One Life

"Save one life, save the world."

2023 1h 49m EN

🙌

7.8

BANGER

★7.8TMDB · 1,001

HistoryDrama

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

British stockbroker Nicholas Winton visits Czechoslovakia in the 1930s and forms plans to assist in the rescue of Jewish children before the onset of World War II, in an operation that came to be known as the Kindertransport.

“Save one life, save the world.”

WhatsApp X Facebook Telegram

Where to watch · US

Wonder Project Amazon ChannelSubscription

Amazon VideoRent

Apple TV StoreRent

Google Play MoviesRent

YouTubeRent

Fandango At HomeRent

Spectrum On DemandRent

Amazon VideoBuy

Apple TV StoreBuy

Google Play MoviesBuy

YouTubeBuy

Fandango At HomeBuy

Cast

Anthony Hopkins
Nicholas Winton
Johnny Flynn
Young Nicholas Winton
Lena Olin
Grete Winton
Romola Garai
Doreen Warriner
Alex Sharp
Trevor Chadwick
Jonathan Pryce
Martin Blake
Helena Bonham Carter
Babi Winton
Juliana Moska
Hana Hejdukova

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: James Hawes
Writers: Ian McCaffrey, Lucinda Coxon, Nick Drake
Languages: English, Czech, French, German
Countries: Australia, United Kingdom

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

ERA

Did you know

Released 3 years ago.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

Dialogue crosses 4 languages: English, Czech, French, German.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

International production across 2 countries: Australia, United Kingdom.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by James Hawes, shot by Zac Nicholson. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Volker Bertelmann. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Lucia Zucchetti shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Anthony Hopkins and Johnny Flynn and Lena Olin carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

FACT

Did you know

Marketing tagline: "Save one life, save the world.".

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

James Hawes directs. Zac Nicholson behind the camera. Volker Bertelmann scores. Lucia Zucchetti cuts. Produced in Australia, United Kingdom. Dialogue in English, Czech, French, German.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Released 3 years ago.
2Dialogue crosses 4 languages: English, Czech, French, German.
3International production across 2 countries: Australia, United Kingdom.
4Directed by James Hawes, shot by Zac Nicholson. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
5Original score by Volker Bertelmann. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
6Editor Lucia Zucchetti shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
7Anthony Hopkins and Johnny Flynn and Lena Olin carry the top of the cast.
8Marketing tagline: "Save one life, save the world.".
9IMDB entry: tt13097932 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
10Classified under 22 themes, including "world war ii", "deportation", "czechoslovakia", "biography".

The technical file

Cinematography: Zac Nicholson
Original score: Volker Bertelmann
Editing: Lucia Zucchetti
Production design: Christina Moore
Costume design: Joanna Eatwell
Makeup / hair: Jean Carlos de Blas
VFX supervisor: David Fowler
Sound: Rob Hughes
Runtime: 109 min · 1h 49m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Box office: $51,437,352
Original language: EN
Certification (US): PG
IMDB: One Life (2023)

Also by

James Hawes

Stills · wallpapers

Selected frames

Full-resolution frames — open one to save it as a wallpaper.

Wallpaper

Trailers & featurettes

Watch the pieces

Community reviews

What people are saying

Manuel São Bento2023-10-13
★ 8/10
FULL SPOILER-FREE REVIEW @ https://fandomwire.com/one-life-bfi-london-film-festival-review-a-must-watch-important-wwii-story/ "One Life is yet another important story from WWII that deserves to be seen on the big screen. Despite not breaking genre barriers, it unfolds its narrative in a captivating manner, packed with devastating, bittersweet moments, but also filled with wonderful depictions of altruism, humanitarian sacrifice, and hope, culminating in a powerfully cathartic ending that serves as an ideal tribute to Sir Nicholas Winton. The cast carries the weight of the responsibility of the rescue mission with grounded care, relying on the legendary Anthony Hopkins to bear the explosion of the accumulated emotion. Beautifully edited, tear-inducing score... simply a must-watch." Rating: A-
CinemaSerf2024-01-11
★ 7/10
Johnny Flynn performs quite well here as the young stockbroker Nicholas Winton who arrives in Prague just as the Nazis annexe the Sudetenland. He is horrified by the child poverty that he sees and decides, perhaps naively, to work with his British Refugee Council colleagues to try and expedite their removal to a safer and altogether earthier environment. Fortunately, his mother Babette (Helena Bonham Carter), herself from immigrant stock, is no slouch when it comes to doorstepping officials in Whitehall and soon has convinced the authorities to agree a fast-track mechanism that will enable him to get the children back to the UK provided they have guaranteed foster homes and the fairly massive sum of £50 as a guarantee. He returns to London and a massive public awareness/fundraising campaign ensues - as do eight trains carrying over six hundred children to safety. We are told this story via a series of flashbacks from the modern day Winton (Sir Anthony Hopkins) who now lives peacefully with his wife Greta (Lena Olin) in Berkshire. He is perusing a scrapbook he has left in a drawer for forty-odd years in which he has photographs and details of many of those passengers on the "Kinder" trains. His friend from back then (Jonathan Pryce) manages to put him in touch with Betty Maxwell - the wife of the wealthy publisher Robert, and next thing he is on British television's most popular "That's Life" programme that regularly reached 18 million people on a Sunday evening. This appearance poignantly introduces him to one survivor, his next sees that snowball into some sixty or so who owed their life and liberty to the efforts of Winton and his colleagues - whom he is always very clear to ensure are never forgotten. I recall watching this programme back in the day and the dramatisation is no less moving than the original broadcast. Sir Anthony offers us a considered performance - demonstrating a shy family man who rejects the trappings of fuss and celebrity because he sees his behaviour as nothing special. Doing the right thing. His efforts are touching and understated and nicely dovetail with the rather pushy and forthright Bonham Carter fighting tooth and nail against red tape in 1939. As an insight to Nazi tyranny it also works subtly. We see very little actual violence, but we see a squalor and hopelessness that robs the soul of hope as depressingly as the situation robs their stomachs of food. The film looks good and is sparingly scripted allowing our own imagination to do much of the thinking here.
r96sk2024-01-19
★ 8/10
A touching picture featuring Anthony Hopkins. 'One Life' is '<a href="https://letterboxd.com/film/schindlers-list/" rel="nofollow">Schindler's List</a>'-esque, though perhaps more of a grounded portrayal of such events without the proper Hollywood-ness drama that that aforementioned flick holds; no hate on that sensational Steven Spielberg production by any means, it's a far better film in fact. This 2023 release is very hearty though, one of those movies where it is impossible not to care for the people onscreen. There are plenty of emotional scenes that touch the feels, with one involving Hopkins right at the end particularly hitting. That man is excellent throughout, as expected. Johnny Flynn impresses too, he is just as important here as the Welshman. Helena Bonham Carter is a little underused, especially given she's on the cover, but very good. Neat to see Jonathan Pryce appear, also. I actually remember seeing that real '<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/That%27s_Life!" rel="nofollow">That's Life!</a>' clip randomly on YouTube many years back and I didn't realise until just before it's portrayed here that it was reenacting that exact moment. Whether you watch this film or not, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6_nFuJAF5F0" rel="nofollow">that video</a> is truly a must-watch.