The Keeper
— Bert Trautmann came to England as a prisoner of war after World War II. After his release, he got signed by Manchester City in 1949, where he went on to play more than 500 matches. He won the FA Cup with City in 1956 after breaking his neck and continuing to play for another 15 minutes until the final whistle.
The Keeper doesn’t do this incredible story justice, and it can’t. The movie focuses a lot on overcoming resistance to his background in the German Army, on and off the pitch, and personal setbacks. As a football follower and former goalkeeper, I would have loved to see how his many performances on the pitch shaped his image amongst the English people, which would be far easier in a documentary.
The Keeper (2019). Director: Marcus H. Rosenmüller. Cast: David Kross, Freya Mavor, John Henshaw.