Without Witness

1983 1h 35m RU

👍

7.2

SOLID

⭐

7.3

IMDB

★7.2TMDB · 18★7.3IMDB · 637

RomanceDrama

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

In visiting his ex-wife’s apartment a man learns that she plans to remarry a scientist named Valentin Shlyakhov. In his past, the man wrote a scathing letter about Shlyakhov which greatly impacted his career. Fearing that this information will come to light when his ex-wife marries Shlyakhov, the man insists that the wedding be called off. What follows is an intimate portrayal of the relationship between a man and a woman (who are never named), whose history as husband and wife plays out during a heated conversation.

“Some stories are better left unspoiled.”

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Cast

Irina Kupchenko
She
Mikhail Ulyanov
Him
Eduard Artemyev
(uncredited)

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Nikita Mikhalkov
Writers: Nikita Mikhalkov, Ramiz Fataliyev, Sofya Prokofeva
Languages: Russian
Countries: Soviet Union

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

43 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.

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 Nikita Mikhalkov, shot by Pavel Lebeshev. 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 Eduard Artemyev. 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 Eleonora Praksina 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

Irina Kupchenko and Mikhail Ulyanov and Eduard Artemyev carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt0085238 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

WILD

Did you know

Only 18 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Nikita Mikhalkov directs. Pavel Lebeshev behind the camera. Eduard Artemyev scores. Eleonora Praksina cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Produced in Soviet Union. Dialogue in Russian.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

143 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.
2Lean credit list — fewer than 30 people officially credited.
3Directed by Nikita Mikhalkov, shot by Pavel Lebeshev. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
4Original score by Eduard Artemyev. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
5Editor Eleonora Praksina shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
6Irina Kupchenko and Mikhail Ulyanov and Eduard Artemyev carry the top of the cast.
7IMDB entry: tt0085238 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
8Only 18 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.