Power, an essay on the film Chinatown

Power <Tab/>Sometimes people in a relationship do not grasp their powerlessness in comparison to other parties . Often, in these cases, objective outsiders can see even though those involved appear to be blind. In the Chinatown scene where Jake Gittes and Noah Cross have lunch together, the director reveals for the viewer the balance of power between the two. Mr. Gittes is a private investigator and therefore derives his power …

…a mystery story. To draw the viewer into the story, the director must allow the viewer to analyze the evidence. In this scene, the director gives plenty of material to analyze. The conclusion the viewer reaches, in this case that Mr. Cross has the upper hand over Mr. Gittes despite Mr. Gittes's limited knowledge, is encouraged by the design of the director but is not completely revealed unless the plot is analyzed by the viewer.