The Throw, or Everything Started on Saturday
A Soviet sci-fi film about a gifted basketball star.
The 1977 Soviet science fiction film *The Throw, or Everything Started on Saturday* (Russian: Бросок, или Всё началось в субботу) was directed by Serik Raibayev and adapted from Kir Bulychev’s story *The Ability to Throw Ball*. Its protagonist, architect Temirbek Sarsenbaev, is given a mysterious ability by a professor: he can accurately hurl objects at a target from great distances with almost no aim. When the coach of the local basketball club "Arman" learns of this, he recruits Sarsenbaev. Despite having no natural talent for the sport beyond his throwing gift, Sarsenbaev transforms the team, which starts winning major games, and he becomes a celebrated star with fans and admirers he never had before. Yet success and fame leave him unhappy, as he feels he never truly became a basketball player. On the eve of a decisive match, he announces his departure. Without him, "Arman" begins to lose, but Sarsenbaev returns to help. During the game, he asks the coach to substitute him with a young backup player. "Arman" wins, and Sarsenbaev leaves basketball for good. The cast includes Yesbolgan Zhaisanbaev (voiced by Yuri Sarantsev) as Temirbek Sarsenbaev, Asanali Ashimov as the Professor, Galina Shetenova as Estula, Lev Tymkin as the coach Andrei Zakharovich, and Jeksen Kairliev as basketball player Bakhyt Baymutdin, among others.
- Release year
- 1977
- Country
- Soviet Union
- Genre
- Science fiction
- Director
- Serik Raibayev
- Based on
- The Ability to Throw Ball by Kir Bulychev
- Lead actor
- Yesbolgan Zhaisanbaev (as Temirbek Sarsenbaev)
Quick Facts
- Director
- Serik Raibayev
- Writer
- Aleksandr Strakhov · ru · Страхов, Александр Борисович / Felix Franzusov
- Starring
- Yesbolgan Zhaisanbaev / Asanali Ashimov / Galina Shetenova
- Music
- Aleksandr Zatsepin
- Cinematography
- Mikhail Aranyshev
- Company
- Kazakhfilm
- Runtime
- 64 minutes
- Country
- Soviet Union
- Language
- Russian
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The film's plot centers on architect Temirbek Sarsenbaev, who receives from a mysterious professor the gift of accurately throwing objects at a target from a long distance and almost without aiming. The coach of the local basketball club 'Arman' discovers this ability and invites him to try the game. Despite having no natural propensity for basketball except for his throwing gift, Temirbek transforms the team, which begins to rely on him.
Reader's Guide
The film explores themes of talent versus genuine skill, as Temirbek becomes a star through his supernatural gift but realizes he cannot become a real basketball player. On the eve of a decisive match, he declares his departure from the club, but returns to help the team win, then asks the coach to replace him with a young backup player. After the victory, he leaves sport permanently. The film features a cast including Yesbolgan Zhaisanbaev as Temirbek, Asanali Ashimov as the professor, and Lev Tymkin as the coach.
Did You Know?
- The film is based on Kir Bulychev's story The Ability to Throw Ball.
- The lead actor Yesbolgan Zhaisanbaev was voiced by Yuri Sarantsev.
- The basketball club in the film is named 'Arman'.
- Temirbek Sarsenbaev's gift allows him to throw objects accurately from a long distance without aiming.
More in Russian-language science fiction films 1-24
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