The Luzhin Defence (2000)

User Rating:

6.9/10   

Director:

Marleen Gorris

Writers:

Vladimir Nabokov (novel)
Peter Berry (screenplay)

Release Date:

8 September 2000 (UK)

Genre:

Drama | Romance

Tagline:

His love dictates every move.

Plot:

Two worlds collide when an eccentric genius falls in love with a strong-willed society beauty.

Plot Keywords:

Chess | Genius | Lake | 1920s | Obsession

Awards:

3 wins & 2 nominations

Cast

John Turturro	...	Aleksandr Ivanovich 'Sascha' Luzhin
Emily Watson	...	Natalia Katkov
Geraldine James	...	Vera, Natalia's Mother
Stuart Wilson	...	Leo Valentinov
Christopher Thompson	...	Jean de Stassard
Fabio Sartor	...	Dottore Salvatore Turati
Peter Blythe	...	Ilya
Orla Brady	...	Aunt Anna
Mark Tandy	...	Luzhin's Father
Kelly Hunter	...	Luzhin's Mother
Alexander Hunting	...	Young Aleksandr Luzhin
Alfredo Pea	...	1st Official
Fabio Pasquini	...	2nd Official
Luigi Petrucci	...	Santucci
Carlo Greco	...	Hotel Manager
Massimo Sarchielli	...	Tailor
Luca Foggiano	...	Fascist
Antonio Carli	...	Fascist
David Ambrosi	...	Fascist
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Géza Schramek	...	Maitre'D (uncredited)

Directed by
Marleen Gorris

Writing credits
Vladimir Nabokov		(novel "Zashchita Luzhina")
Peter Berry		(screenplay)

Produced by
Péter Barbalics	....	co-producer
Louis Becker	....	producer
Stephen Evans	....	producer
Philippe Guez	....	producer
Jody Patton	....	executive producer
Leo Pescarolo	....	co-producer
Eric Robison	....	co-producer
Andrew Warren	....	line producer
Caroline Wood	....	producer

Original Music by
Alexandre Desplat

Cinematography by
Bernard Lutic		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Michiel Reichwein		(as Michaël Reichwein)

Casting by
Celestia Fox

Production Design by
Tony Burrough

Art Direction by
John Hill		(supervising art director)

Costume Design by
Jany Temime

Makeup Department
Cristiana Bertini	....	additional hair stylist
Cristiana Bertini	....	additional makeup artist
Elaine Browne	....	hair stylist
Elaine Browne	....	makeup artist
Harisa Centani	....	additional hair stylist
Harisa Centani	....	additional makeup artist
Lamberto Deli	....	additional hair stylist (as Lambero Deli)
Lamberto Deli	....	additional makeup artist (as Lambero Deli)
Annamaria Ginnoto	....	additional hair stylist
Annamaria Ginnoto	....	additional makeup artist
Lesley Noble	....	hair stylist
Lesley Noble	....	makeup artist
Carla Ruffert	....	additional hair stylist
Carla Ruffert	....	additional makeup artist
Roseann Samuel	....	hair designer
Roseann Samuel	....	makeup designer
Allison Sing	....	hair stylist
Allison Sing	....	makeup artist
Rozalia Szegedi	....	additional hair stylist
Rozalia Szegedi	....	additional makeup artist

Production Management
Ferenc Béres	....	unit production manager (as Ferenc Beres)
Fleur Fontaine	....	post-production supervisor
László Lakatos	....	unit manager
Mark Mostyn	....	unit manager
Rosanna Roditi	....	production manager
Paolo Rosada	....	unit manager
László Sipos	....	production manager
Maria Walker	....	post-production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Gábor Gajdos	....	assistant director: Hungary (as Gabor Gajdos)
Tommy Gormley	....	first assistant director
Tamás Mink	....	second assistant director (as Tamas Mink)
Sarah Purser	....	second assistant director
Boyana Sutic	....	assistant director: Italy (as Bojana Sutic)
Aoife Thunder	....	third assistant director

Art Department
Daniel Bacciu	....	props buyer
Zsuzsanna Borvendég	....	art director: Hungary (as Zsuzsanna Borvendeg)
Sarah Jane Cornish	....	stand-by art director
Noel Cowell	....	stand-by propsman
Luciano Curti	....	painter
Paolo Cusin	....	laborer
Gisella Ingrassia	....	painter
Marino Ingrassia	....	painter
Ermanno Kerstich	....	laborer (as Ermanno Kersich)
Imre Kiss	....	assistant construction manager
Luciano Magagnini	....	assistant props man
Kamlan Man	....	production buyer
Mihaly Marton	....	assistant props man
Mauro Masotti	....	assistant props man
Ennio Meloni	....	assistant construction manager
Norman Mitchell	....	glass chess set
Tiziano Nardoni	....	construction manager
Alessandra Querzola	....	set dresser: Italy
Shirley Robinson	....	graphic designer
Miklós Schmelcz	....	construction manager (as Miklos Schmelz)
Dominic Smithers	....	supervising set decorator
John Smith	....	props storeman
Francesco Staltari	....	assistant construction manager
Sam Stokes	....	property master
Lajos E. Szabó	....	stand-by construction manager (as Lajos E Szabo)
István Tóth	....	set dresser: Hungary (as István Toth)
Emanuele von Normann	....	art director: Italy (as Emanuele Von Normann)
Béla Tollay	....	swing gang (uncredited)

Sound Department
Andrea Azzolini	....	sound trainee
John Bateman	....	adr mixer
John Bateman	....	foley mixer
James Boyle	....	assistant sound editor
Michael Crouch	....	adr editor
Solrey Dupray	....	recording producer
Richard Fettes	....	supervising sound editor
Robert Gavin	....	foley editor
Peter Glossop	....	production sound mixer
Craig Irving	....	sound re-recording mixer
Mark Kenna	....	stereo sound consultant: Dolby
Mark Lafbery	....	assistant sound re-recording mixer
György Mihályi	....	sound trainee (as Gyorgy Mihalyi)
Shaun Mills	....	boom operator
Colin Ritchie	....	dialogue editor
Lionel Selwyn	....	foley artist
Ruth Sullivan	....	foley artist
Alan Sutcliffe	....	sound recordist
Jack Whittaker	....	assistant sound editor

Special Effects by
Attila Erczkovi	....	stand-by pyrotechnician (as Attila Erckovi)
Zsolt Furedi	....	special effects technician
István Gittinger	....	stand-by pyrotechnician (as Istvan Gittinger)
Gyula Krasnyánszky	....	pyrotechnic technical advisor (as Gyula Krasnyanszky)
Ferenc Ormos	....	special effects supervisor
György Solymosi	....	special effects technician (as Gyorgy Solymosi)
Alfredo Spadaro	....	special effects technician
Massimo Ticchiati	....	special effects technician
Gabor Kiszelly	....	special effects technician (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Craig Chandler	....	visual effects producer (uncredited)
Alan Church	....	visual effects supervisor (uncredited)

Stunts
David Ambrosi	....	stunt coordinator
Giovanna Leici	....	stunts
Riccardo Mioni	....	stunt coordinator
Alessandro Novelli	....	stunts (as Allessandro Novelli)
Emiliano Novelli	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Marco Alzetta	....	grip
Werner Bacciu	....	key grip
Jaspreet Bal	....	clapper loader
Gyula Balogh	....	electrician
Csaba Bankhardt	....	electrician
Tommaso Baratto	....	grip
Regis Benedettelli	....	grip (as Regis Benedetteli)
Alessio Bramucci	....	best boy electric
Patrick Bramucci	....	gaffer
Károly Brauner	....	key grip (as Karoly Brauner)
Nicola Bruso	....	grip
Marcello Colaciello	....	electrician
Dominique Delguste	....	focus puller
Angelo Donatone	....	grip (as Angelo Donatoni)
Cristiano Giavedoni	....	electrician
Tamás Jánossa	....	video assist operator
Tibor Klöpfler	....	camera operator: second camera crew, Hungary (as Tibor Klopfler)
Ferenc Lilienberg	....	camera operator: second camera crew, Hungary
Christian Magis	....	gaffer (as Christian Majis)
Richard Malabi	....	camera operator: second camera crew, Hungary
Olivier Martin	....	key grip
Andrea Mineo	....	grip labourer
Elvis Pasqual	....	electrician
Péter Soltész	....	camera trainee (as Peter Soltesz)
Balázs Szinte	....	clapper loader (as Balazs Szinte)
Rudolf Takacs	....	gaffer
Andrea Tenuta	....	grip labourer
Mark Tillie	....	unit still photographer
Vincenzo Vedovato	....	video assist operator
Mario Virdis	....	electrician
Walter Volvino	....	additional focus puller
Tibor Zambo	....	grip
Alessandro Cardelli	....	best boy electric (uncredited)
Simone Puricelli	....	additional clapper loader (uncredited)

Casting Department
Louis Elman	....	adr voice casting
Adriana Sabbatini	....	casting director: Italy
Alex Johnson	....	casting assistant (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Mari Balázs-Piri	....	wardrobe assistant (as Mari Balazs-Piri)
Sergio Ballo	....	wardrobe assistant
Amanda Craze	....	stand-by costume supervisor
Françoise Fourcade	....	wardrobe assistant
György Homonnay	....	wardrobe supervisor
Péter Kincs	....	wardrobe assistant (as Peter Kincs)
Mark Lord	....	wardrobe assistant
Barbara Vianello	....	wardrobe assistant

Editorial Department
Kevin Ahern	....	first assistant film editor
Peter Hunt	....	grader
Lucy Smith	....	first assistant film editor
Wiebe van der Vliet	....	non-linear assistant editor (as Wiebe Van Der Vliet)
Lucy H. Williams	....	second assistant film editor (as Lucy Williams)

Music Department
Riccardo Chailly	....	conductor: Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, "Waltz 2" from "Suite for Jazz Orchestra No. 2"
Simon Chamberlain	....	musician: piano solo
Alexandre Desplat	....	conductor
Alexandre Desplat	....	orchestrator
Tom Jenkins	....	assistant music recordist
John Timperley	....	music mixer
John Timperley	....	music recordist
David Walter	....	assistant music recordist

Transportation Department
Gaetano Avvisato	....	unit driver
Laszlo Balint	....	unit driver
Péter Balogh	....	unit driver (as Peter Balogh)
Neil Birdsall	....	driver: winnebego
Riccardo Cagnetta	....	unit driver
Marcello Colaciello	....	genny driver
Nicola Condelli	....	driver: minibus
Massimiliano Di Meo	....	unit driver
Davide Fadda	....	driver: minibus
Alessio Faretra	....	unit driver
Massimiliano Galante	....	unit driver
Antonio Galise	....	unit driver
Mihály Gáspár	....	production driver
Sergio Gobetto	....	driver: camera car
Gábor Gonda	....	unit driver (as Gabor Gonda)
Mac MacLean	....	driver: wardrobe truck (as Mac McLean)
Zoltán Magyar	....	unit driver
Zoltán Makra	....	unit driver (as Zoltan Makra)
Mauro Masotti	....	driver
Pietro Masotti	....	driver
János Nádel	....	unit driver (as Janos Nadel)
Sándor Nagy	....	unit driver
Sándor Nyéki	....	unit driver (as Sandor Nyeki)
Tibor Papp	....	unit driver
Istvan Pintye	....	transportation coordinator
Carlo Quattrone	....	unit driver
Paolo Racalbulto	....	driver: grip truck
Simon Richards	....	driver: props truck
Alessio Schenone	....	unit driver
Luigi Schiavone	....	unit driver
Maurizio Troso	....	driver: minibus
Péter Veres	....	unit driver

Other crew
Zoltán Baráth	....	extras coordinator (as Zoltán Barat)
Tessa Beazley	....	production secretary
Réka Belsô	....	assistant to director (as Reka Belsö)
Ferenc Béres	....	unit location manager (as Ferenc Beres)
Gabor Boda	....	stand-in: Mr. Turturro
Bobe Bodzsar	....	assistant accountant (as Erzsebet Bodzsar)
Nicola Catullo	....	location assistant
Clara Collati	....	production secretary
Giovanni Constantino	....	paramedic
Alessandro Cosma	....	unit caterer
Gabriella Csoma	....	production coordinator
Tommaso Dabala	....	production assistant
Marco Dandola	....	production assistant (as Marco B Dandola)
Judit Dégi	....	interpreter
Filippo De Martin	....	floor runner
Sándor Dénes	....	extras coordinator (as Sandor Denes)
Domenico Di Parigi	....	extras coordinator
Lorenzo Donegana	....	stand-in: Mr. Turturro
Péter Dr. Hertzka	....	unit doctor
Stephanie Eatwell	....	design assistant supervisor
Viktoria Elek	....	stand-in: Ms. Watson
Elizabeth Every	....	tutor: Alexander Hunting
Roberta Facchettin	....	assistant accountant
Ron Forder	....	assistant production accountant
Bela Frey	....	shipping agent
Sean Gaji	....	assistant to director
Theodore Goddard	....	legal services
Tamás Guba	....	location manager
Mate Gyori	....	stand-in: Master Hunting
István Havlik	....	additional stand-in (as Istvan Havlik)
Susan Hunting	....	chaperone
Ildiko Kemeny	....	production associate (as Ildiko Kemény)
Ray Kenny	....	floor runner
Iren Kertesz	....	production secretary (as Irén Kertiesz)
Tamás Kertész	....	assistant extras coordinator (as Tamas Kertesz)
Barnabas Kiraly	....	floor runner
Brigitta Kosztandi	....	production accountant
Pierro Loy	....	dance instructor
Charles Mcdonald	....	publicist (as Charles Macdonald)
Harry Naylor	....	projectionist
Chiara Orefice	....	stand-in: Ms. Watson
Rita Pilinyi	....	production assistant
Jo Pond	....	production accountant
Sara Rossini	....	floor runner
Fabiano Rubeo	....	assistant accountant
Judit Sági	....	interpreter
Gregor Schimdinger	....	tennis coach
Jean Simmons	....	computer operator
Diego Somigliana	....	assistant extras coordinator
John Speelman	....	chess consultant
Paul Swann	....	laboratory contact
Nathalie Tanner	....	production coordinator
Sophie Thévenet-Becker	....	script supervisor (as Sophie Thevenet Becker)
Daniele Tiberi	....	production accountant (as Daniele Tiberi)
Anita Tomaselli	....	production coordinator
Micol Tummino	....	accounts runner
Mónika Varga	....	unit nurse (as Monika Varga)
Béla Vaszary	....	unit doctor (as Dr. Béla Vaszary)
Fabio Vianello	....	location manager
Mario Vianello	....	unit caterer
Elizabeth West	....	script supervisor
Claudia Kalindjian	....	unit publicist (uncredited)
Rita Pilinyi	....	assistant accountant (uncredited)
Paolo Rosada	....	location manager (uncredited)

Thanks
Jonathan Berger	....	special thanks
Anthony Davies	....	special thanks
Michael Freundlich	....	special thanks
Thomas Gardiner	....	special thanks
Dominique Green	....	special thanks
Sophie Janson	....	special thanks
Simon McBurney	....	special thanks
József Romvári	....	special thanks (as Romváry József)
Anne Sheehan	....	special thanks
Evelyne Tissier	....	special thanks
Maria Uitdehaag	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• C.R.G. International (executive production)
• Clear Blue Sky Productions
• France 2 Cinéma
• ICE3
• Lantia Cinema & Audiovisivi
• Magic Média
• Renaissance Films

Distributors

• Entertainment Film Distributors (UK)
• Eurocine (Argentina)
• Europa Filmes (2003) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Manga Films (Spain)
• RCV Film Distribution (Belgium)
• RCV Film Distribution (Luxembourg)
• RCV Film Distribution (Netherlands)
• Sherlock Media S.L. (Spain)
• Sony Pictures Classics (2001) (north America)
• Sony Pictures Television International (TV)
• UGC-Fox Distribution (UFD) (France)

Other Companies

• Angel Recording Studios  music recorded at
• Angels & Bermans  costumes (as Angels & Bermans)
• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  cranes and dollies (uncredited)
• Cosprop  costumes (as Cosprop)
• Edit Hire (New Technology)  cutting room equipment
• Film Finance  completion guarantor
• General Screen Enterprises  titles and opticals
• Lee Lighting  additional lighting (as Lee Lighting)
• London Symphony Orchestra, The (LSO)  music performed by
• McDonald and Rutter  publicity (as McDonald & Rutter)
• Media Insurance Brokers  insurance arrangements
• Panavision Alga  camera and grip equipment
• Pharma Penelope BT  unit catering
• Precision Cargo Services  courier services
• Sapex Scripts  post-production scripts
• Société Générale  banking finance provided by
• Studio Lepsky  payroll
• Sylvia Wheeler Film Services  negative cutting (as Sylvia Wheelers)
• Transpalux  lighting equipment
• Twickenham Film Studios  sound re-recorded at
• Walker et Associés  legal services

Also Known As:

La défense Loujine (France)
The Luzhin Defense (USA) (cable TV title)

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for some sensuality and thematic elements.

Runtime:

109 min

Country:

UK | France

Language:

English | Italian

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Iceland:L | Argentina:Atp | Australia:M | Finland:K-11 | France:U | Germany:12 | Netherlands:AL | Spain:13 | UK:12 | USA:PG-13

Filming Locations:

Bergamo, Lombardia, Italy

Company:

C.R.G. International

Goofs:

Factual errors: In his game as white against an unnamed opponent before the final, Luzhin is shown supposedly checkmating with Rd1-d8, which is an illegal move because his rook at d1 is pinned against his king on h1 by black's rook at c1.

Quotes:

Aleksandr Ivanovich Luzhin: There's a pattern emerging, a definite pattern. Not Turati. I repeat that game. I've beaten him. And his moves are repeated, repeated, repeated moves. I must keep track... of every second. Every second I must keep track of, every second.
Natalia Katkov: It sounds like such a lonely battle.

Soundtrack:

Waltz 2

An outstanding movie

A movie of outstanding brilliance and a poignant and unusual love story, the Luzhin Defence charts the intense attraction between an eccentric genius and a woman of beauty, depth and character.

It gives John Turturro what is probably his finest role to date (thank goodness they didn't give it to Ralph Fiennes, who would have murdered it.) Similarly, Emily Watson shows the wealth of her experience (from her outstanding background on the stage). To reach the tortured chess master (Turturro) her character has to display intelligence as well as a woman's love. Watson does not portray beauty-pageant sexuality, but she brings to her parts a self-awareness that is alluring.

In a chance meeting between Natalia (Watson) and Luzhin, she casually stops him from losing a chess piece that has fallen through a hole in his clothing - a specially crafted piece that, we realize later in the film, has come to symbolize his hopes and aspirations. Later, as their love affair develops, she subtly likens dancing to chess (Luzhin has learnt to dance but never with a partner); she encourages him to lead her with "bold, brilliant moves" and in doing so enables him to relax sufficiently to later play at his best (and also realize himself as her lover).

This is a story of a woman who inspires a man to his greatest achievement and, in so doing finds her own deepest fulfillment, emotionally and intellectually (Or so we are led to believe - certainly, within the time frame, Natalia is something of a liberated woman rather than someone who grooms herself to be a stereotypical wife and mother).

The Italian sets are stunning. The complexity of the characters and the skill with which the dialogue unfolds them is a delight to the intelligent movie-goer, yet the film is accessible enough to make it a popular mainstream hit, and most deservedly so. Chess is merely the photogenic backdrop for developing an emotional and emotive movie, although the game is treated with enough respect to almost convince a chess-player that the characters existed. Although a tragedy of remarkable heights by a classic author, the final denouement is nevertheless surprisingly uplifting.