Decalogue III

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Decalogue III
Decalogue trzy.png
Directed by Krzysztof Kieślowski
Produced by Ryszard Chutkovski
Written by Krzysztof Kieślowski
Krzysztof Piesiewicz
Starring Daniel Olbrychski
Maria Pakulnis
Joanna Szczepowska
Music by Zbigniew Preisner
Cinematography Piotr Sobociński
Edited by Ewa Smal
Distributed by Polish Television
Release dates 1988
Running time 56 min.
Country Poland
Language Polish
Budget $10,000

The Decalogue - Three (Polish: Dekalog, trzy) is the third part of the television series The Decalogue by Polish director Krzysztof Kieślowski, possibly connected to the fourth and seventh imperative of the Ten Commandments: "Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy" and "Thou shalt not commit adultery". [1][2]


Ewa (Maria Pakulnis) reunites with her ex-lover Janusz (Daniel Olbrychski)

It is Christmas Eve. Janusz (Daniel Olbrychski), a taxicab driver, plays Święty Mikołaj (roughly equivalent to Santa Claus) for his children and then comes home as himself (crossing paths briefly with Krzysztof from Decalogue I) to his wife and children, in order to spend the evening with them. They attend mass in the city. There he spots Ewa (Maria Pakulnis), with whom he had an affair three years earlier. Ewa just happened upon the church after visiting her senile aunt in the retirement home (the aunt asks Ewa whether she's done her homework, but also enquires after her husband).

Ewa later comes to Janusz's place looking for her ex-lover, asking him for help finding her husband, who she says has disappeared. Janusz leaves his house saying that his taxi got stolen, although his wife (Joanna Szczepowska) suspects something and suggests that he should leave it alone. Janusz answers that the taxi is their sole income and leaves. Janusz and Ewa spend the whole night driving around the city and discussing past and present. Janusz is eager to go home and be with his family on Christmas evening, but Ewa is desperate and manages to keep him with her by setting up clues along the way to track her husband down. They inquire in hospitals and at the train station, and eventually Janusz sees through her game but does not say anything.

When the clock strikes seven the next morning, Ewa reveals that she has been lying to Janusz. She is no longer with her husband, they divorced right after her tryst with Janusz and he has been living with his new family in Kraków for the past three years. She is now forced to face the holidays all alone while watching other families sharing the love and peace that she does not have. Ewa reveals that, in her mind, if she had succeeded in her game keeping Janusz away from his family till 7a.m., all would be well again, if not, she would commit suicide. They part at dawn, with Janusz returning to his family and Eva leaving with her loneliness. When Janusz gets home, his suspecting wife asks him whether he's been seeing Ewa. He promises never to see her again.[3][4]


Janusz (Daniel Olbrychski) with his wife (Joanna Sczepowska)
  • In other roles:

Zygmunt Fok, Jacek Kalucki, Barbara Kolodziejska, Maria Krawczyk, Jerzy Zygmunt Nowak, Piotr Rzymszkiewicz, Wlodzimierz Rzeczycki, Wlodzimierz Musial


  1. ^ Wilmington, Michael (January 5, 2007). "Kieslowski series a post-holiday treat". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 18 April 2013. 
  2. ^ Berardinelli, James. "Decalogue". Retrieved 18 April 2013. 
  3. ^ Synopsis on
  4. ^ Episode overview