Walkover (1965) - full transcript

Andrzej has left the army, and appears to drift around the country participating in boxing fights. In an industrial town, he runs into Teresa, a government engineer, who has arrived to implement a new project at a factory. Andrzej wins in a local boxing match, but decides to leave with Teresa instead of facing a much stronger opponent the next day.

Kadr Film Studio

and Syrena Film Studio
present

WALKOVER

Watch it!
Let me through!

Krystyna!

Barbara! Hello!

How are you?
Here for the holidays?

No, just to look around.

Anything interesting here?

Come Monday, I'll be someone
important at the factory.

What happened there?



- Should I try?
- Why don't you?

- Just like that?
- Sure, why not?

You can look around anywhere.

Anyone with a diploma
will come in handy.

Should you make up your mind, sir...

Ladies and gentlemen!
Disperse, please.

Move along!

Move along,
ladies and gentlemen!

Such a tragedy.

Such a young girl.

Hanka, we're on a first name basis.

That might be.
But my name isn't Hanka.

Deposit the luggage
while I make a phone call.

Very pretty.
So was the one under the train.



I'm a sports activist
and here is the note.

Activist or not,
I won't give you the scale.

Sir, just read the note.

Those watches...

- Are they for sale?
- No.

No use in standing here, sir.

I wouldn't give the scale
to the minister...

- ...of justice himself.
- I can buy those radios, as well.

I'll take both.

Pretty, that girl of yours.

What's wrong, sir?

You forgot something on the train?
It hasn't left yet.

If she was a man, I would...

That's what she's like.

But what can you do to a woman?

Well, what can you do?

Forgive her.

At 1 pm?
I'll be there, sir.

He says: I don't know
why I'm here.

After many years or something like

youth or love.

Please jot down the first part
of the chorus.

A man who says:
I don't know why I'm here.

After many years or
something like

youth or love.

And the rest of the chorus:

With his hand on his throat

he wants to make things right
and he straightens his tie.

If we have nothing else
to do in the evening

we can go dancing.

And before that?

I thought you'd ask
what happens after that.

Andrzej!
Hey'! Andrzej!

- Someone's calling you.
- So, after the dancing?

Before... At 1 pm
I have to see the manager.

To talk, introduce myself.
You could also...

Now I'm thinking,
later we'll go dancing

and then you'll become
an important figure.

As you always do.

That man calling you
is coming over here.

I already said
I won't lend you the scale.

Oh, you're not that guy

who wanted to take my scale.

Kajtek, come here.

He eats cake every day?

No, but it's his last birthday.

He won't last to see the close-down.

They will be making room
for new houses.

I only keep this shack open
till I get my compensation.

What if something gets stolen?

They don't want to buy anything so
what would they steal?

What about the scale?

I knew they sent you.

I said I won't lend it
and I won't sell it.

Andrzej Leszczyc.

- So?
- Look at the date of birth.

- It's not until tomorrow.
- At dawn. Well, at night really.

A birthday is a beautiful day.

So you're 30 years old.

I was born at night.

- So it's a beautiful night.
- Sir,

where's the music coming from?

The things people come up with these days.

How much you want for it?

- I'm not selling anything either.
- That I command.

Although, it's a pity.
I'd give you 300 zloty for it.

300?
It's worth over 1,000.

You're haggling already.
One salesman will always know another.

- I can sell you a watch.
- No.

It's original.

What time is it?

- Boss, about that scale...
- Get out! Get him, Kajtek!

- What's your name?
- Teresa.

Get that bike out of here, dammit.

Are you going to the factory?

I am.

A year ago, goats were grazing here.

- It looks quite good.
- Everyone says that now.

But a year ago,
goats were grazing here.

- We're here already?
- Yes.

Why were we driving
if it's so close?

- It was the lady's wish.
- The manager is expecting me.

That's his car.

Sir, this is a colleague of mine
from the Polytechnic.

After you.

One minute to 1 pm.
And we have a meeting at 1 pm.

Good afternoon, sir.

Hello.
We have one minute to get to my office.

This way.

Turn off that radio.

Their shoes are always dirty.

Sir, should I serve some coffee?

- Yes.
- Turn it off.

He doesn't mind.
Look what he has in his ear.

Warn me before you throw anything.

Send a message to your colleagues.

Tell them to come with their families
and everyone else.

We're creating our own laboratories
and you two will be...

Only I represent the Polytechnic.
My colleague here...

We've only studied together,
a long time ago.

- You are defending the project on your own?
- That's correct.

The office sent a big team,
the mock-up is already here,

they are sniffing at it.

You'll need strong arguments
to defend your position.

Thank you.

This is the scientific position
of the Polytechnic.

I'm only representing the team.

The team has chosen their strongest
competitor for their first game.

You might be young but young people
are very talented these days.

Our manager is the youngest
factory manager in the country.

They sent you alone.
Can you manage?

Yes.

- Do you play any sports?
- No.

- You don't?
- Watch it, sir!

This fight with the design office
will be a big one.

We provide the ring but
the rest is up to you.

You sign a full time contract
and start on Monday.

You'll get one of the
apartments we still have left.

What do you specialize in, sir?
Cigarette?

No, thank you.
I haven't decided yet.

Look out the window
and decide immediately.

That's a test for engineers.

Are we interrupting?

But I'm not an engineer.

At least finish your coffee.

I failed my diploma last year,
and had no chance to try again.

You didn't study together?

We started together
ten years ago.

I got expelled, went to university,
joined the army and after that

went back to the Polytechnic...

Hello?

Yes, absolutely.

We're waiting.

We want to have a team of
young scientists here,

so you will have to get
a diploma after all.

I have different plans now, so...

It will be rather difficult
without a diploma.

You can get an auxiliary position
of some kind.

But only scientists
are given apartments.

But there are workers' hotels.
Excuse me.

I'd rather have some flowers
hanging in my office,

not something I can see
outside my window.

I can just put a mirror up instead.

- Do you think an atom should be split?
- Finally.

You'll be working very closely together.

This is the team from the design office,
and this is engineer...

- Teresa Karczewska.
- From the Warsaw Polytechnic.

- Good morning.
- Karczewska.

- Jan Karpiak.
- Karczewska.

- Czyzyk.
- Karczewska.

- Hello, I'm Rybkowski.
- Karczewska.

- My name's Dec.
- Karczewska.

Just move straight to mock-ups.

We don't have enough chairs here.

- Young and pretty, huh?
- Too young and too pretty.

This way, please.

Please, arrange the apartment
for engineer Karczewska immediately.

One bedroom?

Someone who looks at their nails
or stares at the ceiling and says:

I am so, so far.

Further even by a glass of water
and a cigarette,

and infinity has long been drinking
the water from a bathtub.

And when it's too late for everything,

it still isn't too late

to get life insurance
at the National Insurance Company.

That lady engineer wants you
to carry her coat.

And put the helmet on,
for safety.

Hey, Teresa!

Look at that stork!

Yes, it's a stork.

Watch out, now.

I keep saying, be cautious.

Caution at every step
and absolutely no smoking.

We know, we know.

It's a powder keg.

I'll be happy to bring
you here at night.

- It looks beautiful when it's lit up.
- Really?

Maybe I'll carry you on my
back through all that mud?

The fire brigade is always
at the ready.

I may be boring,

but we must be cautious at all times.

Carefully! Watch out!

- Is it here?
- What?

The boxing.
Is it here?

I don't know.

- Will you be here for a moment?
- No.

I brought the scale.
Will you watch it?

No.

So I will just leave it here.

Wait. You'll help me with the scale.

And you'll be the first on it.
You won't have to wait.

You think I want to fight here?

You are wearing a shirt and a suit.

You're not hereto sign up
for the First Step?

One cannot wear a suit now?

Those boxers dress up when
they come to sign up

as for a wedding or
some other celebration.

Simple people who wear suits to sign up

for their first ever competition.

That means something.

And you're here with a woman's
coat and a radio in your pocket.

- As an intellectual of some sort.
- You won't manage?

No, it's heavy.

I'll try.

Let me at least weigh you
for your trouble.

Did you gain weight, son?
Wanted to sign up?

- No, but he could.
- He didn't want to?

He didn't want to sign up
for the First Step?

No.

- Weigh him. He should be middleweight.
- No, no, Mr Rogala.

Get on the scale.

- I'm too old for that.
- Get on the scale.

Come on.

I'm one middleweight boxer short.
I only have three.

- You will fight.
- Middleweight.

- Clothes are at least 3 kilos.
- We begin at 7 pm.

- No, Mr Rogala.
- You can always decide not to come.

I can't force you.

- Come on, boys.
- We're here with friends.

All right.

- Is it here?
- What?

- The boxing.
- Yes.

- You're the lightweight?
- Sure thing.

- You trained long?
- Four months.

Gents, the scale for the boxers.
Is it here?

- Yes.
- Sports club “K0mbinat”.

Those guys from the sports club in the city
trained much longer.

And there are those with
no affiliations. Thugs.

Don't give up.

Use straight punches,
thugs prefer hooks.

- Anticipate and you'll win.
- Easy for you to say...

Gentlemen, a group of
technicians was walking here...

Foreigners?

- No, Poles.
- We haven't seen them.

The cloud from this fire safety
steam curtain will entirely absorb...

Let's all get back to earth.

Such a steam bath is very good for
your complexion.

And it helps us make use of
undeveloped space.

But human lives hang in the balance.

If it is dispelled by the wind,
a rocket testing ground

will seem like child's play
by comparison.

According to the last 15 years'
worth of statistics,

no wind was strong enough
to dispel the curtain

using the pressure
we are able to achieve.

15 years is nothing for the statistics.

What if the wind was much stronger
16 years ago?

They taught me at the Polytechnic...

You studied there?
How long? Six months? A year?

Five years.

Five years on the first year.

I didn't get a diploma. Maybe you're
unaware that one can fall in love,

get married, have a baby...

Statistics must be trusted!

Many important investments
are based on them.

Building a power station...

If the river dries up
against the statistics

and the power station is useless,
it's a smaller misfortune

than a fire taking even
one human life.

The management has no...

- Sir, what are you doing here?
- Oh, you're an engineer, too.

...we were just supposed to talk and not...

And not what?

I'm grazing my goat here,
but not when I'm working.

When I'm working,
it grazes by itself.

There used to be a meadow
and now...

She must be right.

She wouldn't shout so much
if she wasn't.

A girl fell under the train today.

Sir, there was a crossroad
where the cross is standing.

Mecka, come here!
Come here!

Why are you following me?

I'm following you?

- I have your coat.
- Give it. Anything else?

I couldn't find you and
I also have your postcard.

It says: Remember!
And Teresa Karczewska.

Maybe it's for you?
Post mark is from here.

- What's wrong?
- Nothing.

I'm thinking about the hen miracle.
See there, among the trees?

- What?
- I was the best student in the class

but I ran away a week
before the graduation.

What does the hen miracle
have to do with that?

Nothing.
I'll show you later.

- A miracle?
- There was a man there.

I thought that if I leave
so would he.

If I stayed, I would have
been just like the others.

When I ran away,
he must have noticed that.

This puts her to sleep,
all you need now is a cleaver.

Those helping in the kitchen on Sundays
could kill hens.

I've always traded my turn for
a lipstick or...

- And then you became a great party activist.
- What do you know about me?

That you were a great party activist
at the Polytechnic.

We walked around with books
on our heads to keep straight.

- You're waiting for me?
- No, I'm only here to...

Talk. You have the need
to talk about yourself.

Here you are nameless, you can talk
about yourself without being yourself.

And you can talk about someone else
as if about yourself.

This is the only way for you
to admit your guilt.

- What do they usually admit?
- That they believe in...

...nothing.

Or that they are to be blamed
for someone's death.

- And you?
- What about me?

What do you have to admit?

How far have you gone in life,
if you're already completely alone.

- I'm alone sometimes.
- Always.

Yes.

Because you always hit back.

Why do you?

If you take the blow and
turn the other cheek,

you won't be alone anymore,
you'll be with the one who hesitated

unsure whether to hit you again.

That would be a knockout.

Remember what I tell you,
the most important...

You fooled him into confessing?

Hen miracles and false confessions
are his idea of fun.

He's not a priest.

He was hiding here during the war
after blowing up a train.

He lost his mind
pretending to be a clergyman.

Sir, can you give us a ride?

Hey!
Stop!

Getting out of here
won't be easy.

- I'm in no hurry.
- You have cigarettes, don't you?

You don't smoke.

- How do you know?
- I've noticed.

- You're very observant.
- Possibly.

I need a pack of cigarettes,
scissors and a lipstick.

- I only have clippers.
- Light it up.

Clippers will do.

- We'll go in any car I want.
- Lighter.

I'm not smoking.

You like that one?

Yes.

Watch this.

Stop! Stop!

I know it's wrong, inspector,

but don't make any trouble
for me, please.

I have here...

- How did it go with her?
- She's tough but I will...

Sit at the back, sir.
Just for now.

All righty, inspector.

I had a drink, I understand.

There is another joint on the way.

A modern one.

That's nothing special.
I learned that in the army.

I was the best driver in the company.

It's a gentleman's 30th birthday

and he didn't even buy me a drink.

I was born after midnight.
It's not till tomorrow.

No one knows
what will happen tomorrow.

Sunday.

- Will you bring us a whole bottle.
- And Monday after that.

- Wait, before...
- Before...

May I smoke?

Before the daylight breaks,
dew eats your eyes out.

- Sir, there are free tables over there.
- Indeed.

Bring something for tired Miecio,
darling.

Miecio the Schemer is wasting away.

Wife's tormenting me.

I get a 100 zl every morning
if I take Antabuse.

She has money up to here.

From the ground.

- And only in 500 bills.
- Thank you.

Thank you.

What about Miecio, darling?

If Miecio dies, a scheme
is left without a schemer.

How about a watch, sir?

- I got one.
- Oh, I see.

You're lucky.
It's temporarily indisposed.

I speak many languages,
none of them foreign.

A good one, isn't it?

- Listen.
- I am listening.

I could go to war for you.

Or tell me to learn
the encyclopedia by heart.

Or to drink a billion
glasses of water.

I'd be closer to you
after just three glasses.

Only once can things be undone.

I did not pass to the next grade.
I cried and threw random punches.

My hatred was so great
that it was worth going back.

It turned out to be a dream.

And since nothing can be
done now,

I just say I love you out loud.

So you know
that you can be loved.

I know.

- The car skidded.
- Fantastic story.

What happened there?

I recommend the beef.
Oh, here it comes.

- Here.
- What is it?

The bill. One can easily forget
to pay here.

It's enough to jump
over the balustrade to escape.

Miecio is watching.
All will be well.

I tried to stop drinking once.
But to no avail.

Sir, bring me the beef chop.

- First show me the money.
- I had my Antabuse,

- so I got my 100 zl.
- You've been drinking since morning.

- Everyone here is like that?
- Like what?

There are also those who work.
I wanted to work once,

but it didn't work out.

They say that the earth is round,

and which way do soles wear off?

I went to see a shrink once
and he was very surprised

when I peeled an apple,
ate the peel

and threw away the fruit.

Hello! Hello, sir!

- Hello! Sir!
- Stop! Sir, stop!

You've lost your watch.

Sir!

Oh, it's you.
You can take the scale.

No. I want to sell the radio.

I shouldn't have bought
the cake in a private shop.

They always sell you some crap.

Your dog didn't like it?
He didn't eat it?

He liked it, he ate it.
And he died.

On his birthday.

A birthday is the right day
to think about death.

How much for that radio?
300?

That's what you offered.
But OK.

What kind of trade is that?
You need to haggle.

You have to name your price.
I offer 320, all right?

All right, take it.

I haven't haggled for so long,

and you're spoiling it for me.

Name your price,
I offered too little.

- All right. 500.
- 350.

- No. 500.
- 380.

- 490.
- 400. My last offer.

480. Amen.

- 390.
- No.

- No. 420.
- No, no, no.

420.

L9iVe you...

I give you 400 and 20.

Thank you.

Stop, sir!
We need an explanation!

- Name?
- Andrzej Leszczyc.

- Age?!
- 29.

You don't remember
how old you are?

Show me your ID.

I hesitated because
I'll be 30 in a few hours.

I didn't know if I should say
29 or 30.

I'm asking how old you are right now.

So tell me that.

It's written there.

Right now I am 29 years, 364 days
and 15 hours old.

No jokes.

You ran away from the crash site.

What crash site?

I was just running to the store,
not running away.

- Is that your watch?
- Yes.

Empty your pockets for me.

What's your occupation,
Leszczyc?

I failed my diploma last year
at the Polytechnic.

Failing your diploma is
not an occupation.

- You moved a lot.
- Lieutenant, he was scaring children.

I borrowed it from the biology room

and was taking it back.

I haven't met any children.
That's not true.

- There were no children there.
- All right. Take it and check

if anyone is missing those.

Yes, sir.

He'll get six months for each of those,
he won't be doing that anymore.

Pobeda, Bionie,
Pobeda,Pobeda.

So you were running
to the shop, yes?

You saw the accident

but you just kept running?

It didn't interest me,
so I didn't stop.

What was so urgent,
that you were running to that shop?

- I don't like the sight of blood.
- But you like watches.

A few fast moves, and you escape.

Witnesses to the crash,
who is missing a watch?

I am.

- What kind?
- An alarm clock

from my ground floor window.

Show me what you bought.

I wanted to...

At the factory, there is...

I wanted to borrow the scale
for the competition

called the First Step in Boxing
at the factory.

I know a coach there,
Mr Rogala.

The man helping him cannot
even borrow a scale,

so I wanted to help.

Because this Rogala
taught me boxing once.

So I wanted to borrow
a scale from the old man.

- I won those watches playing cards.
- His dog has died

so he'll probably lend it.

What's a dog got to do with it?

Where will I find
this Rogala fellow?

Move your hand.

It's not a joint.

So, you used to box?

I did.

A stance!

Bring out the left hook.
Here, on the shield.

All right.

Drive this scale to the factory
for him.

Yes, sir.

Hi, Andrzej.

The train to Warsaw leaves at 5:50 pm.

- Yes?
- I'll have a beef chop.

There is a fast train at 10pm.

- Two beef chops.
- The same for me.

The fast train in the morning,
a stopping train at noon.

- Two beef chops for you?
- Thank you, it's been paid.

No, one.

- Same for me.
- So how many?

One.

Miecio told me to say hello.

We got him all confused.

Can I have a liver?

I wanted to get you something
for your birthday.

Do I have the authority?

The train station is the other way.

I went to get money from my suitcase.

Why would I go to the train station?

You asked about the trains
so I thought...

I have an idea for celebrating my
birthday with crowds cheering my name.

They look at me explaining things but
no one's there when I turn around.

Do I have the authority?

Ten years ago our colleague
wanted authority,

so she had me expelled
from the Polytechnic.

Ten years ago I was 17.

Where Leszczyc is concerned, my authority
and authority of the organization

that elected me to clear
its ranks of such...

I remember the way you looked.

A beatnik.

All those reckonings with the past
and so few remember

what it meant to be a beatnik.

And that stays with you forever.

- And you're still one, 10 years later.
- Say it again.

It's so nice you
probably know it by heart.

We invite you to our recording studio

where you can record wishes
with a melody

for someone dear to you.

We also offer cheap dinners
and repair stockings.

We invite you to our studio.

This might seem weird
but could you kill it for me?

Give it to me.

Excuse me, sir.

No, no...

I will recreate your facial features.

- How much is it?
- 20 zl.

- How much?
- Like I said, 10 zl.

Sir, do you know where youth
residential block no. 15 is?

Ask at the shop.

- Will it take long?
- Those wishes are for you?

So you are 30 already?

- How much longer?
- Two minutes.

You can't go on without her
for two minutes?

- Do you want to “stem?
- I wanted you to know, that I am...

You must hurry,
you only have a minute.

Why don't you come by later
to record something?

Hello! This is the studio
of postcard recordings.

Excuse me, I wanted...

It will be ready in the evening.

Anywhere else, I can
collect records immediately.

- But not here?
- That's right.

What can be said in two minutes?

After I got off the train today,

it slowly dawned on me
that I could hate you.

You don't know that I saw you

screaming by those mock-ups,
showing everyone how weak you are.

Realizing that
makes you wanna run away.

So I will show you
how one can fight for just anything.

If for some reason
you don't have projects

you must fight for to the death,

then you fight for anything.
And I will show you that,

regardless of what happens between us.

For even if we go dancing,
what comes afterwards?

I will watch you run away,

give up without a fight.
Until it seems unlikely...

- End of the recording.
- ...that I could hate you.

Where is your radio?

Watch the screen!
Careful! Watch the screen!

Again!

Bring the screen higher!
Higher!

You can sell tickets to your balcony.

What will they show there?

- Newsweek.
- Bring that screen higher!

Higher!

I've never really had
a home to call my own.

What's wrong with you?

Nothing. It's called
fighting your shadow.

When I was in the military,

I got into boxing to
make my life easier.

I got into a sports club
and fought in some local competitions.

After I got back
to the Polytechnic, I realized

that I only felt satisfied with myself...

Lift your leg.

What?

You were standing on the chalk.

- What's it going to be?
- A sofa-bed.

- It's very narrow.
- It is a single sofa-bed.

Some people have
a bone protruding here.

But only exceptional ones.

It's called external occipital
protuberance.

- It's rare...
- What about your moment of happiness?

It was when
I won on the ring.

My colleagues were cheering,
and so were the crowds.

I never believed in myself
like I did then.

What time is it?

I have to hurry.
You don't have a watch?

I do, but it's not a good one.
Where do you have to be?

It's not working.

But I got it cheap from Miecio.
He is an expert watch seller.

There is a competition at the factory...

I'm here about the cleaning,

for here the tenants
must do it themselves.

Last week Sienniccy were cleaning,

this week it's my turn

I'll do it today and tomorrow,
for we are having guests

and they will make a mess anyway.

- But it's your turn after that.
- Ok.

And don't let the steam
bother you too much.

Steam and electricity are very tricky.

Why are you so nice to me suddenly?

I just wanted to tell a joke.

That steam and electricity
may result in children.

You don't know that one?

You put a couple in the room,
turn off electricity and it gets steamy.

- You didn't get any bulbs.
- Where should you be?

What?

You said you wanted to see
some competition at the factory.

No. I will fight in the ring there.

- You'll be in a brawl.
- I'll be fighting.

If a president is 30
he is the youngest in the world.

30 in boxing means
your career is over.

- So I wanted at least...
- Try yourself one last time,

find a moment of happiness
and satisfaction with yourself.

You're a 30-year-old man-child.

I've signed up for a fight.
I cannot run.

There is no bigger shame
than a walkover.

What do you get from boxing?

I can catch a moving fly.

200 grams too heavy.
You need to sweat.

Next.

Hold your breath.

Good.
Light middleweight.

- Smoking is prohibited.
- He's fast.

He will come down on all fours.

And he is already on the fifth floor.

He won't last more
than two rounds.

Not even.
He won't last till the third.

Second pair of the light middleweight

- is Piekarczyk, Sports Club Kombinat
- Lady bug.

And Siemifiski, no affiliation.

We'll see.

All right, middleweight.

- Go to Rogala.
- We remind you one more time:

no smoking on the premises.
No smoking.

Get some bandages.

Here...
In case you're bored.

- When you're brawling...
- Fighting.

So those two over there
are fighting?

To the death, even if all they want
is to hear the gong.

It's an amazing sound
that you wait for

as though it was salvation.
And after the break

it mobilizes you to fight again.
You get up even when you're dead.

What time is it?

We'll have time to go dancing.

We can celebrate my victory.

If I win today, I'll fight
in the finals tomorrow.

You can still lose.

Piekarczyk from Sports Club Kombinat
wins through a technical knockout.

Oh, my.
That's just my luck.

That's your opponent.

You're the engineer I gave a
lift to this morning.

I shouldn't have brought
my parents here.

Stay strong, Pawlak.

He's not an engineer.
He's just a fighter, like you.

Got it?

There are no engineers in the ring.

- You say that now.
- First middleweight fight of the evening

is between Pawlak from
Sports Club Kombinat and Leszczyc, Andrzej.

Come.

Show your hands.
Watch your heads. Thank you.

Fight.

Stop. Don't avoid the fight.
Fight.

Stop. Don't avoid the fight.
Fight.

Stop! First warning for
avoiding the fight. Fight.

Fight me, or you're fired!

You're a fucker.

You pretend to be an engineer,
so he doesn't hit you.

You're scared of that twat?
Water?

One, two, three, four,
five, six,

seven, eight...
Fight.

No smoking on the premises.

- Well, well.
- Well what?

Good boxer.

We'll take care of it.

So invite her, she's over there.

We will, just like that.

How about a watch?
Oh, I'm sorry.

Busy again.

Leszczyc wins, three to two.

In the last middleweight fight
of the evening

Wielgosz fights Perefka
from Sports Club “Naprzéd”.

Why was I afraid?

Why was I afraid of him?!

If only I wasn't afraid
in the first round.

He won.

- Damn him!
- Stop whining, you moron!

- What?
- Why are you whining?

Wielgosz won in the first round
through a knockout.

See, Perelka?

- He got you with the first blow.
- True.

Wake up, the fight is over.

Hey!

Perelka, wake up!
The fight is over.

- That's me, Maniek.
- Who won?

He did.
It was a knockout.

- Did you see how I countered him?
- Wielgosz,

you don't even need a shower.

- One blow and you were done.
- True.

- It was a nice counterpunch.
- True. Just one blow.

I'll untie this for you.

N“ Regan...

If his name is Wielgosz

he has a hundred fights under his belt.

He has no right to fight here.

- This is the First Step.
- And your name is Leszczyc

and you have 50 fights
under yours.

And you have no right
to compete in the First Step.

But the way to deal with
the likes of you and him

is to set them against each other.
Get it?

Good luck tomorrow.

Don't let Wielgosz hurt you.

I just might knock him out.

- See you tomorrow, Mr Rogala.
- See you.

I'm not crazy.

He'll take me with the first blow.

I have a train at 10pm.
I'm out of here.

Everybody has left already.

Turn off the lights, Wielgosz.

I can turn them off, true.

You must hurry.
You're already late.

I'll go in the morning.

I'm not crazy enough
to get myself killed.

Look for losers somewhere else,
Mr Rogala.

I did not look for you.

Wherever there is the First Step,
you're there as well.

We have to stop meeting like this.

- So much for dancing.
- Why?

That looks awful.

Maybe we can still catch a train.

But you won.

It's the finals tomorrow.

Don't start.

You said it was such a great sound.
So stimulating.

One says many things.

A walkover is always a walkover.

People are saying that you are
saving yourself for tomorrow.

What do I care?

That's the only thing
you really care about.

Apart from that you care about
absolutely nothing at all.

I've always had problems
with getting up.

After I stopped boxing,
after the military, I'd asked my mother

to wake me up by counting
like a boxing referee.

One, two, three...

And it became a reflex to get up
before she got to ten...

So what?

Nothing.

- What are you doing?
- And you?

- Good point.
- A tourist.

What do you care?

Where is the owner of that goat?

We forgot about those records.

They said to come back in the evening.

It's too late now.

İrrevocable dreams.
No awakening can take them back.

And even when you wake up at
the train station

with your life disappearing
like something escaping from the mirror

after you open your eyes
because even then it is not too late

to insure your life.

We can just sit here
for those couple of hours.

Excuse me.

We aim at the forehead,
general military issue shield.

- The first throw is free.
- Thank you.

Second misses, client pays 100.

No?
Oh, I'm sorry.

- Are you selling those watches?
- No.

Check how good your eye is
and how steady is your hand.

Look, that guy who called you
in the morning is coming here.

Entertainment suitable for everyone.

Give me the receipt.

The first throw is free.
Customer hits - the company pays.

Customer misses, customer pays.

Hi, Andrzej.
You don't recognize your friends?

- How've you been?
- And you?

Looking for business.
And you are an engineer?

- You're not?
- I wasn't allowed to repeat the year.

Not everyone has to be an engineer.

One can be, for instance...

- Not everyone has to end up in jail.
- Not everyone has to be.

Well, come on, come on.

Let's meet and talk.

Attention!
The train is arriving...

To cheat me on weight...

It's 250 grams of candies.

I have the scale here.
I can weigh anything.

78 kg.
Light heavyweight.

- 76 kg, middleweight.
- And me?

90 kg.
Super heavyweight.

- Get up.
- What?

- Let's go.
- As a child,

I did not know what I know know
but I knew how it should be.

You are an engineer,
a man of science. Tell me how it is.

Where should I look for it?

Aim, throw, fire.

Throw something in
to the common household.

This will be a double sofa-bed.

You believe in that?

You always believe in what you want.

In the convent you believed in God.

While having me expelled
you believed me

to be an enemy of the working class.

And you must believe in your project
since you were yelling so much.

You always yell and
throw blind punches,

just to get what you want.

You were there?
You heard that?

I was outside the window.

Why don't you hit back?
I throw blind punches, and you?

You've learned to fight
but you only hit those who are weaker.

When you meet
someone stronger you run away.

I'm 30 years old,

have this radio,
a suitcase and a coat

and you won't tell me...
for it is all I've got.

- It's open. Come on.
- You're cordially invited, ma'am,

to come with us to paint the town red.

It's a celebration.

In a minute.

Stop fooling around.

- This movie concludes the Youth Residential Area
- Jerzy'?

- opening celebration.
- Adam'?

Karol?

I think we are
on a first name basis.

What?

Well...

One, two, three,
four, five, six,

seven, eight,
nine, ten.

This could be a nice house.

Have you seen my gloves?

Have you ever had a house before?

All right, then.

We'll put a sofa-bed here

and hang a photo here.

A wedding photo.

- Two tickets to Warsaw.
- I'll think about it.

Yes, second class.
Two tickets.

What do you mean, two?

- Thank you, sir.
- Good bye, then, my dears.

You're seeing somebody off,
I had to see my parents off.

You can hear it from here.
It's the welterweight already.

I took the second class.

- So there will be no fight?
- No!

So...

Yesterday, why did you...

- Yes?
- I wanted to leave my bike.

Is the tank empty?

- There is about half a liter left.
- Empty it.

Where? How?
Where will I empty it now?

- I don't know.
- But, sir...

How am I supposed to empty it here
at the train station?

I won't take it with
the fuel in the tank.

Are you afraid it will
burst into flames?

- It's only half a liter.
- But it still can burn.

Collect it at the factory,

- where the boxing is.
- Thief! Thief!

Hey!

Hey!
Lean out!

Hey!

- Do you have a light?
- No.

Pull the break, maybe
we'll still make it.

I'll take you on my bike.

Come on, you jerk!

Come on!

You!

Come on, you coward!
We might still make it!

What are you scared of?

A knockout is the worst
that can happen!

Spit in his face, ma'am!

He's scared.
Coward!

The brake!
Pull the brake!

Pull the brake, ma'am!

Attention, ladies and gentlemen.

The last fight of the day
in the First Step tournament

in the middleweight
was to see

Leszczyc and Wielgosz.

Since neither of the fighters...

I'll kick your ass
when you leave the ring.

- I want to fight.
- Fight? With whom?

In the middleweight, both fighters
are a no-show...

I'm sorry, just one fighter.
The winner is

Andrzej Leszczyc who gets a
wristwatch as a prize.

And a special prize for the best

boxing technique in the
tournament: an Eltra radio.

You've made an agreement
with Wielgosz?

I was to get my ass kicked.

- Sir.
- Stop that.

- What's your name?
- Maniek. Marian.

- Andrzej.
- JQCIFGK.

No. Andrzej.
I'm too old for diminutives.

- Did you win?
- How else?

Too old?
Twentysomething is nothing.

Right, it's nothing.
It's my birthday today.

Birthday?
Well, then...

I saw your fight yesterday.

I believe in athletes.

You seemed a little bit...

But I do believe in athletes.

You'll survive this workers' hotel
and then we'll see.

- Sir...
- Do excuse us...

Have you by any chance...
seen Miss Teresa?

For we have flowers and...

I think she is somewhere there,
in the big hall.

Oh, we'll look for her there.

You'll be staying
at the workers' hotel?

Yes.

Listen, maybe you could
sell it somewhere?

Because I have no money left.
And I don't want to come empty-handed.

Sure. We'll have a birthday.
There is an empty bed

next to mine so the radio
could stand in the middle.

What's the brand?

Pobeda.

I wanted you to see my children.

Very nice children but
what do I have to do with them?

Come, Karol.

I even wanted to stop
stealing once, you know.

And that didn't work out?

That's a little joke.
An experiment.

So you don't have to wind
so many watches.

Go ahead, hit me.
That was my act of courage.

Go ahead, have a go.

Blonie or Pobeda?

Pobeda.

All right, give it.
Pobeda is fine.

I don't like music so keep the radio.

True.

I don't have a watch.

How time flies.
You sold it already.

All right, give me the radio.

No.

You wouldn't have fought me.

I hid when I saw you coming.
I'm a friend, aren't I?

So that you can take that radio,
for the watch is mine anyway.

I would have got you with the first blow.

Rogala thinks we had an agreement.

Written and directed by

Cinematography

Production manager

Cast of characters

Music by

subtitles:
Zofia Syroka DI FACTORY