Knife in the Water

"Acclaimed by all! Roman Polanski's tense, ironic Drama!"

1962 1h 34m PL

👍

7.3

SOLID

★7.3TMDB · 491

DramaThriller

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

On their way to an afternoon on the lake, husband and wife Andrzej and Krystyna nearly run over a young hitchhiker. Inviting the young man onto the boat with them, Andrzej begins to subtly torment him; the hitchhiker responds by making overtures toward Krystyna. When the hitchhiker is accidentally knocked overboard, the husband's panic results in unexpected consequences.

“Acclaimed by all! Roman Polanski's tense, ironic Drama!”

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Where to watch · US

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Cast

Leon Niemczyk
Andrzej
Jolanta Umecka
Krystyna
Zygmunt Malanowicz
Young Man
Roman Polanski
Young Man (voice)
Anna Ciepielewska
Krystyna (voice)

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Roman Polanski
Writers: Roman Polanski, Jakub Goldberg, Jerzy Skolimowski
Languages: Polish
Countries: Poland

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

ERA

Did you know

64 years old — a genuine piece of film history.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

CRAFT

Did you know

Lean credit list — fewer than 30 people officially credited.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Roman Polanski, shot by Jerzy Lipman. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Krzysztof Komeda. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Halina Prugar-Ketling shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Leon Niemczyk and Jolanta Umecka and Zygmunt Malanowicz carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

FACT

Did you know

Marketing tagline: "Acclaimed by all! Roman Polanski's tense, ironic Drama!".

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt0056291 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Roman Polanski directs. Jerzy Lipman behind the camera. Krzysztof Komeda scores. Halina Prugar-Ketling cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Produced in Poland. Dialogue in Polish.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

164 years old — a genuine piece of film history.
2Lean credit list — fewer than 30 people officially credited.
3Directed by Roman Polanski, shot by Jerzy Lipman. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
4Original score by Krzysztof Komeda. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
5Editor Halina Prugar-Ketling shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
6Leon Niemczyk and Jolanta Umecka and Zygmunt Malanowicz carry the top of the cast.
7Marketing tagline: "Acclaimed by all! Roman Polanski's tense, ironic Drama!".
8IMDB entry: tt0056291 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

The technical file

Cinematography: Jerzy Lipman
Original score: Krzysztof Komeda
Editing: Halina Prugar-Ketling
Production design: Bolesław Kamykowski
Makeup / hair: Zdzislaw Papierz
Sound: Halina Paszkowska
Runtime: 94 min · 1h 34m
Status: Released
Original language: PL
Certification (US): NR
IMDB: Knife in the Water (1962)

Also by

Roman Polanski

Trailers & featurettes

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Community reviews

What people are saying

CRCulver2018-09-05
★ 6/10
Released in 1962, Knife in the Water (Polish: Nóz w wodzie) was director Roman Polanski's full-length debut. Married couple Andrzej (Leon Niemczyk) and Krystyna (Jolanta Umecka) are driving to the marina when they pick up a hitchhiker (Zygmunt Malanowicz). Though Andrzej is initially angry at the young man for standing the middle of the road, he invites him to come sailing. Once on the boat, tension arises between the two men because of Krystyna sexual appeal and the hitchhiker's poverty versus Andrzej's affluence. Not only is the title a metaphor for the boat as it moves through the lake, but it also refers to the intimidating knife that the young man carries with him. Knife in the Water is entertaining enough. The cinematography on the lake and the low-key soundtrack by jazz legend Krzysztof Komeda are memorable. But personally I don't find this to be an especially great film. It feels derivative of Italian cinema of the time, without an original touch. The casting of the weathered, 32 year-old Malanowicz as a 19 year-old student undermines its credibility. I suspect that the film gained so much attention on release due to its risque nature (especially novel in a film from the Eastern Bloc) instead of its intrinsic merit.

Production companies