The Big Goodbye: Chinatown and the Last Years of Hollywood
This book hit hard, it was a book that makes a person think twice and it was so well-written and fact-checked by Sam Wasson… It’s worth remembering on showbiss.net. Here’s my review.
An actor, a director, a producer and screenwriter meet up in a restaurant. The waiter says, “What would you like to order?” Well, the actor says, “We’ll all have the Chinatown special.” The reality of the scenario in this case: the actor is Jack Nicholson, the director is Roman Polanski, the screenwriter is Robert Towne and the producer at Paramount is Robert Evans. What is cooking is the now classic creation of the 1974 motion picture Chinatown.
In Sam Wasson’s excellent, thorough and telling book, he winds through the hills of Mulholland Drive, weaves through the complicated streets leading to Sunset Blvd. and presents an absorbing character portrait of the men and women involved. He presents an intrinsic and factual story of the transformation of big business in tinsel town and the personal stories of the four key players and their lives. Wasson’s attention to detail and nuance makes The Big Goodbye: Chinatown and the Last Years of Hollywood a fascinating expose of Jack Nicholson, Roman Polanski, Robert Towne and Robert Evans and everyone on the scene involved in friendships, power struggles, creativity and egos and for some, ultimate tragedy. Yes… Faye Dunaway is also recollected and the cast, creative team and even her friend and co-star Jack Nicholson had given her the nickname “Dread.” What the hell, Sam Wasson took the time to bring the facts and the history into the making of Chinatown and the corresponding years before and after the film was released into a stunning bird’s eye view presenting a behind-the-scenes look at all the windy roads into making this film and how the movie industry changed during and after this time.
As of now; only former Head of Production at Paramount Studios, Robert Evans has passed away but the memories and accomplishments of all of these men in both filmmaking, writing, acting and knowing how to create a lasting legacy are remarkable. The book is a fitting testament to the people, the industry and as a worthwhile read for those who want to discover more about the elusive reality of the creation of the film Chinatown and the Hollywood story that is told by Sam Wasson. It was a time of turmoil and joy that in its heart, details the scene of deals, personalities, talent and discovery in Los Angeles. For those who want to know more about what some consider one of the greatest crime films of intrigue and a classic presentation of film noir… look no further than The Big Goodbye: Chinatown and the Last Years of Hollywood.
