The Keeper

Given the Russian War in Ukraine, civil wars in eg The Sudan, the conflict in Gaza and the  Hamas  atrocities in Israel on 7th October 2023, this film currently on BBC iplayer, apparently a true story about a German Prisoner of War being  held with other war prisoners, in a PoW camp near Manchester, following the end of WWII, is both apt and moving.

Apt, because the film depicts  cowardice, courage, human failings, love, talent, agony, human success and reconciliation in post second world war Britain; moving, because of the weaknesses, deaths and reconciliations that are depicted.

Bert Trautman the PoW, is bullied by the British PoW sergeant in charge of the camp, by for example, being made frequently to clean the latrines. On one occasion whilst playing a prisoners' football  game as goalkeeper, where he brilliantly makes save after save, although the game is stopped by the bully sergeant, he is spotted by the trainer of a local losing football team St Helens facing relegation.

Eventually, being allowed to work away from the PoW camp, albeit in restrictive conditions, in the St Helen's manager's shop conditionally upon his  helping the manager's football team survive, he succeeds with the team's final match and eventually falls in love with the manager's daughter Margaret.

Eventually, he is spotted, and later recruited, by the  then Man City manager, who is scouting for a decent player. 

There was a huge amount of resentment of  Germans at the time, being post WWII. This was reflected at the Man City ground, with the crowd both home and away supporters, loudly booing Bert. A Jewish rabbi who had fled the war to the UK, eventually shakes hands with him and Bert bcomes Man City's hero.

However he has damaging accident on the pitch. Off the pitch, his only son dies in a motor accident. Visiting his son's grave he meets the bully sergeant. They have a fight,  during which the sergeant mentions his own son killed fighting the Germans in the war. Eventually they too shake hands.

Given the reconciliations depicted at that dreadful time, today's wars could and should, surely be resolved with reconciliation being at the core of such resolutions.