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White Nights (1985)

Original title: White Nights

“Two men. Not soldiers. Not heroes. Just dancers. Willing to risk their lives for freedom-and each other.”

1985 · 2 h 16 min
Directed by Taylor Hackford · USA · American Independent Cinema
DramaThriller

Where to watch in the United States: Stream: Howdy Amazon Channel · Free: The Roku Channel, YouTube Free · Rent: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home. Streaming data from JustWatch via TMDB; availability changes.

Cast

Mikhail Baryshnikov Gregory Hines Jerzy Skolimowski Helen Mirren Geraldine Page Isabella Rossellini

Credits

Written by: James Goldman

Plot

After his plane crashes in Siberia, a Russian dancer, who defected to the West, is held prisoner in the Soviet Union. The KGB keeps him under watch and tries to convince him to become a dancer for the Kirov Academy of Ballet again.

Sinekatalog’s take

A Cold War thriller that doubles as a showcase for dance, where a defector is trapped back in the system he fled. The political tension is serviceable, while the dance sequences supply the real pleasure. Enjoyable for fans of 1980s drama with a strong sense of spectacle.Sinekatalog’s own editorial review – not a user or critic quote.

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Ratings

IMDb: 6.7 / 10 (9,229 votes)
IMDb rating and vote count from the IMDb ratings dataset (October 2026). Scores change over time.

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