Three Colors: White (1994)

After his wife divorces him, a Polish immigrant plots to get even with her.

Director:

Krzysztof Kieslowski

Writers:

Krzysztof Kieslowski (scenario), Krzysztof Piesiewicz (scenario)

Stars:

Zbigniew Zamachowski, Julie Delpy, Janusz Gajos

1 win & 4 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Zbigniew Zamachowski	...	Karol Karol
Julie Delpy	...	Dominique
Janusz Gajos	...	Mikolaj
Jerzy Stuhr	...	Jurek
Aleksander Bardini	...	Le notaire (The Lawyer)
Grzegorz Warchol	...	L'elégant (The Elegant Man)
Cezary Harasimowicz	...	L'inspecteur (The Inspector)
Jerzy Nowak	...	La vieux payson (The Old Farmer)
Jerzy Trela	...	Monsieur Bronek
Cezary Pazura	...	Le propriétaire du bureau de change (Bureau de Change Proprietor)
Michel Lisowski	...	L'interprète (The Interpreter)
Philippe Morier-Genoud	...	Le juge (The Judge) (as Philippe Morier Genoud)
Piotr Machalica	...	L'homme de haute taille (The Tall Man)
Francis Coffinet	...	L'employé de banque (The Bank Employee)
Barbara Dziekan	...	La caissière (The Cashier)

Storyline

Karol (Polish) marries Dominique (French) and moves to Paris. The marriage breaks down and Dominique divorces Karol, forcing him into the life of a metro beggar and eventually back to Poland. However, he never forgets Dominique and while building a new life for himself in Warsaw he begins to plot.

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Plot Keywords:

marriage | obsession | divorce | wealth | humiliation | 

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for some sexuality and language

Details

Country:

Switzerland France Poland

Language:

Polish French English

Release Date:

10 June 1994 (USA)

Also Known As:

Three Colors: White

Filming Locations:

Paris, France

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$22,284, 12 June 1994

Gross USA:

$1,237,219

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$1,237,219

Company Credits

Production Co:

MK2 Productions, France 3 Cinéma, CAB Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

92 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Almost every shot in the movie contains at least one white object.

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Goofs

After the court-room scene, Karol Karol is throwing up, but we can't hear a "vomit splash", and there isn't vomit in the closet.

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Quotes

Karol Karol: [to the man who wanted help committing suicide] That was a blank. The next one's real. Are you sure?

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Connections

Referenced in Wielkie rzeczy: Gra (2000)

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Soundtracks

To ostatnia niedziela
(This Last Sunday) (uncredited)
Music by Jerzy Petersburski and words by Zenon Frejdwald
Played on the comb by Karol in the subway

User Reviews

my favorite of the trilogy

I love the entire Three Colors trilogy, but "White" is my sentimental favorite because I sympathize so deeply with the hero. I've experienced the same kind of competitive, destructive love that drives Karol throughout this movie, and I'm also a nerdy schmuck like he is, so I found myself really commiserating with him.

Unfortunately, "White" has acquired a reputation as the weakest entry in the series. I think it's the odd one out, but certainly not the worst. It's the only one of the three that regularly stretches credibility (the plot twists are really wild), and the only one with a male protagonist, but it's also the most exciting of the films and, ultimately, the most disturbing. The ending in particular is a killer.

"Red" tinkers a bit with "White"; in fact, if I'm not mistaken, it entirely changes the resolution of this film for the worse. That's too bad. "White" works best on its own, as a pessimistic movie, without the more optimistic outlook of "Red" grafted on in retrospect. But since both films are so great on their own, I'm not too bothered by their failure to gel properly.