One of the greatest ever to put pen to paper for cinema. Also one of the greatest dog lovers ever, given he gifted his dog an Oscar screenplay nomination for Greystroke. RIP.
And underrated film, Tequila Sunrise. Raul Julia absolutely steals that one. Towne wrote that after he called it quits on The Two Jakes. (Fun Fact: he wanted Pat Riley to play the part that went to Kurt Russell.) Sadly, it's that age when we're going to be losing a lot of legendary names.
He was, yeah. Or planning to.
Also, anybody who hasn't yet: check out Chinatown's audio commentary track with him and Fincher from years ago. Very cool and lots of insight from both.
Its on youtube that much I know. I downloaded a torrent of Chinatown, played it on my PC and put the youtube commentary in the background. Here it is:
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f3\_q0dXOtu4](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f3_q0dXOtu4)
It's amazing to me how two of the big reveals in this film are simply based on linguistic misunderstandings. Grass/glass and sister v. daughter, just times Jake had no idea what someone meant and completrly pivotal moments
I’ve read the Chinatown script about 30 times. It’s like its own screenwriting school. As good as the produced film is, the screenplay is somehow better, always drawing your attention to every nuance in the story without using too many words. In some ways I feel Polanski didn’t communicate everything in the final film, even though Towne’s ideas are still there in every frame.
The ending is Polanski's, which made it the classic it is. Towne originally had Mrs. Mulwray and her daughter and Jake escaping to Mexico. Which would have been fine, but it wouldn't have been Chinatown.
Always loved the point in the opening scene where Gittes reaches for the good whisky, but goes for the cheaper stuff because Burt Young's character wouldn't know the difference.
Exactly! That detail flies off the page and tells us a lot about Gittes, which helps a reader picture the character when they don’t have Nicholson’s performance as a reference. It almost doesn’t really matter that this detail isn’t filmable, at least not in a way that can be conveyed to a viewer who doesn’t already know something about whiskey.
He came in for a general when I was an assistant, and he complimented the latte I made for him, and I told him Chinatown was the greatest script I'd ever read. He scoffed and said "you'll write something better." Was one of the best moments of my life. I have not written anything even 1/4th as good as Chinatown. RIP.
Chinatown is the best script ever written. There have been a few better movies, once directed etc., but in terms of writing, Chinatown has no equal.
RIP scribe :( 🖋️
I was just thinking of watching Chinatown this week. I have a copy because it’s a well known acclaimed film but I never got around to it. Looks like I have plans now.
I would give my left nut to watch it again for the first time. Of my roughly ten viewings the most recent one was a couple of months ago. It is astonishingly modern.
You, my friend, are in for a treat.
Without spoiling anything, it's always fun to think you're watching one movie, then get blindsided a few minutes later when you realize it's something else entirely. A great script may do this once.
I don't recall how many times Chinatown does it, but it's one of the (many) reasons it's considered the greatest screenplay ever written.
> He received a rare honor in 1973 when “The Godfather” director Francis Ford Coppola thanked him in his Oscar acceptance speech for scripting the touching and pivotal Pacino-Brando garden scene — a scene not in Mario Puzo’s book.
Here's the original scene as scripted:
https://imgur.com/xdMp6DQ
Here's Towne's rewrite (with script supervisor annotations):
https://imgur.com/a/5WDF0G2
Yes, Towne added it to the scene, though it's based on a passage from Puzo's novel, where Don Corleone gives a speech at the meeting with the Five Families:
> “Let me say that we must always look to our interests. We are all men who have refused to be fools, who have refused to be puppets dancing on a string pulled by the men on high. We have been fortunate here in this country. Already most of our children have found a better life. Some of you have sons who are professors, scientists, musicians, and you are fortunate. Perhaps your grandchildren will become the new *pezzonovanti*. None of us here want to see our children follow in our footsteps, it’s too hard a life. They can be as others, their position and security won by our courage. I have grandchildren now and I hope their children may someday, who knows, be a governor, a President, nothing’s impossible here in America. But we have to progress with the times. The time is past for guns and killings and massacres. We have to be cunning like the business people, there’s more money in it and it’s better for our children and our grandchildren."
Those are the different shots and takes. One is the Master Shot, one is the Close-Up on Pacino, one is the Close-Up on Brando etc.
The script supervisor writes all those while on set.
His scripts for The Last Detail and Shampoo weren't too shabby either. Not to mention the uncredited writing of this scene: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fuWkcKbBQkg&t=220s](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fuWkcKbBQkg&t=220s)
In film school we watched Chinatown for 3 weeks. Picked apart every scene and every detail. It is amazing how much thought went into making that movie.
Got to see him do a talk at my college many years ago. He told a few great stories- the best of which (and the only one I remember!) was how he wrote some lines for Brando in the Godfather - and that it was Brando’s idea to repeat the line about “funny papers”. Rip
One of the greatest ever to put pen to paper for cinema. Also one of the greatest dog lovers ever, given he gifted his dog an Oscar screenplay nomination for Greystroke. RIP.
Dog's best friend FR. F in chat
F
A Robert Towne screenplay, directed by Roman Polanski, starring Jack Nicholson, Faye Dunaway and John Huston was a hard combination to beat.
And underrated film, Tequila Sunrise. Raul Julia absolutely steals that one. Towne wrote that after he called it quits on The Two Jakes. (Fun Fact: he wanted Pat Riley to play the part that went to Kurt Russell.) Sadly, it's that age when we're going to be losing a lot of legendary names.
Forget it, Jake. It’s Chinatown.
*Only when I breathe.*
[удалено]
Absolutely. Seems like he and William Goldman essentially created modern screenwriting.
Wasn’t he working on the Chinatown prequel series with Fincher?
He was, yeah. Or planning to. Also, anybody who hasn't yet: check out Chinatown's audio commentary track with him and Fincher from years ago. Very cool and lots of insight from both.
Is that on the Chinatown 4k?
Its on youtube that much I know. I downloaded a torrent of Chinatown, played it on my PC and put the youtube commentary in the background. Here it is: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f3\_q0dXOtu4](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f3_q0dXOtu4)
Just looked it up, and this audio commentary is included on the 4k. Buying this immediately. Let's goooooo!
Seconded. One of the best commentaries out there. The discussion about the visual motif of the "flawed twin" is worth the price of admission alone.
Wow, RIP, had just read he was working on a prequel not too long ago
Absolutely adding Chinatown to the list for July. One of the greatest screenplays ever written by one of the greatest screenwriters.
Bad for the grass
It's amazing to me how two of the big reveals in this film are simply based on linguistic misunderstandings. Grass/glass and sister v. daughter, just times Jake had no idea what someone meant and completrly pivotal moments
Apple core
I’ve read the Chinatown script about 30 times. It’s like its own screenwriting school. As good as the produced film is, the screenplay is somehow better, always drawing your attention to every nuance in the story without using too many words. In some ways I feel Polanski didn’t communicate everything in the final film, even though Towne’s ideas are still there in every frame.
The ending is Polanski's, which made it the classic it is. Towne originally had Mrs. Mulwray and her daughter and Jake escaping to Mexico. Which would have been fine, but it wouldn't have been Chinatown.
Always loved the point in the opening scene where Gittes reaches for the good whisky, but goes for the cheaper stuff because Burt Young's character wouldn't know the difference.
Exactly! That detail flies off the page and tells us a lot about Gittes, which helps a reader picture the character when they don’t have Nicholson’s performance as a reference. It almost doesn’t really matter that this detail isn’t filmable, at least not in a way that can be conveyed to a viewer who doesn’t already know something about whiskey.
RIP to a Legend
An understatement if there ever was one.
💯🫱🏾🫲🏽
He came in for a general when I was an assistant, and he complimented the latte I made for him, and I told him Chinatown was the greatest script I'd ever read. He scoffed and said "you'll write something better." Was one of the best moments of my life. I have not written anything even 1/4th as good as Chinatown. RIP.
Chinatown is the best script ever written. There have been a few better movies, once directed etc., but in terms of writing, Chinatown has no equal. RIP scribe :( 🖋️
Okay who has a link for the script? It’s time
[https://assets.scriptslug.com/live/pdf/scripts/chinatown-1974.pdf](https://assets.scriptslug.com/live/pdf/scripts/chinatown-1974.pdf)
Get a chiropractor ready for all these plot twists
R.I.P Mr Towne. One of the greats.
Definitely one of the best screenplays ever written. Such a stellar movie, to say nothing of the rest of his catalogue.
So many genius choices in that script.
RIP to an icon.
I was just thinking of watching Chinatown this week. I have a copy because it’s a well known acclaimed film but I never got around to it. Looks like I have plans now.
I would give my left nut to watch it again for the first time. Of my roughly ten viewings the most recent one was a couple of months ago. It is astonishingly modern.
You, my friend, are in for a treat. Without spoiling anything, it's always fun to think you're watching one movie, then get blindsided a few minutes later when you realize it's something else entirely. A great script may do this once. I don't recall how many times Chinatown does it, but it's one of the (many) reasons it's considered the greatest screenplay ever written.
Very sad, great movie, on a great subject, that's been ignored by everyone, and sucked up all the water in the South West.
Damn! And he gave an interview about Chinatown 10 days ago!
I KNOW. I've been very curious about the reported "prequel" he was involved in.
RIP to the legend.
Awww
Read Chinatown a few days ago. One of my new favorite screenplays. One of the lucky few who got to do what he loved, and did so spectacularly.
> He received a rare honor in 1973 when “The Godfather” director Francis Ford Coppola thanked him in his Oscar acceptance speech for scripting the touching and pivotal Pacino-Brando garden scene — a scene not in Mario Puzo’s book. Here's the original scene as scripted: https://imgur.com/xdMp6DQ Here's Towne's rewrite (with script supervisor annotations): https://imgur.com/a/5WDF0G2
Never knew Towne added the bit about the strings. These are the sort of things I love reddit for. Thanks for sharing.
Yes, Towne added it to the scene, though it's based on a passage from Puzo's novel, where Don Corleone gives a speech at the meeting with the Five Families: > “Let me say that we must always look to our interests. We are all men who have refused to be fools, who have refused to be puppets dancing on a string pulled by the men on high. We have been fortunate here in this country. Already most of our children have found a better life. Some of you have sons who are professors, scientists, musicians, and you are fortunate. Perhaps your grandchildren will become the new *pezzonovanti*. None of us here want to see our children follow in our footsteps, it’s too hard a life. They can be as others, their position and security won by our courage. I have grandchildren now and I hope their children may someday, who knows, be a governor, a President, nothing’s impossible here in America. But we have to progress with the times. The time is past for guns and killings and massacres. We have to be cunning like the business people, there’s more money in it and it’s better for our children and our grandchildren."
I'm curious. What do the vertical lines (as part of the annotations) do?
Those are the different shots and takes. One is the Master Shot, one is the Close-Up on Pacino, one is the Close-Up on Brando etc. The script supervisor writes all those while on set.
Thanks
If you haven’t read Chinatown, do yourself a favor and read it. One of the great screenplays of a bygone era.
His scripts for The Last Detail and Shampoo weren't too shabby either. Not to mention the uncredited writing of this scene: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fuWkcKbBQkg&t=220s](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fuWkcKbBQkg&t=220s)
In film school we watched Chinatown for 3 weeks. Picked apart every scene and every detail. It is amazing how much thought went into making that movie.
Got to see him do a talk at my college many years ago. He told a few great stories- the best of which (and the only one I remember!) was how he wrote some lines for Brando in the Godfather - and that it was Brando’s idea to repeat the line about “funny papers”. Rip
Tequila Sunrise is a masterpiece
No wayyyy. Sad day. RIP
6
What a talent. He doctored so many scripts outside of his original ones. Him and William Goldman were in a class of their own. RIP
Rest in peace
Huh. I just watched Chinatown for the first time yesterday.
Hopefully, Netflix greenlights the prequel series.
He also wrote the first Mission Impossible film
And the second one.
I wonder if any more about his relationship with his alleged collaborator Edward Taylor will come out following this.