Nóz w wodzie (1962)

Director:

Roman Polanski

Writers:

Jakub Goldberg (writer)
Roman Polanski (writer)

Release Date:

28 October 1963 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Thriller

Plot:

On their way to a sailing trip, an aging husband and wife invite along an emphatic young hitchhiker out of sheer patronization.

Plot Keywords:

Sail | Knife | Sailing | Hitchhiker | Radio

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 1 win & 2 nominations

Cast

Leon Niemczyk	...	Andrzej
Jolanta Umecka	...	Krystyna
Zygmunt Malanowicz	...	Young Boy

Also Known As:

Knife in the Water (USA)
Nóż w wodzie (Poland)

Runtime:

94 min

Country:

Poland

Language:

Polish

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Australia:PG | Iceland:L | South Korea:12 | UK:X (original rating) | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Chile:14 | Finland:S | Singapore:NC-16 | Sweden:15 | UK:PG (re-rating) (2004) | UK:PG (video rating) (1992)

Filming Locations:

Gizycko, Poland

Company:

Zespol Filmowy "Kamera"

Trivia:

During one of top mast shots, the cameramen Jerzy Lipman was tied to the mast and hold a camera. Although the wind was not strong, the mast swung and the camera was heavy, so it was very difficult to take a good shot. All the time the director Roman Polanski was very excited about the shot and kept asking how it was going. Lipman got very angry and said "Fuck! It is fucking beautiful!" and... dropped the camera to the water. He had forgotten to attach it with the safety cable. The Arriflex camera couldn't be found by the divers and still lies somewhere in the lake.

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: When the young boy is trying to stabilize the Christine by hanging off its side, you can see the railing of the camera boat in the lower left-hand corner of the screen.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Jeszcze nie wieczór (2008)

Surprisingly free of violence

Devastating and beautiful early film from talented director Roman Polanski...but 'beautiful' in a sad, melancholy sense. Rarely have I seen a picture which so vividly captures the wonder of weather (gray and drizzly skies and choppy sea water, illuminated suddenly by a burst of sun rays). Sure the film is in black-and-white, but that foreboding sky actually becomes a character in the plot involving a couple out for a boating weekend who pick up a hitchhiker and invite him along on their trip. Not a whole lot of story (in the conventional sense), but the photography and Kris Komeda's jazzy score makes the journey a worthy ride which builds in suspense and a creepy, muted kind of ambiance. Polanski's eye is unerring, but don't expect him to give into a big pay-off. The narrative is pretty much based in reality--it's grounded--and is without major outbursts, violence or melodrama. *** from ****