The Luzhin Defence
Brief Synopsis
Cast & Crew
Marleen Gorris
John Turturro
Emily Watson
Geraldine James
Stuart Wilson
Christopher Thompson
Film Details
Technical Specs
Synopsis
Set in the late 1920s, Luzhin is a shambling, unworldly chess Grand Master who arrives in the Italian Lakes to play the match of his life and unexpectedly finds the love of his life. Discovering his prodigious talent in boyhood overshadowed by his parents' failing marriage, Luzhin's lyrical passion for chess has become his refuge and rendered the real world a phantom. Already matched up by her family to the very suitable Comte de Stassard, when Natalia meets Luzhin she is drawn to the erratic genius and offers him a glimpse outside of his chess obsession. But it is a world he is not equipped to deal with, and his two worlds collide to tragic effect.
Director
Marleen Gorris
Cast
![](https://prod-images.tcm.com/Master-Profile-Images/JohnTurturro.195266.jpg?imwidth=188&height=141)
John Turturro
Emily Watson
Geraldine James
Stuart Wilson
Christopher Thompson
Fabio Sartor
Peter Blythe
Orla Brady
Mark Tandy
Kelly Hunter
Alexander Hunting
Alfredo Pea
Fabio Pasquini
Luigi Petrucci
Carlo Greco
Massimo Sarchielli
Luca Foggiano
Antonio Carli
David Ambrosi
Crew
Jody Allen
Louis Becker
Peter Berry
Tony Burrough
Sara-jane Cornish
Alexandre Desplat
Alexandre Desplat
Alexandre Desplat
Stephen Evans
Celestia Fox
Peter Glossop
Tommy Gormley
Philippe Guez
John Hill
Craig Irving
Claudia Kalindjian
Bernard Lutic
Charles Mcdonald
Vladimir Nabokov
Vladimir Nabokov
Leo Pescarolo
Michiel Reichwein
Eric Robison
Rosanna Roditi
Roseann Samuel
Lazlo Sipos
Dominic Smithers
Nathalie Tanner
Jany Temime
Andrew Warren
Caroline Wood
Film Details
Technical Specs
Quotes
Trivia
Miscellaneous Notes
Released in United States August 2000
Released in United States October 2000
Released in United States on Video September 18, 2001
Released in United States September 2000
Released in United States Spring April 20, 2001
Shown at Dinard Festival of British Cinema October 5-8, 2000.
Shown at Edinburgh International Film Festival (Gala) August 13-27, 2000.
Shown at Toronto International Film Festival (Gala) September 7-16, 2000.
Began shooting October 3, 1999.
Completed shooting November 30, 1999.
Released in United States Spring April 20, 2001
Expanded Release in United States May 18, 2001
Released in United States August 2000 (Shown at Edinburgh International Film Festival (Gala) August 13-27, 2000.)
Released in United States September 2000 (Shown at Toronto International Film Festival (Gala) September 7-16, 2000.)
Released in United States on Video September 18, 2001
Released in United States October 2000 (Shown at Dinard Festival of British Cinema October 5-8, 2000.)
Expanded Release in United States May 18, 2001