A film adaptation of Marek Hłasko’s first novel portraying the fates of Rysiek, who grows up and lives in difficult, often ruthless conditions. The action takes place in three timeframes: childhood poverty in the Marymont district of Warsaw, growing up during occupation, achieving maturity during the harsh era of Stalinism.
A sensitive and shy boy, Rysiek is being raised in Marymont. He is soon left alone, as his mother is arrested and sent to a concentration camp. His godfather gets him a job in restaurant in Warsaw’s suburbs, where he endures hard lessons of life. After the war, he takes up work in public transport in war-devastated Warsaw. He ends up in a car central. The work is very hard and dangerous. The cars are in awful condition, they break down every day. Borkowski, one of the drivers, dies because of a brake malfunction. Rysiek, who was also in the car during the accident, manages to survive. He stands up for Kamiński, a colleague who was fired. He participates in cement theft. He wants to use the money he made to hire thugs to intimidate the car central director. In the end, he takes matters into his own hands and breaks the director’s arm. Technical manager Rustecki sends Rysiek on a long and difficult route. Meanwhile, the police arrive to arrest the thieves.
