MovieChat Forums > The Two Jakes (1990) Discussion > Jake Gittes...ex -L.A.P.D. Officer??

Jake Gittes...ex -L.A.P.D. Officer??

posted 20 years ago by vsu50
3 replies | jump to latest

It appears that this character is an ex-l.a.p.d. officer who left the dept. after an unknown incident in "Chinatown". I base this on his relationship with the character Lt. "lou" and some additional dialogue between Jake and others. Also, numerous ex-coppers go into private investigator (P.I.) work, so this fits. I would like any possible 3rd movie to go into Jake's L.A.P.D. career and what caused him to leave, hence the mysterious incident in Chinatown, (forget it Jake...it's Chinatown). I'm sure that his character would be written as a kick-butt copper (Medal of Valor awardee, etc.) who became disgruntled, burned out stressed out etc...

[–] keanho 20 years ago

Yes, and you can see JAke's old police badge when he opens that box with his private possessions.

[–] cm289 9 years ago

His badge looks more like a NYPD patrolman badge as opposed to an LAPD badge or even an NYPD detective badge.

Just a side note, the famous LAPD badge with City Hall on it was introduced in 1940; the badge in use in the 30's didn't look like Gittes' badge either. The reason why LAPD changed badges in 1940 is that they had the habit of giving out badges to VIPs, celebrities, politicians, etc as souvenirs or as a way to badge their way out of trouble- these were called 'juice badges' and there were so many in circulation that LAPD designed and trademarked a new badge to replace the easy-to-copy juice badges.

[–] PopperTheKungFu-Dragon 9 years ago

Wow. You don't say.

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