The Luzhin Defense

The Luzhin Defence is a 2001 movie, directed by Dutch director Marleen Gorris. The screenplay was written by Peter Berry and based on the novel The Defense (or The Defence) by Vladimir Nabokov. Nabokov in turn drew upon the events in the life of his friend Curt von Bardeleben who committed suicide in 1924. The movie stars John Turturro as the tormented Luzhin; Emily Watson plays the love interest, Natalia. Watson received best actress nominations at the British Independent Film Awards and the London Film Critics Circle Awards.

For the chess opening associated with the movie see Latvian Gambit.