Nordkurve (1992)

A Bundesliga Saturday in the Ruhr: Union Dortmund are battling relegation and financial ruin at their home stadium. Different people are getting ready for the decisive match that afternoon. Young substitute Clemens Niebisch is eagerly awaiting his first appearance, while publican Teddy—whose wife, Uschi, is having an affair with Niebisch—deals with fans who are getting drunk in his pub before the match. Teddy, a former star player, is a quiet, conflict-averse type. That morning, he and an old fan once again used a truck to divert dogs intended for animal testing to a cosmetics company, while his wife was enjoying herself with Niebisch. Niebisch’s ambitious father, who gave up his job to “manage” his son’s career, had turned up furious at the brothel and taken him back to the hotel. Uschi still loves Teddy, deep down, and wants to get him to make a more determined effort with the business. Meanwhile, club president Vischering’s thoughts revolve around a possible invitation to the TV show Aktuelles Sportstudio and the attractive journalist Nicole Hassel. She wants to interview several important people and report on the club’s situation. A newspaper reporter, radio host Szestecki, and player Kaukureit are involved in match-fixing. Treasurer Dennemann is trying to placate the banks. The shady players’ agent Roland F. Beyer has plans of his own: the obnoxious schemer is after a favorable position at the club and wants to get Uschi into bed. In return, he offers to secure her the concession to run the stadium catering. Uschi has no intention of being intimate with Beyer, but she drives off with him that afternoon—just to make Teddy jealous. Despite all the surveillance cameras and a large police presence, the police cannot stop rioting fans, stirred up by police-known hooligan Hupsi, from setting a chip stand on fire. The fire brigade advises calling off the match and evacuating the stadium, but management dismisses the suggestion. The game begins, and Union quickly falls behind, but manages to score a goal to narrow the gap. Uschi is at the stadium with Beyer, while Teddy stands brooding behind the bar in his pub, putting up with the teasing of some longtime regulars. With the score at 1–2, Niebisch is finally about to be brought on in place of Kaukureit, the striker who has been badly fouled. Enraged, Union’s coach demands a red card. Fans riot and climb over the fence, and the match is interrupted. But with emotions running so high, young Niebisch loses his nerve. His courage deserts him, and he slips out of the stadium unnoticed. Another player is brought on in his place and manages to head in an equalizer, easing the tense situation somewhat. After the match, Niebisch, still in his uniform, wanders through the city center. Eventually, Hupsi and his sidekick catch up with him, mock him, and beat him up. Back in Teddy’s pub, people are divided over whether to raise the club flag after the draw, since it is normally put up only for victories. To President Vischering’s annoyance, the invitation to the sports show does not come through at first. The pushy macho who thinks he is irresistible fails to impress Nicole either. Dennemann manages at least to avert immediate bankruptcy, but the club’s financial situation remains uncertain. Roland F. Beyer then puts pressure on the club’s management: a prospective star named Carabacho is already under contract with him, as are most of the team’s players. The club can essentially get the star only by borrowing him from Beyer. Vischering gives in to the blackmail and tells Beyer he will become treasurer. The current treasurer initially rejects this way of doing business indignantly as disreputable, but then resignedly realizes that his time is up. When the invitation to the sports show finally does arrive at short notice, Beyer’s private plane proves useful too. The alcohol is now flowing freely in Teddy’s pub. When Beyer turns up there—he wants to take Uschi to Mainz—Teddy plucks up the courage, beats him up, and bundles him into the car with the Vischerings. With this show of resolve, Teddy wins Uschi’s heart back, while a badly battered Beyer is seen on the sports show with Vischering; furious, former treasurer Dennemann hurls the television to the floor. The day does reach a proper close after all: the fans in the pub sing and drink themselves slowly into a stupor. Even poor Clemens Niebisch’s day ends on a kind note, as the daughter of the house tenderly tends to the injuries of the prodigal son.