One Life movie storyline. Anthony Hopkins stars as Sir Nicholas Winton, a British stockbroker who helped rescue hundreds of children from Europe on the verge of the Second World War, an act of compassion that was almost forgotten for 50 years.
In 1938, Nicholas Winton was a mild-mannered British stockbroker who became increasingly unsettled by the news of what was happening in continental Europe. After a spur-of-the-moment decision to join friends in Prague to help a growing number of refugees, his life — and the lives of hundreds of Jewish children facing the threat of Hitler’s regime — changed forever. Resolving to take whatever action he could, Winton returned to London and conscripted his indefatigable mother, Babette (Helena Bonham Carter) for what would become years of fundraising and fighting bureaucracy in order to begin transporting children to safety in the UK.
Sir Anthony Hopkins masterfully portrays the deeply humble and almost-anonymous Winton of the 1980s. When his ever-patient wife Grete (Lena Olin) asks him to declutter his office, Nicholas uncovers the long-buried folders and notes that hold the many names of all the children he saved, sparking memories of his wartime efforts. We then follow the younger Nicky, played by Johnny Flynn (Clouds of Sils Maria, TIFF ’14), in his sincere and rallying race against an impending war.
Nicholas’ scrapbook triggered a series of events that culminated in the long-delayed celebration of his life-saving achievements when the BBC invited him to a television program that made him an icon of compassion. His story resonates in our time, as we continue to grapple with war, refugee crises, and growing antisemitism. One Life is a moving portrait of the drive to serve in times of strife and a timeless reminder of our ability to make a difference.
One Life is a 2023 biographical drama film directed by James Hawes. Based on the true story of British humanitarian Nicholas Winton, the film alternates between following Anthony Hopkins as a 79-year old Winton reminiscing on his past, and Johnny Flynn as a 29-year old Winton attempting to help groups of Jewish children in German-occupied Czechoslovakia to hide and flee in 1938–39, just before the beginning of World War II. Helena Bonham Carter, Lena Olin, Romola Garai, Alex Sharp and Jonathan Pryce co-star in supporting roles.
One Life had its world première at the Toronto International Film Festival on 9 September 2023, and its European première at the 2023 London Film Festival. It was released in the United Kingdom on 1 January 2024 by Warner Bros. Pictures, and later in the United States on March 15, 2024 by Bleecker Street. The film received mostly positive reviews, with praise for the performances of the cast, particularly Hopkins and Bonham Carter.
One Life (2024)
Directed by: James Hawes
Starring: Anthony Hopkins, Helena Bonham Carter, Johnny Flynn, Lena Olin, Romola Garai, Alex Sharp, Jonathan Pryce, Matilda Thorpe, Daniel Brown, Barbora Váchová, Juliana Moska, Jolana Jirotková
Screenplay by: Lucinda Coxon, Nick Drake
Production Design by: Christina Moore
Cinematography by: Zac Nicholson
Film Editing by: Lucia Zucchetti
Costume Design by: Joanna Eatwell
Set Decoration by: Philippa Hart, Petra Vencelidesova, Klara Zimova
Art Direction by: Jan Kalous, Aline Leonello, Jo White
Music by: Volker Bertelmann
MPAA Rating: PG for thematic material, smoking and some language.
Distributed by: Warner Bros. Pictures (United Kingdom), Bleecker Street (United States)
Release Date: September 9, 2023 (TIFF), January 1. 2024 (United Kingdom), March 15, 2024 (United States)
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