The Luzhin Defence_
"Two worlds collide when an eccentric genius falls in love with a strong-willed society beauty."
Based upon the novel by Vladimir Nabokov, a chess grandmaster travels to Italy in the 1920s to play in a tournament and falls in love.
Starring
John Turturro, Emily Watson, Geraldine James
Updated Feb 16, 2026
WHERE TO WATCH
Apple TV
5 countries
Prime Video
5 countries
G
Google Play
4 countries
YouTube
2 countries
DROPTHE_ GOSSIP
Cast
John Turturro →
John Turturro stars as Aleksandr Ivanovich 'Sascha' Luzhin in The Luzhin Defence.
John Turturro →
Year context
The Luzhin Defence was released 26 years ago in 2000.
Overview
Based upon the novel by Vladimir Nabokov, a chess grandmaster travels to Italy in the 1920s to play in a tournament and falls in love.
The Luzhin Defence is a Romance, Drama film with a runtime of 1h 49m.
CAST (10)
BOX OFFICE
$1.9M
Budget
DETAILS
Release
Status
Released
Runtime
109 min (1h 49m)
Rating
6.1/10 (43 votes)
Budget
$1,864,747
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What is The Luzhin Defence about?
Based upon the novel by Vladimir Nabokov, a chess grandmaster travels to Italy in the 1920s to play in a tournament and falls in love.
How long is The Luzhin Defence?
The Luzhin Defence has a runtime of 109 minutes (1h 49m).
Who stars in The Luzhin Defence?
The cast of The Luzhin Defence includes John Turturro, Emily Watson, Geraldine James, Stuart Wilson, Fabio Sartor.
What is the rating of The Luzhin Defence?
The Luzhin Defence has a rating of 6.1 out of 10 based on 43 votes on TMDB.
GENRES (2)
Romance
Drama