Gene Hackman's Death and Its Unsettling Connection with Chinatown

Gene Hackman was 95 years old when he passed away a little over a month ago. Yes, the same time it takes the Earth to completely rotate around the Sun, multiplied by almost a hundred. After his passing, he left us several iconic performances and a message for everyone who believes fame equals true happiness: "If you look at yourself as a star, you've already lost something in the portrayal of any human being." The honest words of someone so respected and loved by the film community echo the legacy he left us: it isn't necessary to be highly renowned to be loved. From his early fame thanks to the role of Buck Barrow in Bonnie and Clyde to his unnoticed retirement in Welcome to Mooseport, his characters ranged from the funniest to the darkest. Hackman was one of those who gave it his all in front of the cameras and kept words for the press behind them. A simple life that ended this past February 18 and that still provides information about what could have happened to the two-time Oscar winner and his wife. But that's none of my business.

What happened to Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa? There are many theories and little certainties going around the most sensationalist press. You might be wondering: But aren't you doing the same by writing an article related to this? Yes and no. Let me explain. The mystery surrounding his death, which still persists in the media's halls due to its "intriguing unsolved mystery" quality, immediately drew fans of these types of stories, as well as the media and film scholars. Even though Hackman is still alive and kicking in our collective memory, his absolute "disappearance" draws attention and relates to one of the biggest film mysteries like Chinatown's plot is, one of the quintessential movies of the thriller genre of all times, directed by Roman Polanski in 1974. And that was where I was getting. If you know this movie's ending, you might know where this is headed and, if you don't, you're invited to immerse in this enigma.

Everything started in 2014, when the news that the actor had passed away quickly spread on the internet. Back then, the circulation of gossip wasn't as intense on social media as it is now, but the rumor went viral because some unverified websites and several users of different blogs started to spread the news without verifying the source. In spite of the later clarifications, the rumor didn't disappear completely. This situation caused confusion among the fans, some of whom didn't know if the news was true or part of some kind of wicked joke. This led me to immediately think about Chinatown, associating the work with the care and handling of information.

Directed by a Roman Polanski riding the crest of a wave—let's remember DiCaprio's words in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood: "The hottest director in town right now, probably the world"—and starring a spectacular Jack Nicholson and Faye Dunaway, Chinatown is a mystery neo-noir thriller that presents a socio-political conspiracy born in the heart of Los Angeles itself. But, most importantly, it's a grim and atmospherically fatal story about the power of destiny. Set in the famous City of Stars in the 30s, the movie follows private detective J.J. Gittes while he attempts to solve the mystery around a conspiracy involving the city's elite and its control over the water resources. A kind of answer to the controversial Watergate scandal and the moral repercussions it had on society.

Therefore, the connection with Hackman appears to be indirect but meaningful. Even though he wasn't the protagonist of this undisputed masterpiece, his role as an actor is related to the type of characters that depict fatalism with hopelessness and passion, a battle between good and bad, but also between the character's logic and internal emotion, as seen in the movie. Throughout the 40 years of his career, Hackman played characters that would face corrupt systems—being his role as Jimmy "Popeye" Doyle in The French Connection his most significant one—fighting against much bigger forces than them. A pretty present theme in film noir. And if we talk about this subgenre, it's impossible not to think about Chinatown.

His passing echoes topics as the ones addressed in the movie we are talking about: human being's darkness, moral ambiguity and loneliness. Just like this film, the controversy surrounding his death—or the confusion created by the rumors—reflects a higher cloud of uncertainty and undisclosed secrets that cover what truly matters: that a man and his wife passed away all by themselves due to natural causes. In Chinatown, questions never get a definitive answer. Nicholson tries to find the truth by all means, even knowing he will never get it. And Hackman, after the ending of his career and throughout the speculations over the motives that lead to his painful death, portrays that same mystery feature.

Do I want to know what happened to the actor? Definitely no. We are morbid by nature―I know it. We fill our lives with rumors and gossip to forget for a while how miserable we can be. Information is delicate and, for that same reason, every time I come across this sort of news, I listen to a voice that whispers in my ear: "Forget it, Jake. It's Chinatown." And I slowly walk away.

Published on MARCH 22, 2025, 14:13 PM | UTC-GMT -3

If you liked this article remember to give it a 👉 LIKE, put it in your FAVORITES, COMMENT 🗣️ , and FOLLOW ME for more movie and series content 📽