THE KEEPER/ TRAUTMAN

Germany/UK, 2018, 120 minutes, Colour.
David Kross, Freya Marvor, John Henshaw, Harry Melling, Michael Socha, Dave Johns, Barbara Young, Gary Lewis, Dervla Kerwin.
Directed by Marcus H. Rosenmueller.

This is a drama with an appeal to most audiences. As the title indicates, it is a film with sport, football/soccer, at its centre.

However, it is much more than this. It is also a World War II film and a focus on its aftermath, especially the links between Germany and Britain. (And, for those who like a love story, there is also a romance!)

It is the story of Bernd Trautman. As the film opens, he is a soldier in the German army, on a mission, ambushed, taken prisoner, and sent to a prisoner of war camp in Lancashire. Audiences, familiar with POW stories from World War II and the British prisoners in camps in Germany will be interested to see the British authorities, some vengeful because of air-raid deaths of members of their family, authoritarian and sometimes cruel, some harsh conditions, the work of the prisoners…

We are also introduced to a number of the locals, a shopkeeper and his daughter, the local football team and managers. While Bernd has been the target of the camp commander (who will later have an emotionally challenging confrontation with Bernd at a cemetery), he gets the opportunity to exercise his talent as a keeper.

In many ways, even if we don’t know Bernd’s story, we can guess where this will lead. And it does. He saves many a day and score in the local football matches. He is granted leave to work in the store. He clashes with the storekeeper’s daughter who sees and despises him as the enemy.

When the war ends, Bernd decides to remain in in the town for a week for the football final, staying with the family, introducing some mellowing of attitudes. At the final match, a Manchester City Scout is present and Bernd is signed on.

The theme of hostility between British and Germans continues in the later years of the 1940s, aggressive press conferences, accusations against Bernd about war activities, something which concerns Bernd himself, seen by the audience in flashbacks where he unsuccessfully tries to save a Ukrainian child from the pistol of a fellow-soldier, an experience which holds him.

For the soccer fans, there are many sequences of play, emphasising Bernd’s ability as a keeper – and his ability to toss the ball far up the pitch. He also suffers injury and stoically continues playing. He marries, has a son, suffers some grief (aspects of his real life and marriage rather glossed over in the screenplay).

Bernd Trautman received awards from both British and German governments for his efforts for peace between the two countries.

There is a strong cast led by a very sympathetic David Kross (The Reader, Balloon) as Bernd, Freya Mavor has his strong-minded wife, and actors from Ken Loach films, John Henshaw, Gary Lewis, Dave Johns – who was Daniel Blake.

A film which is both entertaining and interesting.



1. The title? Expectations? Audience knowledge of Bernd Troutman?

2. The film as an entertainment? The film is a sports film? World War II film? Hostilities in peace? The film is a love story, family story?

3. The War settings, the forest and hostilities, the ambush and deaths? In Ukraine, the encounter with the boy and the shooting of the child? Bernd and his memories of childhood, in the house, playing soccer?

4. The British settings, 1944, Lancashire, the prisoner of war camp, squalid, the interiors, dormitories, lavatories? Outside the camp, the countryside? The town, the streets, the shops, the dance? The football fields? Going to Manchester, pitches, Wembley…? The city, homes, hospital, the seaside? The musical score?

5. The introduction to Bernd, action in the war, the ambush, the dead man falling on him? The transition to the camp? His age, experience, his declaring that while he was a volunteer, it is always under orders? The assembly, his speaking in English, the antagonism of Smyth? Cleaning the toilets? The men in the kicking of the ball, his betting the cigarettes, his saving all the goals? The continued antagonism by Smyth?

6. The town in Lancashire, the introduction to Jack Friar, the deliveries, Margaret present, her kicking the ball, antagonism towards the Germans? Jack, his idea, doing the deal with the camp, taking Bernd to the football match? The initial hostilities to a German? Stopping on the way to change from his concentration camp clothes to ordinary? His skill as a keeper, winning the matches? Jack and his knowing the deal with the camp, Bernd coming to work in the shop, Margaret’s hostility, the door and his different entry? Barbara and her watching him? His continuing to do useful work, the bond with Barbara, her walking on stilts?

7. Margaret, her age, Bill as her boyfriend, her girlfriend in the town? Antagonism towards Bernd, the discussions about the war, the deaths, taking sides? The conversation about wet dancing in the football? The football match and his doing a dance with the ball? The change of attitude? The attraction, the dance, the threats from Bill, her girlfriend’s criticism? Bernd going to her room, her father’s caution, the transition to their marriage?

8. Smyth, his bitterness, authoritarian, cruel? Taking Bernd’s little bird memento? Humiliating the prisoners? The concert, the showing of the film about the concentration camps? The riot, the Nazi men in the camp, burns friend hanging himself? The men being returned home?

9. Jack, upset about the cell Germans going home, Bernd coming to visit, staying a week for the match, getting Barbara’s room? Check, a character, vociferous, enthusiastic about football, taking it all personally? The other officials in the town? The players, Jack interrupting the dance and sending the musicians home?

10. The final match, the talent scout coming from Manchester City? The match and its ups and downs? The scout talking to Bernd? Offering him to go to Manchester?

11. The interview in Manchester, the press conference, Margaret accompanying Bernd, the manager and President? The scout and his response to the questions? The hostile questions, Germans, memories of the war, bitterness? The concentration camps? The role of the rabbi, his seeing Bernd play, the interviews, his not holding any grudge, his support and Bernd’s later meeting him and thanking him? His continuing to watch the matches?

12. The hostility of the crowds, the effect on Jack and Margaret, the support of his wife throughout?

13. The years passing, Bernd and his being accepted, the perspective of the rabbi, the sequences of play, the collage of Bernd and his saving the goals, his powerful tossing of the ball, the effect on him? The news of the birth of his son, hurrying to the hospital?

14. Years passing, signalled on screen, the boy growing up, the happiness of going camping on the beach, loving family? Bernd remembering the boy being shot as he recovered the ball? This wanting him? Not telling Margaret?

15. Success, the final, Bernd and the injury, his collapse, the into cutting of the scenes of his going to hospital and explanations of his broken neck to Margaret, the fact that he was not killed, going back to the play, his getting up each time, continuing, Manchester City winning the match? His heroism?

16. In the hospital, gradual recovery, Jack and his son playing with the ball? His phoning Margaret, the son wanting the ice cream, going out, his being killed? The funeral? Each in their grief?

17. The walk on the seaside, Margaret and her strong stands, wanting to continue, telling Bernd was not just all about him, Bernd and his feeling the retribution for his not saving the boy during the war? Encouraging him to play?

18. The visit to the cemetery, the encounter with Smyth, Smyth and his story about his wife and daughters, encouraging Bernd to play, the fight and a kind of purging of anger?

19. Resumption of play, the hero, eventually retiring? Considered a British hero and on the? German hero and honour? Symbol of peacemaking?

20. The final photo of the actual Bernd saving the goal? The final information (and the details not indicating the rather rocky experience of Bernd and divorce from Margaret and his other marriages, her dying in 1980, his dying in 2013?)