Skip to content
What's After the Movie?
Comedy drama

The Way Steel Was Tempered (1988): Cast & Plot

The Way Steel Was Tempered (1988) movie poster

The Way Steel Was Tempered is a 1988 comedy drama directed by Želimir Žilnik, starring Lazar Ristovski as Leo, Ljiljana Blagojević and Relja Bašić. It runs 1 hour 41 minutes.

Loading streaming availability…
The Way Steel Was Tempered (1988) movie poster
Release year
Runtime
1h 41m (101 min)
Director
Želimir Žilnik
Genres
Comedy , Drama
Original language
Serbo-croatian
After the credits
No No extra scene
The story

What Is The Way Steel Was Tempered About?

The premise of The Way Steel Was Tempered without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.

Yearning for a happy life, a moulder is caught in a factory where the atmosphere is tense, and everyone scrambles to grab any money they can before the whole operation sinks. As the business teeters on the brink, his desire for contentment clashes with the desperate scramble around him.

The Way Steel Was Tempered Themes & Keywords

· 2 tags
  • money
  • happiness
Loading streaming availability…
Cast & crew

The Way Steel Was Tempered Cast & Characters

Lazar Ristovski leads the cast as Leo, with Ljiljana Blagojević as Ruža and Relja Bašić as Mišel. Directed by Želimir Žilnik; 12 actors are credited in all.

From the director

More from Želimir Žilnik

More films directed by Želimir Žilnik: Eighty Plus, The Most Beautiful Country in the World, Kenedi Is Getting Married and Kenedi, Lost and Found.

Full filmography
Plot

The Way Steel Was Tempered Plot Summary

What happens in The Way Steel Was Tempered from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 11 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 2-minute read.

Spoilers ahead

Leo is a steel worker who longs for a carefree life, but the mill’s profit-driven management clamps down on every move, pressing him and his comrades as the industry teeters on the edge of a bubble that could burst. The outlook for Leo and his peers grows increasingly bleak and uncertain as the factory’s priorities shift away from their daily realities toward looming financial risks.

During this turbulent period at work, he encounters a woman named Verica and becomes involved in an extramarital affair, a turning point that reverberates through his personal life.

Full summary

The whole story of The Way Steel Was Tempered, scene by scene

Read the full summary
Quiz

How Well Do You Know The Way Steel Was Tempered?

10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.

Question 1 of 10

  1. Question 1: not answered
  2. Question 2: not answered
  3. Question 3: not answered
  4. Question 4: not answered
  5. Question 5: not answered
  6. Question 6: not answered
  7. Question 7: not answered
  8. Question 8: not answered
  9. Question 9: not answered
  10. Question 10: not answered

What is Leo's profession?

Details

The Way Steel Was Tempered Also Known As

Also known as “Tako se kalio čelik”.

Also known as
  • Tako se kalio čelik

Seen The Way Steel Was Tempered?

FAQ

The Way Steel Was Tempered FAQ: Cast & Runtime

Runtime, release date, director, cast, post-credit scenes and language of The Way Steel Was Tempered, each answered in a sentence.

How long is The Way Steel Was Tempered?

The Way Steel Was Tempered runs 1 hour 41 minutes (101 minutes).

When was The Way Steel Was Tempered released?

The Way Steel Was Tempered was released in 1988.

Who directed The Way Steel Was Tempered?

The Way Steel Was Tempered was directed by Želimir Žilnik.

More films by Želimir Žilnik

Who is in the cast of The Way Steel Was Tempered?

The Way Steel Was Tempered stars Lazar Ristovski as Leo, Ljiljana Blagojević as Ruža and Relja Bašić as Mišel, among 12 credited actors.

Does The Way Steel Was Tempered have a post-credit scene?

No. The Way Steel Was Tempered has no extra scene during or after the credits.

What language is The Way Steel Was Tempered in?

The original language of The Way Steel Was Tempered is Serbo-croatian.

Coming soon to your phone

The Plot Explained Movie Summary App

From blockbusters to hidden gems: plot summaries, endings explained and timelines on your phone. Save your favorites and never miss a twist again.

Be the first to know when it launches. Your email stays private, always. Learn more about the app