This drama reflecting the popularity of ice hockey in the 1970s attempts to captivate its audience with the story of a professional player driven from the ice into a harsh reality after an unjust allegation of corruption. Popular Slovak actor Juraj Kukura portrays the ice hockey player Jindřich Vacula, forced to return to his home town, a place partly destroyed by the coal mining industry. He strives to find new meaning in life, but he is unable to abandon his libertine lifestyle, and the way back to the top of the world of ice hockey is closed to him… A screenplay by Jiří Křižan gave director Ivo Novák the foundation for this undemanding 1979 genre picture. It includes authentic shots of the old town of Most, which historically did have to partially make way for a coal mine. Smaller parts in the film are played by ice hockey stars of the time Ivan Hlinka and Vladimír Martinec.
The outstanding hockey player Jindřich Vacula is accused of accepting a bribe and banned from playing pending the investigation. His attractive lover Alena quickly walks out on him, taking various expensive furnishings. Jindřich goes back to his native town, where his father lives with his stepmother and his little brother, who is slowly dying of myopathy. For lack of anything else to do he helps the architect Frydrych draw up plans for the demolition of the town, under which coal has been discovered. He also starts an affair with the architect's wife, and has no idea that he has made her pregnant. After a time the disciplinary committee investigates Jindřich's case and the young sportsman can return to the ice, but in the meantime the situation in the club has changed. The coach Mácha has been removed and the envious captain Petrák suggest that Jindřich should prove his qualities in the B team. Jindřich overcomes his sense of grievance and his pride, and with two young players, the Veselý brothers, creates a brilliant striker force that shines in an important match. Both his young fellow players are selected for the national team. JIndřich observes their delight with a nostalgic smile.
Voice by Radoslav Brzobohatý
hokejista Jindřich Vacula
architekt Frydrych, destruktor
Pavla, Frydrychova žena
Voice by Hana Talpová
Alena, Jindřichova dívka
redaktor Arnold
Vacula, Jindřichův otec
František, Jindřichův nevlastní bratr
Anna, Jindřichova nevlastní matka
trenér Mácha
trenér Cahlík
hokejista Petrák
Loubal, Jindřichův bývalý spolužák
předseda disciplinární komise
člen disciplinární komise
člen disciplinární komise
člen disciplinární komise
člen disciplinární komise
člen disciplinární komise
člen disciplinární komise
člen disciplinární komise
předseda hokejového výboru Hes
lékař
asistent trenéra Máchy
řidič autobusu
vrátný Lang
rozhlasový reportér
televizní hlasatel
hostinský
reprezentační trenér
asistent reprezentačního trenéra
hokejista Honza Veselý
hokejista Milan Veselý, Honzův bratr
reprezentační hokejista
hráč skláren
hráč skláren
hráč skláren
hráč skláren
hráč skláren
hráč skláren
hráč skláren
hráč skláren
hráč skláren
hráč skláren
hráč skláren
hráč skláren
hráč skláren
hráč skláren
hráč skláren
hráč skláren
hráč skláren
hráč skláren
hráč skláren
hráč skláren
hráč skláren
hráč skláren
hráč skláren
hráč skláren
hráč skláren
činovník SHL
činovník SHL
vysedávačka
vysedávačka
vysedávačka
vysedávačka
vysedávačka
vysedávačka
rozhodčí
rozhodčí
rozhodčí
rozhodčí
zpěvačka
rockový hudebník
rockový hudebník
rockový hudebník
rockový hudebník
rockový hudebník
rockový hudebník
hráč soupeře
hráč soupeře
hráč soupeře
hráč soupeře
technik skláren
technik skláren
Loubalova matka
Loubalovův otec
Jan Oliva (2), Jaroslava Fišerová
M. Bevelagua, Ivo Černý, Miloš Osvald, Jiří Rulík
Jiří Holeček, Juraj Zach
Pavel Brunclík
Karel Gut, Josef Hlinka
Linda Leff /ž/ (klapka), Jitka Bylinská (fotografka), hokejisté TJ CHZ ČSSP Litvínov, hokejisté TJ Baník Most
Studiový orchestr Petra Hapky, FISYO (Music Conducted by František Belfín)
Postavení mimo hru
Postavení mimo hru
Offside
film
featuretheatrical distribution
psychological
Czechoslovakia
1979
1978—1979
literary Screenplay approved 19 June 1978
start of filming 17 July 1978
technical Screenplay approved 25 July 1978
end of filming 11 April 1979
projection approval 10 May 1979
withdrawal from distribution 31 December 1989
premiere 28 December 1979 /unsuitable for youths/
Dramaturgická skupina Vladimíra Kaliny, Vladimír Kalina (vedoucí dramaturgické skupiny)
feature film
90 min
2 511 meters
16mm, 35mm
1:1,66, 1:2,35
colour
sound
mono
Czech
Czech
without subtitles
Czech