Die Grünstein-Variante

1985 1h 45m DE

🤯

9.0

MASTERPIECE

★9.0TMDB · 2

Drama

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

The plot revolves around three men waiting to be deported in a prison. To escape the monotony, they form chess pieces from their bread rations, with which they then play against each other. Grünstein, a Polish Jew, proves to be a real talent, because although he is a beginner, he manages to defeat even the experienced player Lodeck, a German sailor, with his "Grünstein Variant".

“Some stories are better left unspoiled.”

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Cast

Klaus Schwarzkopf
Grieche
Fred Düren
Grünstein
Rolf Hoppe
Gefängnisdirektor
Jörg Gudzuhn
Lodek
Arno Wyzniewski
Kaminski
Rolf Ludwig
Garstecki
Willi Schrade
Wärter
Hubert Gleissner
Wärter

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Bernhard Wicki
Writers: Wolfgang Kohlhaase, Bernhard Wicki, Ludwig Turek
Languages: German
Countries: Germany

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 / 7

ERA

Did you know

41 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 7

CRAFT

Did you know

Lean credit list — fewer than 30 people officially credited.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Bernhard Wicki, shot by Edward Kłosiński. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

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

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 7

CAST

Did you know

Klaus Schwarzkopf and Fred Düren and Rolf Hoppe carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 7

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt0089234 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 7

WILD

Did you know

Only 2 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Bernhard Wicki directs. Edward Kłosiński behind the camera. Tanja Schmidbauer cuts. Produced in Germany. Dialogue in German.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

141 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.
2Lean credit list — fewer than 30 people officially credited.
3Directed by Bernhard Wicki, shot by Edward Kłosiński. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
4Editor Tanja Schmidbauer shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
5Klaus Schwarzkopf and Fred Düren and Rolf Hoppe carry the top of the cast.
6IMDB entry: tt0089234 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
7Only 2 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.