Chess Story poster

Chess Story

Schachnovelle

20211h 50mHistory · Drama · War · Thriller
directed by Philipp Stölzl

“He turned resistance into a game.”

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TMDB
6.9 / 10
158 votes
IMDb
6.8 / 10
4,856 votes
Metacritic
80 / 100
Rotten Tomatoes
88%

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Synopsis

1938. While the Nazi troops march into Vienna, the lawyer Josef Bartok hastily tries to escape to the USA with his wife but is arrested by the Gestapo. Bartok remains steadfast and refuses to cooperate with the Gestapo that requires confidential information from him. Thrown into solitary confinement, Bartok is psychologically tormented for months and begins to weaken. However, when he steals an old book about chess it sets him on course to overcome the mental suffering inflicted upon him, until it becomes a dangerous obsession.

Cast

Oliver Masucci·Dr. Josef Bartok
Albrecht Schuch·Franz-Josef Böhm
Birgit Minichmayr·Anna Bartok
Rolf Lassgård·Owen McConnor
Andreas Lust·Johann Prantl
Samuel Finzi·Alfred Koller
Lukas Miko·Gustav Sailer
Joel Basman·Barkeeper Willem
Clemens Berndorff·Dr. Swoboda
Johannes Zeiler·Dr. Fink