Art Hindle calls Face-Off “a perfect time capsule of Toronto and the Maple Leafs in the early ’70s ... but you’ll never see another movie like it again.”
The first Canadian flick with a purported million-dollar budget was equal parts hockey, hokey and honesty in its portrayals of the period. Nearing the 45th anniversary of its release, perhaps a few of the tender scenes haven’t stood the test of time. But the majority of vignettes are still ingrained for hockey fans who revere Face-Off’s unscripted full-colour game action, cameos by the Leafs and NHL greats of the day, the clothes, music and plenty of Molson’s stubbies in the foreground.