all right, enough is enough. you can't eat the venetian blinds, curly. i just had 'em installed on wednesday.
down the hatch.
what can i tell you, kid? you're right. when you're right, you're right, and you're right.
you're absolutely right, i wouldn't give her another thought.
thanks, curly. call me jake.
what's that, curly?
oh they don't?
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?
you bet your ass you don't. you can't even pay me off.
forget it. i only mention it to illustrate a point.
i don't want your last dime.
what kind of guy do you think i am?
call me jake. careful driving home, curly.
how do you do, mrs. mulwray?
now, mrs. mulwray, what seems to be the problem?
no, really?
i am sorry.
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.
now, what makes you certain he is involved with someone?
mrs. mulwray, do you love your husband?
then go home and forget about it.
i'm sure he loves you, too. you know the expression, let sleeping dogs lie? you're better off not knowing.
all right, what's your husband's first name?
water and power?
this type of investigation can be hard on your pocketbook, mrs. mulwray. it takes time.
very well. we'll see what we can do.
trains the binoculars on him. sun glints off mulwray's glasses.
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.
hurries to get back to his car. he gets in and gets right back out.
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.
backs away, sits near the outfall, yawns.
arrives whistling, opens the door with "j.j. gittes and associates – discreet investigation" on it.
morning, sophie.
walsh here?
where'd he go yesterday?
jesus christ, this guy's really got water on the brain.
listen, we can't string this broad out indefinitely we got to come up with something.
oh yeah? you pick up the watch?
he was there all night.
so what you got?
this?
what about?
apple core?
jesus christ, walsh. that's what you spent your day doing?
let me explain something to you, walsh. this business requires a certain finesse.
yeah, sophie? duffy, where are you?
okay, slow down – echo park. jesus, water again.
let's have a big smile, pal.
look at that.
what's that, pal?
oh? what do you do to make ends meet?
tell me, how many people a week do you foreclose on?
neither do i.
barney, who is this bimbo? he a regular customer?
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.
c'mon, get out of the barber chair. we'll go outside and talk this over.
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.
an honest living.
duffy, walsh.
sophie, go to the little girl's room for a minute.
sophie.
so there's this fella who's tired of screwing his wife.
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.
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? . you're screwing like a chinaman.'
yes?
well.  i think i.  i would've remembered.
well, no.
never.
not that mulwray?
now wait a minute, mrs. mulwray.
there's some misunderstanding here. it's not going to do any good to get tough with me.
there's seven ashtrays in this room, duffy.
that's a filthy habit.
yeah, yeah. if she'd come in here saying she was shirley temple you'd say okay to that, too.
all she needed for that was the phone book!
when i find out who that phony bitch was.
sophie.
get me the times. whitey mehrholtz. and how about that snotty broad? 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.
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? 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.
they're all a bunch of phonies.
mr. mulwray, please.
gittes.
it's personal. has he been out long?
gee whiz. and i'm late.
fifteen minutes ago. why don't i go in and wait?
j.j. gittes. and it's not a departmental matter.
and mulwray isn't?
maybe he takes it very seriously.
you don't happen to know where mr. mulwray's having lunch?
well, tell him i'll be back.
mind if i take one of your cards? in case i want to get in touch with you again.
mulvihlll, what are you doing here?
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.
relax, mulvihill, glad to see you. do you know claude mulvihill here?
j.j. gittes to see mr. mulwray.
yeah sure. bad for glass.
actually, i'm here to see your husband, mrs. mulwray.
what are you having?
yeah. fine, thank you.
actually he's not. and he's moved from his apartment at the el macando.
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.
i'm just trying to make a living, and i don't want to become a local joke.
what?
mrs. mulwray?
i don't want to drop it.
i should talk this over with your husband.
well, i've been accused of many things, mrs. mulwray, but never that.
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.
may i speak frankly, mrs. mulwray?
well, that little girlfriend, she was attractive in a cheap sort of way of course. she's disappeared. maybe they disappeared together somewhere.
nothing personal, mrs. mulwray, i just --
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?
looks like you went quite a distance.
i'll stop by.
it's all right. russ yelburton, deputy chief in the department.
loach.
before what? what the hell's going on?
how are you, lou?
summer colds are the worst.
thanks, lou.
well, to tell you the truth, i lied a little.
i get by.
yeah. tell me, you still throw chinamen into jail for spitting on the laundry?
since when?
congratulations.
looking for someone.
hollis mulwray. you seen him?
i'd like to talk to him.
just before the story broke in the papers, lou.
no.
no.
i'll walk her to her car, be right back.
mrs. mulwray?.  mrs. mulwray.
you left your keys in the ignition.
a check?
don't give me that, lou. you hauled me down here for a statement.
no?
you mean that's what you're going to call it.
what'd he do, lou, make a pass at your sister?
oh yeah? can you think of something to charge me with?
nothin', morty, it's my lunch hour, i thought i'd drop by and see who died lately.
yeah. banged up pretty bad.
so how are you, morty?
yeah, so who you got there?
yeah.
come again?
the l.a. river?
it's bone dry, morty.
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.
jesus, this town.
you were riding here the other day, weren't you?
speak english?.  habla ingles?
didn't you talk to a man here.  few days ago.  wore glasses.  he.
what did you talk about, mind my asking?
what about the water?
when it comes? what'd you tell him?
goddam florsheim shoe, goddammit.
i understand.
yeah, sophie.
who?
don't know her. take a number.
i don't want mulvihill. i want the big boys that are making the payoffs.
sue the shit out of 'em.
yeah. what's wrong with you guys? think ahead. we find 'em, sue 'em. we'll make a killing. we'll have dinner at chasen's twice a week, we'll be pissing on ice the rest of our lives.
okay.
hello, miss sessions. i don't believe we've had the pleasure.
isn't everybody? what can i do for you, miss sessions?
when did you come in?
shut the fuck up! . yes i remember nothing, miss sessions, just going over a detail or two with my associates.  you were saying?
i understand.  if you could tell me who employed you, miss sessions. that could help us both.
why don't you give me your address and we can talk this over?
the obituary column?
'those people?' miss sessions.
thanks for coming.  drink?
i got your check in the mall.
mrs. mulwray, i'm afraid that's not good enough.
stop it. the money's fine. it's generous but you've shortchanged me on the story.
i think so. something besides your husband's death was bothering you. you were upset but not that upset.
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.
if your husband was killed it was. this can look like you paid me off to withhold evidence.
i think you're hiding something, mrs. mulwray.
how did you find out?
he told you?
and you weren't the slightest bit upset about it?
you'll have to explain that, mrs. mulwray.
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.
she's cheating on him.
were you?
did you have affairs?
did he know?
where you were when your husband died.
you mean you don't know where you were?
you were seeing someone, too.
for very long?
oh, by the way. what's the 'c' stand for?
that your maiden name?
no reason.
no. i'm just a snoop.
no, not for that one.
do me a favor. sit still and act like i'm charming.
there's somebody here. say something. anything. something like we're being intimate.
been meaning to talk to you about that.
more like other people putting their business in my nose.
mrs. match. how're you?
okay.
another satisfied client's wife.
sweaty?
let's get out of here before she picks up her purse.
wait a minute, sonny. i think you better come with me.
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. i goddam near lost my nose! and i like it. i like breathing through it. and i still think you're hiding something.
j.j. gittes to see mr. yelburton.
well i'm on my lunch hour. i'll wait.
i take a long lunch. all day sometimes.
julian cross worked for the water department?
he did or he didn't?
he owned the water department?
he owned the entire water supply for the city?
how did they get it away from him?
mulwray? i thought you said cross owned the department.
they were partners.
yeah, must be especially tough to take over under these circumstances.
i cut myself shaving.
only when i breathe.
i never was.
neither do i, actually. but you hired me or you hired that chippie to hire me.
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.
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.
yeah, a little runoff. where are those orchards?
that's like saying they're in arizona.
you're a married man, am i right?
hard working, have a wife and kids.
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. 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.
thirty-five bucks daily for me, twenty for each of my operators, plus expenses, plus my fee if i show results.
money. how they plan to make it by emptying the reservoirs, that i don't know.
sophie, draw up one of our standard forms for mrs. mulwray. tell me, did you get married before or after mulwray and your father sold the water department?
your father is julian cross, isn't he?
so you married your father's business partner?
you've got one going, mrs. mulwray.
is there something upsetting about my asking about your father?
over the water department, or over you?
then it was over the water department.
oh, yeah?
never forgave him for what?
you sure shout that?
what about you? do you and your father get along?
sign here.  the other copy's for you.
before this i turned on the faucet, it came out hot and cold, i didn't think there was a thing to it.
what?
not exactly.
i'm going to see a man called julian cross. ever heard of him?
i'm working for his daughter.
she ain't exactly long in the tooth now.
you must be thinking of a different daughter.
she ran away?
well, you never know, do you?
why'd she run away?
we missed the best of it, didn't we, pal?
you don't say?
sir?
yes, sir, that's what it looks like. i'll give you that.
always?
thanks.
it doesn't hurt.
probably.
no. she happens to think the last one was murdered.
i think i gave it to her.
fine, as long as you don't serve chicken that way.
they're calling it an accident.
lou escobar – he's a lieutenant.
oh yes.
we worked in chinatown together.
very.
far as it goes. of course he has to swim in the same water we all do.
none.
too bad?
my usual fee, plus a bonus if i come up with any results.
if you want an answer to that question i can always put one of my men on the job. good afternoon, mr. cross.
what for?
it's what the d.a. used to tell me about chinatown.
mainly that you're rich and too respectable to want your name in the papers.
his girlfriend?
you mean the little chippie he was with at the el macando?
yeah.
no. she's probably scared to death.
maybe.
you didn't see mulwray much, did you?
when was the last time?
yeah. do you remember the last time you talked to mulwray?
well, it was about five days ago. you were outside the pig 'n whistle and you had one hell of an argument.
i've got the photographs in my office. if they'll help you remember. what was the argument about?
what about her?
i didn't realize you and hollis were so fond of each other.
if you want to hire me, i still have to know what you and mulwray were arguing about.
how did you find out?
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?
i'll look into it as soon as i check out some avocado groves.
we'll be in touch, mr. cross.
i'm a little lost. where can i find the plat books for the northwest valley?
i'll settle for l.a. county.
hauls the huge volume back to the clerk's desk.
say.  uh.  sonny.
how come all these new names are pasted into the plat book?
then these are all new owners?
but that means that most of the valley's been sold in the last few months.
can i check one of these volumes out?
well, then, how about a ruler?
the print's pretty fine. i forgot my glasses. i'd like to be able to read across.
say, pal, what's he doing?
well, you're just the man i'm looking for.
some associates and i are thinking of buying property out here. of course, we're worried about the rainfall.
yeah. do you have any references?
that's swell. but how about here? ever worked for robert knox, emma dill, clarence speer, marian parsons, or jasper lamar crabb?
yeah.
yeah, i'll do that.
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.
get away from me!
touch me with that thing again and you'll need a pair of them.
name's gittes. i'm a private investigator and i'm not with either one.
client hired me to see.  whether or not the water department's been irrigating your land.
mrs. evelyn mulwray.
mulwray's dead. you don't know what you're talking about, you dumb oakie.
what's going on?
it's okay, mr. dubois.
thanks, earl.
thanks for coming.
that dam is a con job.
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.
everything you can see, everything around us. i was at the hall of records today. that bother you?
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.
know him?
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.
it's why he was killed. jasper lamar crabb. jasper lamar crabb.
we got it. we got it, baby.
there was a memorial service at the mar vista inn today for jasper lamar crabb. he died three weeks ago.
two weeks ago he bought those 25,000 acres. that's unusual.
yes, i sure hope so. it's dad. i just can't handle him anymore, can i, sweetheart?
nothing to do with dad. it's me, actually.
naturally, i want the best for him, money is no object.
there's just one question.
do you accept anyone of the jewish persuasion?
don't be sorry, neither does dad. wanted to make sure though, didn't we, honey?
just to be certain, i wonder if you could show us a list of your patients?
that's exactly what we wanted to hear.
i wonder, is it too late for us to have a look around?
would you mind if we took a stroll on our own?
we understand, c'mon, sweetheart.
they're all here. 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.
which one of you is emma dill?
are you emma?
i've been wanting to meet you.
did you know that you're a very wealthy woman?
well you own a lot of land.
that's just lovely.
where did you get this material?
the apple core?
how do they do that?
but what?
see you later, emma.
can we leave the lady out of this?
okay, i'd like to walk her to her car.
get in the car.
what are you waiting for? get in the car!
maid's night off?
what do you mean, 'why?' nobody's here, that's all.
easy, it's an innocent question.
i guess not to you, mrs. mulwray. frankly you really saved my a.  my neck tonight.
what's that, mrs. mulwray?
actually this hasn't happened to me in some time.
why?
it was in chinatown.
working for the district attorney.
as little as possible.
they do in chinatown.
no. i wonder.  could i. do you have any peroxide or something?
yeah.
bothers everybody who works there, but to me.  it was.
you can't always tell what's going on there.
i thought i was keeping someone from being hurt and actually i ended up making sure they were hurt.
yeah. make sure i don't find myself in chinatown anymore. wait a second.
your eye.
there's something black in the green part of your eye.
a flaw.
where?
and i want to know where.
where are you going?
the albacore club.
i know.
i saw him.
this morning.
there hasn't been a lot of time.
that you were jealous, and he was worried about what you might do.
mulwray's girlfriend, for one thing. he wanted to know where she was.
give me an example.
that's what your father said. you're telling me he's in back of this whole thing?
including the death of your husband?
around to the side of the house. he runs into shrubbery and a short picket fence.
continues to watch.
okay, give me the keys.
it's either that or you drive to the police yourself.
c'mon, mrs. mulwray. you've got your husband's girlfriend tied up in there!
you know what i mean. you're keeping her there against her will.
then let's go talk to her.
what about?
you mean she just found out?
that's not what it looks like, mrs. mulwray.
like she knows about hollis' death. like she knows more than you want her to tell.
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.
i will if you don't.
take it easy.  if it's your sister it's your sister.  why all the secrecy?
because of hollis? because she was seeing your husband? was that it? jesus christ, say something. was that it?
i took your husband's buick.  i'll return it tomorrow.
don't worry. i'm not telling anybody about this.
yeah, well.  i'm very tired, mrs. mulwray. good night.
yeah.
who?
yeah?.  i do?
well, tell you what, pal. if ida wants to see me she can call me at my office.
didn't you call?
i don't.
is it? i forget. i don't call myself that often.
nope, your wife got excited, crossed her legs a little too quick. you understand, pal.
yeah, i took 'em. so what?
either you tell me or i guess 'cause i don't have the answer.
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.
what pictures?
yeah?
i heard it was an accident.
you accusing me of extortion?
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.
well, i hope she wasn't too much of a disappointment to you, lou.
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?
mulwray was murdered and moved because somebody didn't want his body found in the ocean.
he found out somebody was dumping water there. that's what they were trying to cover up by moving him.
c'mon i'll show you.
c'mon make a decision, lou. you're in charge.
it's too late.
they only dump the water at night.
i know what he says.
because he just made lieutenant, and he wants to hang onto his little gold bar.
where's mrs. mulwray?
is mrs. mulwray going someplace?.  on a trip?.  vacation?.
in turn, nods, smiles.
bad for glass.
can't quite believe what he's heard,
salt water?
touches the water, tastes it. he licks his lips, then spots something glinting in the bottom of the pond.
what's that.  down there?
there.
have you got your checkbook handy, mr. cross? i've got the girl.
do you remember the figures we discussed?
at your daughter's house. how soon can you get here?
either that or she'll be in jail.
just bring your checkbook.
you wait.
yeah?
sure.
where's the girl?
i want to see her.
going somewhere?
j. j. gittes for lieutenant escobar
you're going to miss your train! lou, meet me at 1412 adelaide. it's above santa monica canyon.  yeah, soon as you can.
you know any good criminal lawyers?
don't worry. i can recommend a couple. they're expensive but you can afford it.
i found these in your backyard.  in your fish pond. they belonged to your husband, didn't they?.  didn't they?
yes positively. that's where he was drowned.
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.
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?
who is she? and don't give me that crap about it being your sister. you don't have a sister.
that's good. now what's her name?
katherine?.  katherine who?
i said the truth!
i said i want the truth.
to mexico.
so that's why you hate him.
yeah.  where are you taking her now?
you can't go by train. escobar'll be looking for you everywhere.
that's worse.  just get out of here. walk out, leave everything.
i'll take care of it.
where does kyo live?
on his day off. get the exact address.
how do you know?
rises a little shakily from the arm of the sofa.
hello.
sure. it's chinatown.
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.
i know where it is! just do it.
come on in, lou. we're both too late.
looks like she flew the coop.
matter of fact i do.
her maid's house. i think she knows something's up.
she lives in pedro. i'll write it down for you.
what for?
gee, lou, i'm doing the best i can.
yeah.
do me a favor, will you, lou?
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.
i guess not.
gee, thanks, lou.
call me jake. how is everything?
no thanks.
thanks just the same, curly. i could use a glass of water, though. come out with me to the kitchen for a second.
curly, where's your car?
where's that?
could you drive me somewhere?
right now, curly. it can't wait.
tell her later.
how much do you owe me, curly?
forget it. how would you like to pay me off by taking a couple of passengers to ensenada.  you'd have to leave tonight.
i might be able to squeeze an extra seventy-five bucks out of it for you. maybe an even hundred.
i'll throw that in too.
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, you know how long i been in business.
i've got her.
she's fine.
with her mother.
i'd like you to look at something, mr. cross.
an obituary column.  can you read in this light?
stares at the bifocal lenses as cross continues to look through the obituary column. he looks up.
that you killed hollis mulwray.
right here, in this pond. you drowned him.  and you left these.
the coroner's report showed mulwray had salt water in his lungs.
haven't the faintest idea.
and that's what you were going to do in the valley?
there's going to be some irate citizens when they find out they're paying for water they're not getting.
how do you do that?
how much are you worth?
i want to know what you're worth. over ten million?
then why are you doing it? how much better can you eat? what can you buy that you can't already afford?
who do you blame for that? her?
driving slowly, spots katherine with ramon and luggage, nearly lost in the crowd. they are walking toward a car parked near a laundry truck.
no, curly, get 'em out of here! get 'em out of here!
rises to his feet. mulvihill starts to help cross up.
let me handle that.
sure, but i'd like to handle it.
duffy, go over and sit on mulvihill. jesus christ, i didn't tell you to bring the police department with you.
gimme your keys. watch this old fart, will you? 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.
oh, christ. escobar, you don't know what's going on. let her go. i'll explain it later.
let her go. she didn't kill anybody.
lou, she will kill you. let her go for now. you don't know.
now take off.
no!
where is he? i'll kill him, i'll kill the son of a bitch.
who is he, get his name? i'll kill him.
an accident?
get him away from her. he's responsible for everything. get him away from her!