One Life (2023)
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A man's heroic efforts to save children from the Nazis in the late 1930s are revealed decades later.
The story
In 1938, London stockbroker Nicholas Winton visits Czechoslovakia and encounters families fleeing the rise of the Nazis. Horrified by the conditions in the refugee camps, Winton decides to save as many children as he can. Supported by his mother, he overcomes bureaucratic hurdles, collects donations, and finds foster families for the children to be brought to England. The story alternates between Winton's actions in 1938-39 and his reflections as a 79-year-old man in 1988, where he discovers the lasting impact of his humanitarian efforts and the lives he managed to save before the onset of World War II.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
The film alternates between 1938-39 and 1988. In the earlier period, Nicholas Winton works to rescue 669 children from German-occupied Czechoslovakia. In 1988, an elderly Winton reflects on his past while organizing his records. He eventually appears on the TV show 'That's Life!', where he is shocked to find that the audience includes several of the children he saved. The film concludes by revealing that he remained in contact with the survivors for 27 years until his death at 106. It is noted that as of 2023, over 6,000 people were alive thanks to his efforts.
- First release year
- 2023
- Runtime (minutes)
- 110
- Production countries
- United Kingdom; Czech Republic; Australia; United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- James Hawes
- Writers
- Lucinda Coxon · screenplay; Nick Drake · screenplay
- Cast and characters
- Anthony Hopkins · Nicholas Winton; Helena Bonham Carter · Babi Winton; Johnny Flynn · Nicholas Winton; Lena Olin; Romola Garai; Alex Sharp; Jonathan Pryce
- Genres
- biographical drama; historical drama; war drama
- Themes
- humanitarianism; rescue; legacy; survival
- Premise and plot tags
- biopic; historical; war
- Source material / true-story basis
- If It’s Not Impossible…The Life of Sir Nicholas Winton
- Reception
- The film received mostly positive reviews, with praise for the performances of the cast, particularly Hopkins and Bonham Carter.
- Reported review scores
- Metacritic · score: 69 · scale: 100 · review count: 30
- Awards and nominations
- Cinema for Peace Dove · The Most Valuable Film of the Year · 2024 · won
- Production trivia
- The extras in the 'That's Life!' recreation are the actual children of the people Winton saved.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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