The movie is talk about the story of the nefarious Owens Valley 'Rape' and scandalous San Fernando Valley land-grab by speculators. The film's character, Hollis Mulwray, was loosely derived from LA's real-life water engineer William Mulholland the General Manager of LA's Bureau of Water Works and Supply, who orchestrated the purchase of water rights and the piping of water from the High Sierras into Los Angeles by an aqueduct that flowed through the now-valuable San Fernando Valley north of LA.
The investigation of a routine story by a detective uncovers secrets under many layers, facades, red herrings, and networks of corruption, conspiracy and deception. The film contains numerous plot reversals and twists (many of which regard the private