When you first watch Roman Polanski’s 1974 masterpiece Chinatown, you might get distracted by Jack Nicholson’s white suit or that infamous bandage on his nose. But the whole plot—every single twist, murder, and backroom deal—hinges on a very specific, high-stakes government position. Honestly, it’s a job that sounds boring on paper but carries the power of a god in a desert city like 1930s L.A.
Hollis Mulwray was the Chief Engineer for the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power.
📖 Related: Music of Hildegard von Bingen: What Most People Get Wrong
He wasn't just some guy in an office. He was the gatekeeper of the city's survival. In a place where "water is gold," Mulwray was the man who decided where that gold flowed and who got left in the dust.
The Weight of Being Chief Engineer
Basically, Mulwray’s job involved overseeing the entire infrastructure of the city’s water supply. Think dams, reservoirs, and those massive aqueducts that snake through the California heat. In the movie, L.A. is suffering through a brutal drought. The public is desperate. Farmers are literally bringing sheep into City Hall to protest because their livestock are dying.
You’ve got to understand the pressure he was under. As the top engineer, he had to sign off on the construction of a new dam. But Mulwray refused.
Why? Because of a previous disaster where a dam he built—the fictional "Vanderlip Dam"—burst, killing hundreds of people. He carried that guilt like a lead weight. When the city’s power brokers, including his former partner Noah Cross, pushed for a new project, Mulwray dug his heels in. He knew the geology wasn't safe, and he wouldn't "build another Macready."
📖 Related: Eminem Same Song and Dance: Why This Dark Relapse Cut is a Lyrical Masterpiece
Why the Job Made Him a Target
Hollis Mulwray’s job wasn't just about pipes and concrete; it was about data. He was the only one who realized that the "drought" wasn't entirely natural.
While everyone else was praying for rain, Mulwray was out in the middle of the night, standing in parched riverbeds and watching water being dumped into the ocean. He used his technical expertise to track how the Department of Water and Power was secretly draining reservoirs to manufacture a water shortage. This "drought" was a scam to lower land prices in the San Fernando Valley so his enemies could buy it up for pennies.
His job gave him the "eyes" to see the crime, and his integrity gave him the "will" to stop it. That's a lethal combination in noir Los Angeles.
The Real-Life Inspiration: William Mulholland
Robert Towne, the screenwriter, didn't just pull this job out of thin air. Hollis Mulwray is a direct, though softer, echo of William Mulholland.
Mulholland was the real-life superintendent of the L.A. Water Department. He’s the guy who famously said, "There it is, take it," when the Los Angeles Aqueduct first opened in 1913. Just like the fictional Mulwray, Mulholland’s career ended in tragedy when the St. Francis Dam collapsed in 1928, killing over 400 people.
The movie flips the script a bit. While the real Mulholland was a controversial figure who some say "stole" water from the Owens Valley, the movie version, Mulwray, is portrayed as the only honest man in a room full of sharks.
Life as a 1930s Public Official
Working in Mulwray's position meant navigating a web of "Business and Power." In the film, we see him:
👉 See also: Finding a Movie Theatre in Klamath Falls: Where to Actually Go for a Great Show
- Testifying at public hearings at City Hall.
- Conducting field inspections at the Hollywood Reservoir.
- Managing a staff of deputy engineers like Russ Yelburton (who, spoiler, was way more corrupt than his boss).
Mulwray was a "public servant" in the truest sense, but in Chinatown, that just meant he was in the way of progress—or at least, what Noah Cross defined as progress.
What This Means for the Story
If Mulwray had been a banker or a lawyer, the story wouldn't work. His job as an engineer is what ties the "small" crime (the supposed affair) to the "big" crime (the theft of a city's future). He was murdered not because of who he loved, but because of what he knew about the water.
When Jake Gittes finds Mulwray’s body in the reservoir, it’s a grim irony. The man who spent his life managing water for the city was finally consumed by it.
Actionable Takeaways for Movie Buffs
- Watch the background: Next time you view the film, notice how many scenes involve Mulwray near water (the ocean, the riverbed, the reservoir). It’s constant foreshadowing.
- Research the California Water Wars: If you want to see how close to the truth Chinatown actually is, look up the history of the Owens Valley. It’s actually crazier than the movie.
- Pay attention to the names: "Mulwray" is a literal mashup of Mulholland and the "rays" of the sun (power). It’s all connected.
Hollis Mulwray’s job was to keep Los Angeles alive. In the end, the city's thirst—and the greed of the men who controlled it—was exactly what killed him.