the kitchen with me." " Curly, where's your car?" " In the garage off the alley." "Can you give me a ride somewhere...?" "Right now." "It can't wait." " I'll tell my wife." " Tell her later, Curl." "Just drive slow for a block or two." " What's this all about?" " I'll tell you in a block or two." " How much do you owe me?" " Gee, we're going out tomorrow." "You've been good about it, but my cousin's sick." "How would you like to pay me off by taking two passengers to Encenada?" " You'd have to leave tonight." " I don't know." "I might be able to squeeze 75 bucks out of it for you." "Maybe even 100." " Plus what I owe?" " I'll throw that in too." "1712 Alameda." "Wait for me until 8:30." "If I don't show, take them to your boat." "You're sure this is okay?" "Do you know how long I've been in this business?" "Have you got your checkbook handy, Mr Cross?" "I've got the girl." " You've got her?" "Where?" " Remember the figures we discussed?" " Yes." "Where are you?" " Your daughter's house." " How soon can you get here?" " An hour." "There you are!" "Well, you don't look too much the worse for wear." " Where's the girl?" "Is she all right?" " She's fine." " Well, where is she?" " With her mother." " I've got something I'd like to show you." " What is it?" "An obituary column." "Can you see all right in this light?" "I guess I can manage." " What does it mean?" " That you killed Hollis Mulwray." "Right here." "In that pond." "You drowned him, and you left these." "The coroner's report shows Mulwray had salt water in his lungs." "Hollis was always fascinated by tide pools." " You know what he used to say?" " I haven't the faintest idea." ""That's where life begins, tide pools!"" "He figured that if you dumped water into the desert sand   and let it percolate down to the bedrock,   it wouldn't evaporate the way it does in reservoirs." "You lose 20%, not 80%." " He made this city!" " You were gonna do that in the Valley?" "I am doing it." "When the bond issue passes Tuesday   there will be eight million dollars to build a reservoir." "People will be mad when they find out they're paying for water they won't get." "That's all taken care of." "You see,   either you bring the water to L.A. Or you bring L.A. To the water." " How are you gonna do that?" " I'll incorporate the Valley into the city." " How much are you worth?" " How much do you want?" " Are you worth over ten million?" " Oh, yes." "Why are you doing it?" "What can you buy that you can't already afford?" "The future, Mr Gittes." "The future." "Now where's the girl?" "I want the only daughter I've got left." "As you now, Evelyn was lost to me a long time ago." " Who do you blame for that?" "Her?" " I don't blame myself." "Most people never have to face the fact   that at the right time and the right place, they're capable of anything." "Claude, take those glasses from him." "Not worth it, Mr Gittes." "It's really not worth it." "Take us to the girl." "You remember Night Train Claude Mulvihill?" "These are my associates..." " You're under arrest, Jake." " Good news." "Withholding evidence, extortion, accessory after the fact." "I didn't extort nothing from nobody." "This is Noah Cross." "Evelyn's father." "He's the bird you're after." "I can explain everything in five minutes." "He's rich!" " He thinks he can get away with it." " You shut up, or I'll lock you up." "I am rich, I am Noah Cross." "Evelyn Mulwray is my daughter." "He's crazy, Lou!" "He killed Mulwray because of the water thing." "Just listen!" " Lock him to the wheel of the car." " You don't know what's going on here." "Katherine!" "I am your grandfather, my dear." "I am your grandfather." "No, go on." "I'll follow you." " Get away from her." "Get away!" " Evelyn, please... be reasonable." " Come to my..." " Get away from her!" "How many years have I got?" "She's mine, too." "She's never going to know that." "You're a disturbed woman." "You cannot provide..." " Evelyn, let the police handle this." " He owns the police!" " Get away from her." " You'll have to kill me first." "Close the door." "Halt!" "Get the captain." "Get an ambulance." "Turn them all loose." "Lord..." "Oh, Lord!" " As little as possible." " What's that?" "What's that?" "You wanna do your partner a big favour?" "Take him home." "Take him home." "Just get him the hell out of here!" "Go home, Jake." "I'm doing you a favour." "Come on, Jake." "Forget it, Jake." "It's Chinatown." "All right, clear the area!" "On the sidewalk." "On the sidewalk!" "Get off the street!" "Get off the street!" "Enough's enough, Curly." "You can't eat the Venetian blinds, I just got them." "Down the hatch." " She's no good." " What can I tell you?" "When you're right, you're right." "And you're right." "I'll pay you the rest next week." "We only caught 60 tons of skipjack." "They pay less for skipjack than albacore tuna." "I only brought it up to illustrate a point." "I don't want your last dime." " Thank you, Mr Gittes." " Call me Jake." "Careful driving home." "Mrs Mulwray is waiting for you, with Mr Walsh and Mr Duffy." "Mrs Mulwray, may I present Mr Gittes." " Mrs Mulwray, how do you?" " Mr Gittes." "What seems to be the problem?" "My husband..." "I believe is seeing another woman." "No... really?" "I am sorry." "Mr Gittes, do you think we could discuss this alone?" "I'm afraid not." "These are my operatives,   and at some point they'll have to assist me." " I can't do everything myself." " Of course not." "What makes you certain that your husband is involved with someone?" "A wife can tell." " Do you love your husband?" " Yes, of course." "Then go home and forget everything." "I'm sure he loves you too." "Do you know the expression:" "Let sleeping dogs lie?" " You're better off not knowing." " I have to know." "Very well." " What is your husband's first name?" " Hollis." "Hollis Mulwray." " Water and Power?" " He's chief engineer." "Chief engineer?" "This type of investigation can be hard on your pocketbook." " It takes time..." " Money doesn't matter to me." "Okay, we'll see what we can do." "Today you can hop a streetcar, and in 25 minutes, you end up in the Pacific." "You can swim in it and fish in it, but you can't drink it." "You can't irrigate an orange grove with it." "We live next door to the ocean, but we also live on the edge of a desert." "Los Angeles is a desert community." "Beneath this building is a desert." "Without water, the dust will rise up cover us as though we never existed." "The Alto Vallejo can save us from this." "I suggest that 8 million dollars is a fair price to pay   to keep the desert from our streets, and not on top of them." "Mayor Bagby..." "Let's hear from all the departments again." "We'd better take Water and Power first." "Mr Mulwray?" "In case you've forgotten, over 500 died when the Van der Lip Dam gave way." "This shale is similar to the permeable shale in the Van der Lip disaster." "It couldn't withstand that kind of pressure." "Now you propose another dirt-banked dam,   with slopes of 2 to 1, 112 feet high, and a 12,000-acre water surface." "Well, it won't hold." "I won't build it, it's that simple." "I'm not going to make the same mistake twice." "What the hell are you doing?" "Get those goddam things out of here!" "Tell me where to take them!" "You don't have an answer for that." "You steal water from the valley, ruin the grazing, starve the livestock..." "Who's paying you to do that, Mulwray?" "That's what I want to know!" "SAVE YOUR CITY" " LOS ANGELES IS DYING OF THIRST" " VOTE YES" " Jeez, he was there all night." " That's right." "I had to go back three times to pick up the watches." "Yesterday he went to three reservoirs, a men's room, and the Pig  Whistle." "The guy's got water on the brain." "So what have you got?" " This?" " They got into a terrific argument." " What about?" " I don't know." "The traffic was loud." "I heard one thing though:" ""Apple core"." " Apple core?" " Yeah." " Is that what you spent the day doing?" " You said to take pictures, so I did." "Let me explain something to you, Walsh." "This business requires a certain amount of finesse." " What is it, Sophie?" " Duffy's on the phone." " Duff, where are you?" " The buzzard's got a cute little twist." " Slow down." "Where are you?" " They're in Echo Park, in a rowboat!" "Okay..." "Echo Park." "Water again." "Okay, pal, let's have us a big smile." "You'll love it." "When you get this much publicity, you're practically a movie star." " Look at that, Barn." " Yeah, the heat's murder." "Fools' names and fools' faces." " What's that, pal?" " You've got some way to make a living." " What do you do to make ends meet?" " Mortgages." "First National Bank." "Did you foreclose on many families this week?" " We don't publish records in the paper." " Neither do I." " No, you have your press agent do it." " Is this bimbo a regular customer?" "I make an honest living." "I help people when they're in a desperate situation." "I don't kick families out of their houses like you bums at the bank do." "Maybe you'd like to go outside and discuss it." "What do you think?" " Let me tell you about the guy..." " I don't know how it got in the paper." " I make an honest living." " Of course you do." "Anyway, this guy got tired of screwing his wife." "So his friend says he should do what the Chinese do..." "Duffy." "Hey, Walsh!" "Sophie, go to the little girls' room for a minute." "But Mr Gittes..." "Yes, Mr Gittes." "I want to tell you a story." "There's a guy who's tired of screwing his wife..." " Jake, there's a problem." " Wait a second." "His friend says to do it like the Chinese do it. "How do the Chinese do it?"" ""Well, first they screw a little bit, then they read a little Confucius,   come back, screw a little bit more, then they stop again..."" " Jake!" " Walsh, just listen, you'll love this." ""They go back and they screw a little bit more,   and then they contemplate the moon." "It makes it more exciting."" "So now the guy goes home and starts screwing his own wife." "So he screws her a little, then goes out of the room and reads Life magazine." "He goes back in and screws her a bit, then goes out and smokes a cigarette." "His wife is sore." "So the next time he's going out to look at the moon she says:" ""Hey, what's the matter with you?" "You're screwing just like a Chinaman!"" "Jesus, that Barney..." " Mr Gittes?" " Yes." "Do you know me?" "Well..." "I think I would have remembered." "Have we ever met?" "Well, no." " Never?" " Never." "That's what I thought." "I'm Mrs Evelyn Mulwray." "Mr Mulwray's wife." "Not that Mulwray?" "Yes, Mr Gittes." "That Mulwray." "And since you agree that we've never met before,   you must also agree that I never hired you to spy on my husband." "I see you like publicity, Mr Gittes." "Well, you're going to get it." "There's been some misunderstanding." "There's no need to get tough with me..." "I don't get tough with anyone." "My lawyer does." "Here's something for you, Mr Gittes." "I suppose we'll be hearing from your attorney." " Mr Mulwray?" " He's not in, Mr...?" " May I ask what it's regarding?" " It's personal." "Has he been gone long?" " Since lunch." " Gee whiz, and I'm late." " He was expecting you?" " 15 minutes ago." "I'll go in and wait." "Sir!" "Could I help you?" "Russ Yelburton, deputy chief." "J.J. Gittes." "It's not a departmental matter." " Would you care to wait in my office?" " Certainly." "We're a bit nervous, with all this business in the papers   about Mr Mulwray." "Right this way." "After you've worked with a man for a certain length of time,   you come to know his habits and values." "Either he's the kind who chases after women, or he isn't." " Mulwray never even kids about it." " Maybe he takes it very seriously." " Sit down." " No, thank you." " Where is he having lunch?" " I'm sorry, I don't know." " Well, tell him I'll be back." " I will." "Do you mind if I take one of your cards, in case I have to get in touch with you?" " Mulvihill, what are you doing here?" " They shut my water off." "So what?" "How'd you find out?" "You don't drink it, you don't take a bath in it..." "They wrote you a letter..." "But then you'd have to be able to read." "Relax, glad to see you." " Do you know Claude Mulvihill?" " I hope so, he's working for us." " Doing what?" " There's been threats to the reservoirs." " Any particular reason?" " Rationing." "The farmers are desperate." " But the city needs drinking water." " Well, you're in luck." "When he was sheriff, the rum runners landed tons of booze on the beach   and never lost a drop." "He ought to be able to hold on to your water for you." "J.J. Gittes to see Mr Mulwray." "Please." "You wait." " Bad for glass." " Yeah, sure." "Bad for the glass." " Mr Gittes." " Actually, I came to see your husband." " Something to drink?" " What are you having?" " Iced tea." " That'll be fine, thank you." "My husband's at the office." "Actually, he's not." "And he's checked out of his apartment at the El Macondo." "That's not his apartment." "Anyway, the point is, I'm not in business to be loved,   but I am in business." "Whoever set your husband up, set me up." "L.A. Is a small town." "People talk." "I don't want to become a local joke." "You've talked me into it." "I'll drop the lawsuit." " What?" " Let's just drop the whole thing." " Sugar, lemon, or both?" " Both..." "I don't want to drop it." "I better talk to your husband." "Why?" "Hollis seems to think you're an innocent man." "I've been accused of a lot of things, but never that." "Someone's gone to a lot of trouble, and I intend to find out." "I'm not supposed to be the one caught with his pants down." "Unless it's a problem, I'd like to talk to your husband." " May I speak frankly, Mrs Mulwray?" " You may if you can, Mr Gittes." "That little girlfriend." "She was pretty, in a cheap sort of way, of course..." "She's disappeared." "Maybe they disappeared together." " If they did, how does that affect you?" " It's nothing personal." "It's very personal." "It couldn't be more personal." " Is this an obsession with you?" " Let's look at it this way..." "This phoney broad, excuse the language, tells me she's you." "Whoever put her up to it isn't after me, they're out to get your husband." "If I can see him, I can help him." " Did you talk to him this morning?" " No." "I went riding rather early." " It looks like you went quite a distance." " I was riding bareback." "You might try the Oak Pass or the Stone Canyon Reservoir." "He often takes walks." "Otherwise he'll be home by 6:30." " I'll stop by." " Please call first." "Sorry, closed to public." "That's all right, officer..." "Russ Yelburton, Deputy Chief of the department." "Sorry, Mr Yelburton." "Go on down." " Gittes, get out before he sees you." " Loach, what's going on?" " Hello, Jake." " Lou." "How are you?" "Lousy cold I can't seem to shake, but otherwise I'm okay." " Summer colds are the worst." " Yeah, they are." " There's no smoking here." " We'll make an exception this time." "I'll see he's careful with the matches and doesn't burn himself." "How'd you get past the guard?" "To tell you the truth, I lied a little." " You look like you've done well." " I get by." "Sometimes it takes a man a while to find himself." "Maybe you have." "Yeah, going through other people's dirty linen." "Tell me, you still putting Chinamen in jail for spitting in the laundry?" "You're a little behind the times." "They use steam irons now." "And I'm out of Chinatown." " Since when?" " Since I made lieutenant." "Congratulations." " What are you doing around here?" " I'm looking for somebody." " Hollis Mulwray." "You seen him?" " Yeah." " I'd like to talk to him." " You'd like to talk to him..." "You're welcome to try." "There he is." "It looks like he was washed down the entire length of the run-off channel." " Could he swim?" " Of course." "Obviously, the fall must have knocked him unconscious." "Mrs Mulwray, this alleged affair your husband was having..." "The publicity didn't make him morose or unhappy?" "It didn't make him happy." " He couldn't have taken his own life?" " No." "Do you happen to know the name of the young lady in question?" " No." " Or where she might be?" "You and your husband never discussed her?" "We did." "He wouldn't tell me her name." "We quarrelled over her, of course." "It came as a complete surprise to me." "A complete surprise?" "I thought you hired a private investigator." "A private investigator?" "Mr Gittes." "Yes, but I did that to put an end to a ridiculous rumour that had no basis." "When did Mr Gittes inform you that the rumours had some foundation in fact?" "Just before the story broke in the papers." "You wouldn't happen to know where I could find her... or her name?" " No." " Of course not." " Will you need me for anything else?" " No, I don't think so." "If we need any more information we'll be in touch." "Of course you have my deepest sympathy." "I'll see her to the car, Lou." "I'll be right back." " Jake, what's the story?" " Take it easy." "We better do this in a hurry..." "Give us a little room!" "You want a picture, guys?" "Here it is. "Gittes", two T's and an E." "Thank you for going along with me back there." "I just didn't want to explain anything." "I'll send you a check." " A check?" " To make it official that I've hired you." "I'll have it this afternoon..." "Jake, what are you doing here?" "It's my lunch hour, Morty." "I thought I'd drop by and see who'd dropped dead." "Middle of a drought, and the water commissioner drowns." " Only in L.A." " Looks pretty banged up." "Well, it's a long fall." "So how are you doing, Morty?" "Never better, except for this cough." " You know me, Jake." " Yeah." " So who have you got there?" " Leroy Shuhardt." "Local drunk." "Used to hang around Ferguson's Alley." "Quite a character." "Lately he's been living in a downtown storm drain." "Had a bureau dresser down there and everything." "He drowned too." " Come again?" " Got drunk." "Passed out in the riverbed." " The L.A. River?" " Yeah, what's wrong with that?" " It's dry as a bone." " It's not completely dry." "He ain't gonna drown in a damp riverbed, no matter how soused he is." "We got water out of him." "He drowned." "Hello." "Howdy." "You were riding out here the other day, weren't you?" " Do you speak English?" "Habla Ingles?" " Si." "You were talking to a man a few days ago." "He wore glasses..." " What did you talk about?" " The water." " What about the water?" " When it comes." " What did you tell him?" " It comes in different parts of the river." "Every night a different part." "Son of a bitch." "Goddam Florsheim shoe." "Hold it there, kitty cat." "Hello, Claude." "Where'd you get the midget?" "You're a very nosy fellow." "Know what happens to nosy fellows?" "No?" "Wanna guess?" "No?" "Okay." "They lose their noses." "Next time you lose the whole thing." "I'll cut it off and feed it to my goldfish." "Understand?" " Understand?" " I understand." "So a contractor wants to build a dam and makes a few pay-offs." "So what?" "You can't nail Mulvihill." "They'll claim you were trespassing." "I don't want Mulvihill." "I want the big boys that are making the pay-offs." " Then what'll you do?" " Sue the shit out of them." " What is it, Sophie?" " A Miss Sessions is calling." " Who?" " Ida Sessions." "Don't know her." "Take a number." "People like that will be having dinner with the judge who's trying the suit." "I'm sorry." "Miss Sessions insists." " She says you know her." " Okay." "Hello, Miss Sessions." "I don't believe we've had the pleasure." " Oh yes we have." "Are you alone?" " Isn't everyone?" "What can I do for you?" "Well, I'm a working girl." "I didn't come in to see you on my own." " When did you come in?" " I pretended to be Mrs Mulwray." "Shut the fuck up..." "Yes, I remember." " Is something wrong?" " I was just checking with an associate." " Go on." " I never expected all this to happen." "If it gets out, I want someone to know that I didn't know what would happen." "I understand." "Who was your employer?" "It would be helpful to both of us." "Oh, no." "No." "What's your address?" "Maybe we could talk this over." "Just look in the obituary column of today's L.A. Post-Record." "You'll find one of those people." "Sure..." "How do you like them apples?" "Thank you for coming." " Yes, sir?" " Drink?" "Tom Collins with lime, not lemon." "I got your check in the mail." " As I said, I was very grateful." " I'm afraid that's not good enough." " How much would you like?" " Oh, stop it." "The money's fine." "But I think you short-changed me on the story." "Something else besides the death of your husband was bothering you." " You were upset, but not that upset." " Don't tell me how I feel." "Sorry." "You sue me, your husband dies, you drop the lawsuit like a hot potato." "All of it quicker than the wind from a duck's ass." "Excuse me..." " Then you ask me to lie to the police." " It wasn't much of a lie." "If he was killed, it was." "This could look like a pay-off to withhold evidence." "But he wasn't killed." "Mrs Mulwray, I think you're hiding something." "I suppose I am." "Actually, I knew about the affair." " How did you find out?" " My husband." "He told you?" "And you weren't in the least bit upset?" "I was grateful." " You'll have to explain that." " Why?" "When a wife tells me she's happy that her husband is cheating on her,   it runs contrary to my experience." " Unless what?" " She was cheating on him." "Were you?" "I dislike the word "cheat"." "Did you have affairs?" "Did he know about it?" "I wouldn't run home and tell him whenever I'd been to bed with another." " Anything else you want to know?" " Where were you when Hollis died?" " I can't tell you." " You don't know?" " I can't tell you." " You were seeing someone too." " For very long?" " I don't see anyone for very long." "It's difficult for me." "Now, I think you know all you need know about me." "I didn't want publicity." "I didn't want to go into all of this then, or now." "Is that all?" "Oh, by the way..." "What does this "C" stand for?" "Cross." " That's your maiden name?" " Yes." "Why?" "No reason." " You must have had a reason to ask." " No, I'm just a snoop." "No, I have my own car." "The Packard." "Wait a minute, sonny." "I think you better come with me." "There's nothing more to say." "Get my car, please." "Okay, but in case you're interested, your husband was murdered." "Someone's been dumping thousands of tons of water from the reservoirs,   and we're supposedly in a drought." "He found out about it and he was killed." "There's a drowned drunk." "Involuntary manslaughter, if anyone took the time." "It seems like half the city is trying to cover it up, which is fine by me,   but I goddam near lost my nose." "And I like it." "I like breathing through it." "And I still think that you're hiding something." "Mr Gittes..." "J.J. Gittes to see Mr Yelburton." "Mr Yelburton will be busy for some time." "Well, it's my lunch hour." "I can wait." "He's liable to be tied up indefinitely." "I take a long lunch hour." "All day, sometimes." " Noah Cross worked for the company?" " Yes..." "No." " Did he or didn't he?" " He owned it." " He owned the water department?" " Yes." "You mean, he owned the entire water supply for the city?" " How'd they get it away from him?" " Mulwray felt the public should own it." "Mr Mulwray?" "I thought you said Cross owned it." "Along with Mr Mulwray." " They were partners?" " Yes, they were partners." "Mr Yelburton will see you now." "Mr Gittes, sorry to keep you waiting." "These staff meetings just go on and on." "It must be especially tough to take over under these circumstances." "Yes, Hollis was the best department chief the city ever had." " What happened to your nose?" " Cut myself shaving." " That must really smart." " Only when I breathe." "Only when you breathe..." "Don't tell me you're still working for Mrs Mulwray?" " I never was." " I don't understand." "Neither do I, actually." "You hired me." "Or you hired that chippie to hire me." " You're not making a bit of sense." " Let's look at it this way:" "Mulwray didn't want to build a dam." "His reputation was hard to get around." "You decided to ruin it." "Then he found out you were dumping water at night." "Then he was... drowned." "That's an outrageous accusation." "I don't know what you're talking about." "Well, Whitey Mehrholtz over at the Times will." "Dumping thousands of gallons of water in the middle of a drought is news." "Mr Gittes..." "We're not anxious for it to get around, but we have been diverting water   to irrigate orange groves in the Northwest Valley." "They have no legal right to our water, but we've been trying to help them out." "When you divert water, there's a little run-off." "Yeah, a little run-off..." "Where did you say those groves were?" " In the Northwest Valley." " That's like saying they're in Arizona." "My field men are out, I can't give you the exact location." "You're a married man, aren't you?" "Hard working, wife, kids...?" " Yes." " I don't want to nail you." "I want to find out who put you up to it." "I'll give you a few days to think on it." "Call me, I can help." "Who knows, maybe we can put the whole thing off   on a few big shots, and you can stay head of the department for 20 years." " Drink?" " No, thank you." "What is your usual salary?" "$35 a day, plus 20 for my associates." "Plus expenses, plus a bonus if I show results." "Whoever killed my husband, why have they gone to all this trouble?" "Money." "How they plan to make it emptying reservoirs, I don't know." "I'll pay your salary, plus $5,000,   if you find out what happened to Hollis, and who is involved." "Sophie, draw up one of our standard contracts for Mrs Mulwray." "Were you married before Mulwray and your father sold the water department?" "Noah Cross is your father, isn't he?" "Yes, of course." "It was sometime after." "I was just out of grade school when they did that." "Then you married your father's business partner." "You've already got one going." "Does my talking about your father upset you?" "No..." "Yes, a little." "You see, Hollis and my fa my father had a falling out, finally." " Over you or the water department?" " Why should it be over me?" "Then it was over the water department." "Hollis felt the water should belong to the public." "I think my father disagreed." "Actually, it was over the Van der Lip Dam." "The dam that broke." " Hollis never forgave him for it." " Never forgave him for what?" "For talking him into building it." "They never spoke from that time on." "You sure about that?" "Of course I'm sure." "Sign here." "The copy's for you." "Mr Gittes?" "How do you do?" " You got a nasty reputation." "I like that." " Thanks." "You're not a bank president." "In your business it's good advertising." " It doesn't hurt." " It helps get a client like my daughter." " Probably." " I'm surprised you still work for her." "Unless she's suddenly come up with another husband." "She happens to think the last one was murdered." " How did she get that idea?" " I think I gave it to her." "I hope you don't mind." "I believe they should be served with the head." "As long as you don't serve the chicken that way." "Tell me, what do the police say?" "They're calling it an accident." " Who's the investigating officer?" " Lt. Lou Escobar." " You know him?" " Oh, yeah." " Where from?" " We worked together, in Chinatown." " Would you call him a capable man?" " Very." " Honest?" " As far as it goes." "He has to swim in the same water we all do." "But there's no reason to think he's bungled the case?" " Too bad." " Too bad?" "It makes me think you're taking my daughter for a ride,   financially speaking, of course." "What are you charging her?" "My usual fee, plus a bonus if I get results." "Are you sleeping with her?" "You have to think about that to remember?" "If you want an answer to that question, I'll put one of my men on the job." " Good afternoon." " Mr Gittes..." "She's just lost her husband." "I don't want her taken advantage of." " Sit down." " What for?" "You may think you know what you're dealing with, but believe me, you don't."