Canada Russia '72 (TV 2006)

CANADA RUSSIA '72 is shot in a fluid documentary style that effectively captures all the immediacy of the '72 hockey summit's intrigues.

Director:

T.W. Peacocke

Writers:

Barrie Dunn (head writer), Malcolm MacRury

Stars:

Booth Savage, Judah Katz, Walter Learning

3 wins & 3 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Booth Savage	...	Harry Sinden
Judah Katz	...	Alan Eagleson
Walter Learning	...	Charlie Hay
Mark A. Owen	...	John Ferguson (as Mark Owen)
Sonia Laplante	...	Gabrielle Fournier
David Berni	...	Phil Esposito
Gabriel Hogan	...	Ken Dryden
Mike Dopud	...	Vic Hadfield
Sebastien Roberts	...	Rod Gilbert
Louis Philippe Dandenault	...	Yvan Cournoyer (as Louis-Philip Dandenault)
Jeff Roop	...	Frank Mahovlich
Hugh Thompson	...	Gary Bergman
David Alexander Miller	...	Paul Henderson (as David Miller)
Gerry Dee	...	Wayne Cashman
Chris Szarka	...	Peter Mahovlich

Storyline

In 1972, a historical ice hockey game series is arranged where the cream of Canadian's professional star players of the National Hockey League against the best of the Soviet Union. Although Canada and the USSR have faced off repeatedly on the amateur level before, most of Canada is smugly convinced that the Soviets will be no match for the pros. However, that assumption is forcefully shot down when Team Canada is soundly trounced in the first game by the skilled Soviet Union team. What follows is a bitter struggle as Team Canada fights to recover in a series that would change Canadian hockey's self-image and history forever.

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Plot Keywords:

canada | hockey | team | soviet union | ice hockey | 

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Genres:

Drama | History | Sport

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Details

Official Sites:

CBC [ca]

Country:

Canada

Language:

English Russian French

Release Date:

9 April 2006 (Canada)

Filming Locations:

Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada

Company Credits

Production Co:

Dream Street Pictures, Trailer Park Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

180 min 180 min (2 parts)

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The profanity word "Goddamn" is heard a total 40 times in both parts of the miniseries.

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Quotes

John Ferguson: Everytime they go in that corner, you make 'em look bad. Make them wish they never got off that goddamn boat.
Wayne Cashman: Airplane... not a boat.

User Reviews

A fair minded series, but damning to the Canadian team

The Canadians did not "blow the Russians away" as the previous uninformed commentary claimed, they were hammered several times in the series by the Russians who were every bit their equal and in the end, Canada won the last game with 34 seconds left. If the Russians were so blown away by multi goal victories, then they wouldn't have been leading on goal difference by the end, would they? Anyways, it accurately shows the sometimes shameful tactics of both sides to gain the advantage. The Canadians started things by mistreating and talking down to the Russians and then attacking them and refusing to shake hands because they were blown out in game 1, the Russians responded by ensuring the Canadians' time in Russia was as difficult as possible by removing conveniences and selecting certain aspects of the games. However, the real defining moments come down to the Canadians' refusal to honour the agreements made months before and demanding official changes or they wouldn't play, sounding like spoiled brats, and then of course Bobby Clarke's famous cheap shot. In Game 6 Clarke's blatant slash on Russia's best player Valery Kharlamov, carried out on Coach Ferguson's orders, was an absolute disgrace and ruined the series, denying people the opportunity to see both teams at their best in the last games as Russia lost them in closely fought battles that their hero was unable to impact thanks to his severely injured ankle.

As good as this series was and as fantastic as both teams were, people like Clarke and Ferguson make it hard to understand just how things like that can be tolerated, as in any other sport an intent to injure like that is roundly condemned. The Canadians won, but they hardly steeped themselves in honour regarding the way they achieved that victory, and this film accurately and fairly portrays this aspect of the teams.