The Keeper tells the extraordinary love story between a young English woman and a German PoW, who together overcome prejudice, public hostility, and personal tragedy.
"Marcus H. Rosenmüller’s The Keeper tells the extraordinary true story of Bert Trautmann (David Kross), a former German prisoner of war who stayed in Britain after the end of World War Two and went on to become one of Manchester City football club’s most respected and loved players.
"When he is captured by British forces whilst fighting in Europe on the German side, Bert Trautmann, a paratrooper for the Luftwaffe, is soon transported to a PoW camp in the north of England. Here, in between the arduous chores he is expected to perform, Trautmann is noticed by the local football manager.
"Soon, Trautmann is offered a place on the local football team and a job at the Henshaws grocery shop where the young man falls in love with his boss’s daughter Margaret (Freya Mavor). Things start to unravel and secrets are revealed when Bert is eventually signed by Manchester City as their new keeper, a decision which doesn’t go down too well with the city’s Jewish community.
"David Kross (The Reader) gives a disarming and beautifully understated turn as Trautmann whom he offers as a man tortured by missed opportunities and guilt for perceived past wrongdoings. For her part, Freya Mavor (Sunshine On Leath) does a great job.
"The Keeper delivers far more than what is expected from it, both tonally and aesthetically. Furthermore, by highlighting the tricky subject of reconciliation in Europe, which is more timely than ever in the current political climate, the film succeeds in being informative, but never moralising. A well told historical love story with added gravitas and urgency." - HeyUGuys