Knife in the Water (1962)
"Nóz w wodzie" (original title)

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

Director:

Roman Polanski

Writers:

Jakub Goldberg, Roman Polanski,

Stars:

Leon Niemczyk, Jolanta Umecka, Zygmunt Malanowicz

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 1 win & 2 nominations.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Leon Niemczyk	...	Andrzej
Jolanta Umecka	...	Krystyna
Zygmunt Malanowicz	...	Young Boy

Storyline

An attractive young woman, Christine, takes the wheel of a car belonging to her partner Andrzej, a sports columnist. While he criticizes her driving skills, a reckless student leaps out in front of the car. Andrzej gives the student a ride and invites him to accompany them on their yacht trip. Attracted to Christine, the student becomes increasingly clumsy. He spends his time jabbing the point of a pocket knife rapidly between the fingers of his other hand. Andrzek argues with the student, who topples overboard, vanishing into the lake. Andrzej dives in to save him, though he fails to find the student and swims ashore. Despite an earlier claim that he couldn't swim, the student manages to hide behind the nearest buoy.

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Plot Keywords:

sail | sailing | hitchhiker | knife | sailboat | 

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Genres:

Drama

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Country:

Poland

Language:

Polish

Release Date:

28 October 1963 (USA)

Also Known As:

Knife in the Water

Filming Locations:

Gizycko, Warminsko-Mazurskie, Poland

Company Credits

Production Co:

Zespol Filmowy "Kamera"

Technical Specs

Runtime:

94 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The first Polish theatrical film to show a woman stripping.

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Goofs

In some shots of the yacht sailing, the wake of the camera boat can be seen.

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Connections

Featured in Fejezetek a film történetéböl: A lengyel film (1990)

User Reviews

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, however 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), though both Jerzy Lipman's amazing cinematography and Krzysztof Komeda's jazzy score make 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 ****