Net Worth

Who better to make a docu-drama about hockey's early history than the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation who were covering hockey at the time of this story's setting. The story is about Jack Adams, the penny pinching hockey owner played by Al Waxman. Adams's scoring star Gordie Howe(played by Kevin Conway who fits the role of Mr. Hockey)is willing to work for peanuts but his tough guy Ted Lindsay(Aidan Devine)feels the hockey players need to form a union to get what they deserve. The film also has familiar Canadian actors Billy Van, Richard Donat and R.H. Thomson who has made a living starring in TV movies about Canadian heroes("Samuel Lount", Charlie Grant", "Hal C. Banks", "Terry Fox", "Frederick Banting"). The plot has the predictable highs and lows as Lindsay gets moved out of town and Howe provides the voice of reason. The film ends with a look at some hockey stars of lore that spent their later years in poverty. While it's hard to sympathize with the NHL Players Association today with the average player salary well over $1 million a year, it's interesting to see how far they have come thanks to people like Ted Lindsay who fought bravely for players' rights at a time when any talk of union branded you a communist and a traitor.

I caught this film almost by accident. Being an ardent Ice Hockey fanatic I stumbled across this and decided to stick with the 1995 TV movie but I didn't have high hopes, however I was pleased to find that this was a fantastic historic piece around the original six, Ted Lindsay and the formation of the NHLPA. Not only did I find an absorbing off ice story told with great honesty and integrity but also some excellent on ice action too! I didn't really know the story of the original six and trials and the tribulations they went through in the 50's and 60's but this film really opened my eyes to what was going on! I wont tell you though, go out, hire, buy, beg or borrow and see for yourself! Miracle and the other Hollywood films get the attention but for me this is one ice hockey film you have to own if you are a true fan of the game!

I had very low expectations for this film, but it was excellent through out. I think the film was set in the late 50's, but I am not really sure. As per the film, tickets then were $4 per game and players made approximately $10,000 for 7 months work. Better players made a little more. Players then, still made 50-100% more than average workers. I remember paying $2 to see ice hockey games, with Joe Public, in Baltimore (highest minor league). Today, I would have to pay $60 and travel 50 miles to Washington, D.C. to join the wine and cheese crowd. So, considering that, and the fact that players now average upwards to $2 million per year, I was prepared to be unsympathetic to the theme of this film. The theme being unionization of the players. On the other hand, the players of that era were vastly under payed. With my pre-existing beliefs nicely balanced, I could watch this film with an open mind. The film flowed nicely, without the Director injecting boring art house stuff in order to please the high brow, stuffy movie critics. I had no idea where the film was going or how it was going to end. I would give it 9 stars and a G rating. I am not willing to accept everything I saw in the film at face value. I am sure some facts were changed to manipulate audience opinions. No mention was made of the NFL where players were in the same financial boat.

The next time the NHL players go on strike, you might want to pop this movie in the VCR. Under this circumstance, Net Worth would only be worth 7 stars.

This movie goes beyond the game, into the seamier side of sports. The backroom deals and exploitation of the early NHL and those players that were brave enough (and smart enough) to change the game. This movie also explains why some of those men in the Hockey Hall of Fame did more to be in the HOF than just play hockey. A great movie if you are a hockey lover.