White Nights (1985)

An expatriate Russian dancer is on a plane forced to land on Soviet territory. He is taken to an apartment in which a black American who has married a Russian woman lives with her. He is to... See full summary »

Director:

Taylor Hackford

Writers:

James Goldman (screenplay), Eric Hughes (screenplay),

Stars:

Mikhail Baryshnikov, Gregory Hines, Jerzy Skolimowski

Won 1 Oscar. Another 2 wins & 2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Mikhail Baryshnikov	...	Nikolai 'Kolya' Rodchenko
Gregory Hines	...	Raymond Greenwood
Jerzy Skolimowski	...	Colonel Chaiko
Helen Mirren	...	Galina Ivanova
Geraldine Page	...	Anne Wyatt
Isabella Rossellini	...	Darya Greenwood
John Glover	...	Wynn Scott
Stefan Gryff	...	Captain Kirigin
William Hootkins	...	Chuck Malarek
Shane Rimmer	...	Ambassador Larry Smith
Florence Faure	...	Ballerina (Death)
David Savile	...	Pilot
Ian Liston	...	Co-pilot
Benny Young	...	Flight Engineer
Hilary Drake	...	Stewardess #1

Storyline

An expatriate Russian dancer is on a plane forced to land on Soviet territory. He is taken to an apartment in which a black American who has married a Russian woman lives with her. He is to become a dancer for the Bolshoi again, but he wishes to escape, but can he trust the American?

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Plot Keywords:

escape | kgb | expatriate | ballet | emergency landing | 

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Genres:

Drama

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Certificate:

PG-13

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English Russian

Release Date:

22 November 1985 (USA)

Also Known As:

Sol de medianoche

Filming Locations:

Bristol Hippodrome, Bristol, England, UK

Box Office

Gross:

$13,046,465 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Columbia Pictures Corporation, Delphi IV Productions, New Visions Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

136 min

Sound Mix:

70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints) Dolby (35 mm prints)

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Mikhail Baryshnikov reportedly was insistent with the film's producers that gramatically-correct Russian be spoken in the film instead of the often nonsensical hybrid often used in American motion pictures.

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Goofs

When they are escaping from their apartment, Nikolai quite loudly calls Darya (Isabella Rossellini) Isabella.

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Quotes

Nikolai 'Kolya' Rodchenko: It wouldn't be right ...
Galina Ivanova: Right? You knew what was right?
Nikolai 'Kolya' Rodchenko: I was suffocating here! You knew it!
Galina Ivanova: When they told me you had defected to the West, they couldn't believe that you would leave without telling me. I couldn't believe it either.
Nikolai 'Kolya' Rodchenko: I'm sorry.
Galina Ivanova: They took away my passport. For four years I wasn't allowed to travel.And for three years, they would take me to the big house to answer their questions. Every day, the same, stupid questions!
Nikolai 'Kolya' Rodchenko: You answered well. You're an important person, with power. I...
[...]

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Connections

Featured in Pas de Deux: Making 'White Nights' (2004)

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Soundtracks

"Fastidious Horses"
Written and Performed by Vladimir Vysotskiy (as Vladimir Visotsky)

User Reviews

A good movie that could have been great

The basic plot of this movie - the predicament of a Russian defector suddenly finding himself back in his Motherland after the airplane in which he is travelling crash-lands - is a compelling one, and I can't help feeling that had a little more thought and care gone into the character of the three main protagonists this movie would have been a whole lot better than it actually is.

The performances by the international cast are excellent throughout, especially Baryshnikov, whose character is the main focus of the story, as well as the catalyst for self-analysis among those he left behind and those he encounters on his forced return. Jerzy Skolimowski, the Polish director, is also worthy of mention in a rare acting role as a KGB Agent.

So: good plot, good acting. And great dancing - even if you're not a fan, you're likely to enjoy Baryshnikov and Hines doing their thing. On the downside, the reasons for Gregory Hines defection from the USA to the Soviet Union (disclosed while holding an American football - the film's symbolism lacks subtlety at times), are shaky and under-developed to say the least, and his character comes across as too apathetic too have made such a dramatic gesture in the first place. Isabella Rossellini (a ringer for her mother) is woefully underused and is prevented from adding much of worth to the movie.

Well worth seeing, then; but the sense of how great it could have been may undermine your enjoyment a little.