The Diamond Arm (1968) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

The Chief’s smuggling plan

The Chief designs a plan to smuggle jewels inside an orthopedic cast and assigns Gennadiy 'Gesha' Kozodoyev to pose as the courier. The conspirators rely on secrecy, believing the courier will identify himself with a code word. Gesha is dispatched to carry out the operation.

Gesha travels to Turkey by cruise ship

Gesha travels to Turkey aboard a tourist cruise ship as the cover for the smuggling mission. The voyage keeps him out of sight while the jewels are prepared for transport. The trip underscores the behind-the-scenes deception at the heart of the plan.

Where

Turkey (cruise ship)

Mistaken identity on the cruise

The conspirators, lacking a clear description, mistake ordinary passenger Semyon Gorbunkov for the courier. They place the contraband jewels inside a cast around his arm, banking on him being the man they expect. The cast becomes the key target for the smuggle.

Where

Cruise ship

Return to the USSR and police bait plan

On returning to the Soviet Union, Gorbunkov informs the police what happened. A police captain undercover as a taxi driver uses him as bait to expose Gesha and the other criminals. The operation shifts from the ship to the city streets as the trap closes in.

Where

Soviet port city

First lure at a fancy restaurant

Gesha and Lyolik attempt to lure Gorbunkov into a situation where the cast could be removed without a fight. They invite him to an elegant restaurant with the aim of getting him drunk enough for Lyolik to seize control. The plan shows their persistence despite repeated setbacks.

When

Evening

Where

Fancy restaurant

Drunken chaos and police pickup

Gorbunkov and Gesha become intoxicated, leading to a chaotic scene that ends with the police taking Gorbunkov home. The incident heightens his wife’s suspicions about possible espionage or adultery. The mood swings from humor to tension as the cast remains hidden.

When

Night

Where

Gorbunkov's home

Wife questions; Gorbunkov explains a secret mission

Gorbunkov explains to his wife that he is working with the Soviet police on a secret mission, but he cannot disclose details. She remains suspicious, and the family dynamics become part of the cover story’s strain. The couple’s trust is tested as the investigation continues.

When

Next day

Where

Home

Anna Sergeyevna joins to retrieve the cast

Anna Sergeyevna, a female operative, is sent to aid in retrieving the cast. She lures Gorbunkov to a hotel encounter under the pretense of selling a gown, then drugs him with a sleeping pill to facilitate the extraction. The trap is set for a high-stakes handoff.

When

Evening

Where

Hotel room

Nosy superintendent interrupts the plan

The nosy superintendent, who has tailed Gorbunkov, brings his wife into the hotel room just before the extraction. Gorbunkov wakes to find his wife misreading the situation as an affair, complicating the operation. The plan is foiled in the moment.

When

Morning

Where

Hotel room

Police reveal Gesha’s involvement

Police deduce Gesha’s role in the smuggling scheme and instruct Gorbunkov to hint at traveling to another city so the cast can be removed under cover. The menacing dynamic shifts toward a safehouse operation and a race against time. The chase intensifies as the criminals close in.

When

Following morning

Where

Police briefing/safehouse planning

Lyolik impersonates a taxi driver to extract

Lyolik disguises himself as a taxi driver to pick up Gorbunkov, planning to remove the cast a day early at a safehouse on the way to Dubrovka. Gorbunkov grows suspicious, realizing his supposed ally may be an undercover criminal. The stage is set for a tense transport confrontation.

When

Day of extraction

Where

Road to Dubrovka

Chase and capture at the extraction

As Lyolik moves to remove the cast, Gorbunkov attempts to escape. The Chief appears to complicate matters, and the criminals capture him anyway. They discover the cast is empty because the police had already removed the diamonds earlier.

When

During extraction

Where

Extraction point/road

Criminals kidnap Gorbunkov; helicopter pursuit

The criminals kidnap Gorbunkov and flee, but the police track them with a helicopter and close in on the criminals. A dramatic aerial pursuit ends with arrests and the diamonds already missing from the cast. The short chase underscores the film’s comic tense tone.

When

Final chase

Where

City and helicopter chase

Resolution: family reunion and vacation

Gorbunkov is reunited with his wife and children as the police explain the full story. He goes on vacation with his family, albeit with a broken leg from the kidnapping ordeal. The movie ends on a note of domestic relief and stubborn resilience.

When

Ending

Where

Home and vacation