Director: Marcus H. Rosenmüller
Cast: David Kross, Freya Mavor, John Henshaw, Harry Melling, Michael Socha, Dave Johns
Rating: 15 
Running time: 119 mins
Release date: 05/04/2019

The recent celebrations and tributes in honour of the legendary England goalkeeper Gordon Banks, who was feted throughout the world, not only for his heroics during England’s first – and to date only – World Cup Football win in 1966 (as well as ‘that save’ from Brazilian legend Pele, who scored a thousand goals plus in his emphatic career for the national side, culminating in the 1970 victory against Italy (and his part in Carlos Alberto’s goal, the fourth in that 4-1 win and regarded as the best of all time in the competition)), have brought home the contribution of such an individual.

It is quite timely and fitting that a new British-German co-production should focus on another key individual in the world of football, at a time when the game was played more brutally and straightforward, when substitutions were not an option and if you were injured, you played on.

Bert Trautmann (1923 – 2013) was one such individual who overcame adversity, both as an intern in an English POW camp in Lancashire and then subsequently as a goalkeeper for Manchester City, leading to an incident during the FA Cup Final in 1956 versus Birmingham City in which he played the full ninety minutes in spite of a broken neck towards the end of the game in a collision with City player Peter Murphy.

THE KEEPER focuses on the timeline during his POW years and his football career. At the outset, Trautmann (David Kross) is amongst numerous other German POWs who are forced to work to atone for the sins of the war that Hitler’s movement was responsible for. He is a key source of irritation to Sergeant Smythe (Harry Melling), who has a lot of personal resentment towards him and others despite the agreement of the Geneva Convention and rights for prisoners on both sides.

The early signs of his talent between the posts become apparent during a kick-about with others in the prison yard, where he wins cigarettes for a fellow inmate. In addition, he also gets his first glimpse of Margaret Friar (Freya Mavor) who happens to be on the site with father Jack (John Henshaw) who is out to trade for meat amongst other goods and admires Bert’s ability. As a result, Jack takes Bert under his wing to play for the local team he manages, St. Helens. However, the other players don’t take too kindly to a ‘Nazi’ playing in goal when a crucial game of survival is imminent…..

THE KEEPER is very ROCKY in nature with the relationships between Bert and Margaret and Bert and Jack reminiscent of the Rocky/Adrian/Mickey dynamic in the classic boxing series. This is a very real and extraordinary existence, which happened before Stallone was even born, but certainly something he would admire immensely, given that he played a goalkeeper in a similarly-set film ESCAPE TO VICTORY (aka ‘VICTORY’ in the USA) (1981).

It’s an uplifting tale of courage and desire to prove your worth in the world and has a lot more to offer people who aren’t attracted to a football-based drama. There are great performances here, particularly from Kross and Mavor who encapsulate the bond of a long-term marriage between Bert and Margaret through thick and thin.

Although the film does tread the oft-told story of World War II experience and hardships, there is much to enjoy and thanks to the wonder of CGI, a great rendering of a post-war Wembley Stadium, not dissimilar to what they did with the Live Aid-period Wembley in BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY, aids the authenticity.

Football fans are loyal, passionate and primal when it comes to their allegiance and at first glance, THE KEEPER may divide those because of the focus on Manchester City, riding high in the English Premier League under the guidance of Pep Guardiola and perhaps, like THE DAMNED UNITED, may be seen as too niche for a broader audience.

The Keeper review

However, do not let that put you off seeing one of the best films of the year, as well as one of the best Sports Dramas of all time, which is directed with assurance by Marcus H. Rosenmüller from a screenplay co-written with Nicholas J. Schofield.

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Film and TV Journalist Follow: @Higgins99John Follow: @filmandtvnow