7.5/10
824
8 user 4 critic

In the White City (1983)

Dans la ville blanche (original title)
| Drama | 21 April 1983 (Portugal)
In the White City Poster
A Swiss sailor jumps ship in Lisbon, tired of the noisy engine room, the ship "a floating factory of crazy people." He rents a room and does little. He writes letters to his lover, ... See full summary »

Director:

Alain Tanner

Writer:

Alain Tanner

Stars:

Bruno Ganz, Teresa Madruga, Julia Vonderlinn | See full cast & crew »
Reviews
2 wins & 1 nomination. See more awards »

Photos

See all 14 photos »
Learn more

More Like This 













◄ Prev 6 Next 6 ►

Next »
The Salamander (1971)
Comedy | Drama
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 7.1/10 X  

Two men, arty though somewhat staid, are drawn to the spirited and quixotic Rosemonde, a young working-class woman whom they meet because they're writing a teleplay about a minor but ... See full summary »

Director: Alain Tanner
Stars: Bulle Ogier, Jean-Luc Bideau, Jacques Denis
Next »
Jonah Who Will Be 25 in the Year 2000 (1976)
Drama
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 7.7/10 X  

The European equivalent of "The Return of the Secaucus 7," this Swiss film looks at the lives of several men and women in their 30s as they confront the slim gains of the "revolutionary" ... See full summary »

Director: Alain Tanner
Stars: Myriam Boyer, Jean-Luc Bideau, Miou-Miou
Next »
Le retour d'Afrique (1973)
Drama
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 7.7/10 X  

An ode to liberated speech and to the power of words, "those one speaks to others, those one speaks in silence", Alain Tanner's third film is inspired by a poet and a poetic text which deeply affected him as a young director.

Director: Alain Tanner
Stars: Josée Destoop, François Marthouret, Juliet Berto
Next »
Requiem (1998)
Drama
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 7.1/10 X  
Director: Alain Tanner
Stars: Francis Frappat, André Marcon, Alexandre Zloto
Next »
Light Years Away (1981)
Drama
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 7.3/10 X  

A young drifter meets up with a strange old man who claims that he has been taught to fly by birds.

Director: Alain Tanner
Stars: Trevor Howard, Mick Ford, Bernice Stegers
Next »
Charles, Dead or Alive (1969)
Drama
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 7.4/10 X  

On the 100th anniversary of the founding of a watchmaking company in Geneva, Charles Dé the founder's 50-year-old grandson has had it: he speaks eccentrically to a reporter, recognizing his... See full summary »

Director: Alain Tanner
Stars: François Simon, Marie-Claire Dufour, Marcel Robert
Next »
Messidor (1979)
Crime | Drama
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 7.2/10 X  

Two young women from very different backgrounds journey into the countryside seeking respite from unsatisfactory lives and relationships, but ultimately find that there is no way back to ... See full summary »

Director: Alain Tanner
Stars: Clémentine Amouroux, Catherine Rétoré, Franziskus Abgottspon
Next »
No Man's Land (1985)
Drama
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 6.5/10 X  
Director: Alain Tanner
Stars: Hugues Quester, Myriam Mézières, Jean-Philippe Écoffey
Next »
Le milieu du monde (1974)
Romance | Drama
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 7/10 X  

Paul is married, a successful engineer, and a conservative candidate in an upcoming local election. He falls in love with Adriana, a café waitress from Italy. Paul's party is very critical ... See full summary »

Director: Alain Tanner
Stars: Olimpia Carlisi, Philippe Léotard, Juliet Berto
Next »
Lisbon Story (1994)
Drama | Music
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 7.2/10 X  

The director Friedrich Monroe has trouble with finishing a silent b&w movie about Lisbon. He calls his friend, the sound engineer Phillip Winter, for help. As Winter arrives Lisbon weeks ... See full summary »

Director: Wim Wenders
Stars: Rüdiger Vogler, Patrick Bauchau, Vasco Sequeira
Next »
A Flame in My Heart (1987)
Drama
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 6.5/10 X  
Director: Alain Tanner
Stars: Myriam Mézières, Benoît Régent, Azize Kabouche
Next »
Le journal de Lady M (1993)
Drama
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 5.7/10 X  

She's a beautiful gifted performer, but her work is not the sort that invites popular acclaim. Despite the fact that she is unlikely to become famous, she enjoys her life as a performer who... See full summary »

Director: Alain Tanner
Stars: Myriam Mézières, Juanjo Puigcorbé, Félicité Wouassi
Edit

Cast

Cast overview:
Bruno Ganz ... Paul
Teresa Madruga Teresa Madruga ... Rosa
Julia Vonderlinn Julia Vonderlinn ... Élisa / The Swiss woman
José Carvalho José Carvalho ... Le patron
Francisco Baião Francisco Baião ... Le voleur au couteau
José Wallenstein José Wallenstein ... L'autre voleur
Victor Costa Victor Costa ... Le garçon du bar
Lídia Franco ... La fille du bar
Pedro Efe Pedro Efe ... L'ami dans la taverne
Cecília Guimarães Cecília Guimarães ... La dame du train
Joana Vicente ... La jeune fille du train
José de Carvalho José de Carvalho ... Le patron
See full cast »
Edit

Storyline

A Swiss sailor jumps ship in Lisbon, tired of the noisy engine room, the ship "a floating factory of crazy people." He rents a room and does little. He writes letters to his lover, describing the whiteness of the city, the solitude and the silence. He sends his love and emptiness; she replies with love and confusion. He sends movies from his 8mm camera. Then he becomes friendly with Rosa, a chambermaid, and soon it's a love affair. He continues to send letters and movies home. His Swiss lover is hurt and angry; she sends an ultimatum. Written by <jhailey@hotmail.com>

Plot Summary | Add Synopsis

Plot Keywords:

female frontal nudity | male rear nudity | female rear nudity | sex scene | breasts | See All (19) »

Genres:

Drama

Certificate:

See all certifications »

Parents Guide:

Add content advisory for parents »
Edit

Details

Country:

Switzerland | Portugal | UK

Language:

English | German | Portuguese | French

Release Date:

21 April 1983 (Portugal) See more »

Also Known As:

In the White City See more »

Filming Locations:

Portugal See more »

Company Credits

Production Co:

Channel Four Films,Filmograph S.A.,Metro Filmes See more »
Show more on IMDbPro »

Technical Specs

Runtime:

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1
See full technical specs »

Frequently Asked Questions

This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.

User Reviews

 
A MOVIE THAT REMINDS US WE'RE ALL SAILORS AWASH ON SHORE
16 May 2004 | by szubcic – See all my reviews

This movie mesmerized me. It is loose jointed, like any traveler's experiences, and gives the viewer the feeling of living through a sailor's wayward days in Lisbon. Even though it hasn't much of a plot, it's curiously compelling. What drove the story for me was trying to figure out what was happening in the sailor's mind. One gets the feeling that he is going through a crisis, that this is a turning point in his life--ought he to keep on travelling, being a perpetual stranger, or should he go back to Germany & his lover/wife? The feeling accompanying this conflict verges between despair and sublimity--it evoked in me the same empty ache I felt the sailor was going through. Deceptively simple, but artful & subtle. A fine picture for all of us wanderers.
25 of 29 people found this review helpful.  Was this review helpful to you? | Report this
Review this title | See all 8 user reviews »
Getting Started | Contributor Zone »

Contribute to This Page

Stream Trending TV Series With Prime Video

Explore popular and recently added TV series available to stream now with Prime Video.

Start your free trial


Clear your history

Recently Viewed