David Kross’s sympathetic performance will ensure this scores highly.
The legendary story of Bert Trautmann, Manchester City’s first German goalkeeper, is exquisitely portrayed in this romantic, life-affirming biography. Featuring a marvellous lead performance by David Kross (War Horse, 2011), The Keeper charts the euphoric highs and traumatising lows of his journey
A young man in Nazi Germany, Trautmann is recruited as a soldier before being captured in 1944 by the British. Whilst in the prisoner of war camp, his soccer skills capture the attention of the nonleague St Helens Town club manager. He is given leave to play the season and, falling in love with the club manager’s daughter Margaret, elects to remain in England. Trautmann goes on to defy fierce racism and protests with a triumphant rise to success with Manchester City, famously playing the end of the 1956 FA Cup Final with a broken neck. What he would not know was that his greatest challenge was yet to come.
Please note the film screens in German with English subtitles.
