The film tells the story of an ordinary guy Anton Kandidov. First he works on agricultural work — transports on boat on Volga watermelons. Noticing how deftly Anton catches and loads watermelons, he is told that he could become a goalkeeper and play football. And he decides to follow the advice. On the way to the glory of the goalkeeper and waiting for his victory and disappointment.
During World War 1 a Russian soldier (Pyotr Sobolevsky) serves in Russian Expeditionary Force in France where he is chosen for his marksmanship and trained as a skilled sniper. After the Russian revolution the soldier returns home while his commander (Boris Shlikhting) fights against the Soviet Russia. In 1930 the former soldier works on a factory and also he is the instructor in shooting club. Once the town that is near the Soviet border is attacked by foreign troops (the hostile state isn't named but the uniform of the soldiers resembles Finnish). The character meets againt with his former commander who serves in invading forces.
A new construction manager, Zaitsev, arrives in a small town. Two of his former comrades from the Red Army work here: Glinka, the director of the paper factory, and Latsis, the head of the timber rafting operation. Zaitsev advocates for the rapid expansion of the paper factory and surrounds himself with a group of opportunists. However, despite their long-standing friendship, after a series of revelations, he is forced to leave the town.
