Movie Number 43 of 2023
The Movie: One Life
The Cinema: Hoyts Victoria Gardens (Preview Session)
Stars: 4
Opens next week.
File this one under British, Historical and uplifting. It also has some of the greats of British Cinema in the film making it even better. All of these factors meant that I was going to enjoy this one, but what I liked is that I learned something too. This is a little known bit of World War II history which shows just what one man can achieve.
The story follows Nicholas Winton, played in the late 80s by Anthony Hopkins and in the late 30s, by Johnny Flynn. Modern day Winton is reminiscing as he cleans out his study. A lifelong humanitarian, he is struck by the work he has done and the ways in which he feels he has failed his fellow many. In his retirement, he is still volunteering for humanitarian groups.
In reality, before the outbreak of war, Winton was instrumental is helping over 600 children from Czechoslovakia be transported to safety in England. Many were Jewish, or the children of dissidents who were living in refugee camps after being driven out of their homes by the Nazi occupation.
This story is one of wonder and bravery. As Winton says, he is just an ordinary man, doing what he can, but he and his group or aide workers went out of their way to assist the children by arranging foster families, visas and transportation for them, putting all of them in grave danger.
The cast includes Helena Bonham Carter as Winton's mother, a force to be reckoned with, Lena Olin as his long-suffering wife and Romola Garai as Doreen and Alex Lloyd as Trevor, English aid workers who are keeping things going on the ground in the camps.
James Hawes direction is solid. It's very matter of fact, rather than schmaltzy, it keeps to the facts, telling the story of a man who wishes he could have done more, and feels like a failure because of this.
One Life provides a view into what one good man can do.
Take tissues.
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