Closely Watched Trains

Miloš Hrma begins an apprenticeship as a train dispatcher at a small railway station during the German occupation of Czechoslovakia at the war's end. He comes from a family of misfits, and he works under Lanska, the stationmaster, and Hubička. The staff operate under Nazi oversight, as evidenced by Councillor Zedníček's periodic visits.

Councillor Zedníček, a Nazi collaborator, visits the station and spouts optimistic propaganda to the staff. His appearances reveal the regime's grip even as the front lines retreat. The staff respond with a mix of fear, irony, and quiet resistance.

Miloš develops a budding romance with Máša, the pretty young conductor. They share kisses and shy glances, but Miloš's inexperience makes him anxious. Hubička probes for intimate details, hinting at his cynicism toward the relationship.

Máša invites Miloš to spend the night at her uncle's photography studio, hoping for intimacy. The uncle is awake in the next room and the door will not fully close, making Miloš uneasy. He ejaculates prematurely, and Máša angrily moves to sleep elsewhere.

The next day, overwhelmed by failure and shame, Miloš slits his wrists in a bath at a brothel. He is saved and treated, beginning a difficult recovery. A doctor explains that ejaculatio praecox is normal for his age and advises him to shift his focus and seek guidance.

In the hospital, a young doctor tells Miloš that his condition is common at his age and suggests redirecting his thoughts to football or other interests. He recommends seeking an experienced woman to help with his first sexual experience. The moment blends humor with wartime realism.

During the night shift, Hubička flirts with the young telegraphist Zdenička and stamps her with office marks before becoming intimate with her. Zdenička's mother notices the stamps and complains to Hubička's superiors, signaling trouble for the staff.

Miloš tries nearly everyone around the station for help with his confidence, but finds little success. Frustration and longing push him toward the looming resistance movement and the dangerous mission ahead.

Hubička tells Miloš that he and other partisans plan to destroy a large ammunition train passing the station. He instructs Miloš to signal the train to slow down, so a bomb can be dropped from a semaphore gantry. The plan links partisan action to the station's routines.

A resistance agent code-named Viktoria Freie arrives with the time bomb and spends the night with Miloš, helping him gain confidence. The encounter cements his involvement and readiness for the upcoming attack.

The next day, the ammunition train nears the station and Miloš climbs the semaphore gantry to drop the bomb onto a train car. He is spotted, shot from the train, and falls onto the roof of a car as the train continues.

Zedníček conducts a disciplinary hearing about Hubička's conduct with Zdenička, then dismisses the Czech people as 'laughing hyenas' after finding no coercion. The moment captures the Nazi mentality even as the attack unfolds.

Just around a bend in the track, the train blows up as the bomb detonates. Máša, waiting to speak with Miloš, retrieves his uniform cap blown from his head, a haunting image of love and loss amid wartime violence.