Knife in the Water (1962)

Um, wow. The first Roman Polanski film I've seen that I've absolutely loved, and not coincidentally one where the claustrophobic setting cuts through Polanski's rather dispassionate style. The setup is simplicity defined (married couple and hitchhiker on a boat); what's brilliant is how, as the power struggle between the older husband and the younger hitcher becomes concrete, the film's tone imperceptibly shifts from light joviality to a subtle menace. There's always the idea that emotions will boil over and something, eventually, will happen. Polanski keeps this something in check for as long as possible; when the brief flickers of aggression finally pop out, Polanski still manages to keep the film's tone under control and provides us with a marvelous ending that offers closure without sacrificing the narrative's ambiguity. (Question for anyone who's seen this: In the car at the end, who do you think has the correct idea of what happened?)

Grade: A