The Godfather: Part II, Chinatown, And The Conversations

The New Hollywood era occurred in the seventies that, “…signified generational change as well as a nod toward the influence and artistic ambitions of the ‘New’ European cinemas of the 1950s and 1960s” (Kirshner, 2). This era, also referred to as the American New Wave, thrived on films that represented, “…the political, social, and cultural concerns of its day” (Kirshner, 3). The Godfather: Part II, Chinatown, and The Conversation are three films made in the New Hollywood era that represent those certain characteristics.
The Godfather: Part II is a well-known film that serves as a prequel and a sequel to the first movie. This movie is considered a product of the New Hollywood era because it consisted of juxtaposition and transition. With juxtaposition,

He is in a situation where he listens to a couple’s conversation where they are aware that they will be murdered by somebody. This movie symbolizes the effects of disturbing other people’s lives and the decision whether to be involved or not. This film is involved in the New Hollywood era because it has themes of privacy, guilt, and alienation. With the theme of privacy, Harry Caul’s job allows him to invade other people’s lives and to listen to their conversations. Harry is haunted by his guilty conscience when he realizes the couple he is eavesdropping on is going to be murdered and he struggles with his efforts to attempt to stop the murder. Although the film centers on Harry Caul, he is mostly alienated. Even though his job is to listen to other people’s conversations, he is seen living alone and becomes withdrawn in social situations. This film is also characterized in the New Hollywood era because the point-of-view is based on perception. Although there are signs of secrecy and mystery, the audience only sees what Harry Caul sees. For instance, when Harry is frantically searching through his apartment to find the bug that was hidden, he was unable to find it and the audience did not know either. There is also a situation where the murder happened in the hotel room. Harry is not completely sure who killed whom and the audience also does not get the pleasure

It is a product of the New Hollywood era because, “…the film is not at all trying to imitate the past; rather, in both style and substance, it revisits the period from the vantage points of the 1970s” (Kirshner, 179). The director, Roman Polanski, was not trying to recreate the past, but to relive it. There is an explicit use of historical references that are deeply involved in the plot, such as the drought. Along with this film being a part of the New Hollywood era, it has many themes that center around mystery, incest, murder, and corruption. The movie symbolizes the dark aspect of money and power defeating good and innocence. For the mystery aspect, Jake Gilles, the private detective, is trying to see who murdered Evelyn Mulwray’s husband, Hollis Mulwray. It is later revealed in the film that Hollis Mulwray was having an affair with Evelyn’s sister and daughter. Evelyn allegedly had her child with her father, Noah Cross. Murder occurs when Noah Cross admits that he had killed Hollis over an argument about building a new water dam in Los Angeles. Lastly, for corruption, Jake Gilles finds out that the police won’t believe him that Cross murdered Hollis. There is also an instance in the beginning of the movie where a woman named Ida Sessions claims to be Evelyn Mulwray. Later in the movie, she is murdered and the police believe that it was the actual Evelyn Mulwray