Skip to content
What's After the Movie?
Crime comedy

Vabank (1981): Cast & Plot

Vabank (1981) movie poster

Vabank is a 1981 crime comedy directed by Juliusz Machulski, starring Jan Machulski as Henryk Kwinto, Jacek Chmielnik and Leonard Pietraszak. It runs 1 hour 44 minutes.

Loading streaming availability…
Vabank (1981) movie poster
Released
Runtime
1h 44m (104 min)
Genres
Crime , Comedy
Original language
Polish
After the credits
No No extra scene
The story

What Is Vabank About?

The premise of Vabank without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.

Set in October 1934 Poland, seasoned robber Kwinto plans to quit crime, but his friend's death pushes him back. He orchestrates a daring raid on a heavily fortified bank owned by his former associate Kramer, whom he double‑crosses. Kwinto's clever scheme both steals the loot and frames Kramer as the mastermind of the heist.

Vabank Themes & Keywords

· 50 tags
  • ex convict
  • frame up
  • one word title
  • october 1934
  • jeweler
  • jewel theft
  • jewel robbery
  • falling out of a window
  • bank safe
  • release from jail
  • champagne
  • grave
+38 more
  • plan
  • planning a bank robbery
  • written by director
  • fraud
  • toilet
  • police detective
  • investigation
  • gun
  • shot to death
  • shot in the back
  • theater
  • club
  • music club
  • widow
  • playing chess
  • gas mask
  • hole in the wall
  • dancing
  • jumping out a window
  • band the musical group
  • cigar smoking
  • bank
  • safecracker
  • pride
  • loyalty
  • friend
  • revenge
  • jazz band
  • bank president
  • 1930s
  • bank robbery
  • theft
  • stereoscopic peephole
  • safe
  • pre world war two
  • postcard
  • nudity
  • hitman
Loading streaming availability…
Cast & crew

Vabank Cast & Characters

Jan Machulski leads the cast as Henryk Kwinto, with Jacek Chmielnik as "Moks" and Leonard Pietraszak as Gustaw Kramer. Directed by Juliusz Machulski; 35 actors are credited in all.

Also Starring in Vabank

· 31 more
Show all 35 cast members
From the director

More from Juliusz Machulski

More films directed by Juliusz Machulski: Volta, Embassy, How Much Does the Trojan Horse Weigh? and Vinci.

Full filmography
Plot

Vabank Plot Summary

What happens in Vabank from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 14 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 5-minute read.

Spoilers ahead

In October 1934, a famed Warsaw safe cracker and jazz trumpeter, Henryk Kwinto, Janusz Machulski is released after six years behind bars. He returns to a world that has quietly moved on: his wife has taken a new suitor, a sharp-eyed police commissioner, who has become the man she leans on. Kwinto quietly pockets a hidden roll of banknotes from the chair’s leg, places his apartment key on the table, and steps back into the street with a calm resolve. He’s a man who knows the rhythm of risk and the taste of a life on the edge, and his first instinct is to measure the distance between old loyalties and new opportunities.

Full summary

The whole story of Vabank, scene by scene

Read the full summary
Quiz

How Well Do You Know Vabank?

10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.

Question 1 of 10

  1. Question 1: not answered
  2. Question 2: not answered
  3. Question 3: not answered
  4. Question 4: not answered
  5. Question 5: not answered
  6. Question 6: not answered
  7. Question 7: not answered
  8. Question 8: not answered
  9. Question 9: not answered
  10. Question 10: not answered

What is the profession of the main character Henryk Kwinto before he is imprisoned?

Details

Vabank Also Known As

9 alternative titles, including “Vabank or Go for Broke” and “All or Nothing”.

Also known as
  • Vabank or Go for Broke
  • All or Nothing
  • Ва-банк
  • Alles auf eine Karte
  • Вабанк
  • 抢银行
  • دستبرد 1
  • Hit the bank
  • 바방크

Seen Vabank?

FAQ

Vabank FAQ: Cast, Runtime & Release Date

Runtime, release date, director, cast, post-credit scenes and language of Vabank, each answered in a sentence.

How long is Vabank?

Vabank runs 1 hour 44 minutes (104 minutes).

When was Vabank released?

Vabank was released on October 1, 1981.

Who directed Vabank?

Vabank was directed by Juliusz Machulski.

More films by Juliusz Machulski

Who is in the cast of Vabank?

Vabank stars Jan Machulski as Henryk Kwinto, Jacek Chmielnik as "Moks" and Leonard Pietraszak as Gustaw Kramer, among 35 credited actors.

Does Vabank have a post-credit scene?

No. Vabank has no extra scene during or after the credits.

What language is Vabank in?

The original language of Vabank is Polish.

Coming soon to your phone

The Plot Explained Movie Summary App

From blockbusters to hidden gems: plot summaries, endings explained and timelines on your phone. Save your favorites and never miss a twist again.

Be the first to know when it launches. Your email stays private, always. Learn more about the app