Death in the Saddle

Synopsis

On the state stud-farm, Tomáš is preparing to become a jockey together with other boys. He loves to read cowboy stories and Western pulp magazines and his passion makes him a laughing-stock of his friends and pretty Věra, couch Mikota's daughter. Tomáš looks for refuge with ageing jockey Kosina and listens in admiration to his tales of old jockey glory. He doesn't suspect that Kosina had to leave the racecourse because of fraud and that he is still looking for ways to get easy money. The boys and Věra decide to heal Tomáš of his ravings about the Wild West. Dressed up as cowboys and with fake guns, they attack Tomáš in a gorge. Tomáš manages to escape. Running away, he discovers the lifeless body of accountant Šulc who was bringing in the wages. Two anonymous men used the fuss around the "attack" to steal the bag of money from the accountant and to kill him. The sad event opens Tomáš's eyes. He begins to be suspicious of Kosina and starts following him. From a hide-out he witnesses a quarrel between Kosina and his accomplice about the booty. The accomplice finally shoots Kosina dead. Riding on his horse, Tomáš follows the murderer, waiter Vaníček, takes the bag from him and helps with his arrest.