As a self-professed film and football fanatic, it’s fair to say that The Keeper is a film for me – though certainly one that should appeal to anyone, such is the strength of this quite remarkable take. It’s a biopic of former Manchester City goalkeeper Bert Trautmann, who was at one stage a German prisoner of war. Played here by David Kross, we sat down with the actor, alongside Freya Mavor, who plays his wife Margaret, to discuss this drama.
The pair comment on the pressure that derives from playing real life people who will have family members still around watching this film, and how great the two characters were for them to get their teeth stuck into. They also talk about collaborating with director Marcus H. Rosenmuller, while we place the film in a contemporary context, as one that celebrates love between two Europeans, which feels particularly pertinent given the ongoing Brexit shambles taking place in the UK.
Watch the interview below:
Synopsis
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. While visiting a PoW camp near Manchester at the end of the 2nd WW, Margaret Friar, the daughter of the manager of the local football team notices a young German soldier Bert Trautmann. Her father is so taken by Bert’s prowess as a goal-keeper that he gets him out of the camp to play for his local team – Margaret’s and Bert’s love blossoms despite local hostility and resentment of the German PoWs. In the meantime Bert’s heroics in goal are noticed by Man City…
The Keeper is released in cinemas on April 5th.
