the 1st draft

Towne had worked on the script on and off since 1971, and had various endings at various times. Some sources claim that Towne's original idea was that Evelyn would not only shoot but kill Noah, clearing the way for a happy ending for she and Jake. Others indicate that the script Paramount ultimately bought retained Evelyn's killing of Noah, but included her arrest, conviction and imprisonment.

In both cases, this action was to take place not in Chinatown, but at the beach following the landing of Cross' seaplane from Catalina, and in the midst of a drought-ending downpour.

Until earlier drafts can be consulted for verification, second-hand sources - and Towne's own recollections - are all there are to go by. The only draft to be found online is the one designated "3rd Draft," and dated 10/9/73, which, according to Towne, was after the film went into production, suggesting that changes were still being made as shooting progressed. This is borne out by the final scene as it appears in that draft, which is quite different from what appears in the finished film.

http://www.public.asu.edu/~srbeatty/394/Chinatown.pdf



Poe! You are...avenged!