One Life - Review

Rating: 4 out of 5

THE true story of Nicholas Winton, the British stockbroker who orchestrated the rescue of 669 Czech Jewish children from the clutch of the Nazis during the late 1930s, is a rousing, inspirational affair that gets a suitably moving - if surprisingly modest - big screen outing.

Anthony Hopkins grabs star billing as Winton, dubbed the 'British Schindler', whose extraordinary efforts were only recognised in later life, when his exploits were brought to the attention of classic TV presenter Esther Rantzten and her That's Life show.

The film splits its time between the build-up to Winton's humbling TV moment and his actual rescue efforts (which sees the younger version of himself played by Johnny Flynn), compiling the names of the children he was desperate to save, as well as securing the required documentation, funding and foster parents - each one a feat in itself.

Yet James Hawes direction, drive by a script that was co-written by Nick Drake and Lucinda Coxon, doesn't opt for grand theatrics or showy acting. Rather, it's under-stated and realistic - a style befitting the no-nonsense, yet devoted and quietly dedicated persona of Winton himself.

One of the film's most telling moments is when the young Winton describes himself as a European everyman, not tied to any faith - despite being of Jewish and German descent. He's a refugee sympathiser and humanitarian, more interested in doing the right thing and helping others, than pitching his allegiance to any particular political or religious doctrine.

Yet, with help from the likes of his fellow refugee supporters on the ground in Czechoslovakia (played by Romola Garai and Alex Sharp) and his bullish mother at home (Helena Bonham Carter), Winton was able to achieve what many thought impossible and get so many children out before the Nazis took over the country and sent so many refugees to the concentration camps.Winton's story isn't without tragedy - and there is one devastating failure that leaves plenty of scars.

But as the film shows, once recongition came in the form of the That's Life programme, the true extent of his actions were exposed for all to see. And it's a moment guaranteed to melt the hardest of hearts, as many of the people he worked so hard to save re-assemble to give thanks and reveal the lives they were able to lead, which may never otherwise have been possible.

Winton's response, as channelled by Hopkins, is beautifully humble and understated.

Hence, Hawes' film stands as a lasting tribute to the work of Winton and his small army of supporters. Yet, perhaps even more crucially, it contains a relevance that - perhaps dispiritingly - extends to events today, with conflict raging in Ukraine and Gaza and leaving yet another devastating human cost.

It's the plight of refugees, and child refugees in particular, that Winton was devoted to highlighting; his work determined to save them. Yet set against the context of ongoing conflicts, as well as continued opposition to immigration and refugees by countries around the world, One Life stands as a timely reminder of what it means to be human, to be decent and to extend compassion to one another, thereby saving lives in the process.

One Life is an admirable film on so many levels, with timely resonance.