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The Royal Game

The Royal Game

He turned resistance into a game.

20216.91h 50m

Overview

1938. While the Nazi troops march into Vienna, the lawyer Josef Bartok hastily tries to escape to the USA with his wife but is arrested by the Gestapo. Bartok remains steadfast and refuses to cooperate with the Gestapo that requires confidential information from him. Thrown into solitary confinement, Bartok is psychologically tormented for months and begins to weaken. However, when he steals an old book about chess it sets him on course to overcome the mental suffering inflicted upon him, until it becomes a dangerous obsession.

Directed by Philipp Stölzl
Written by Eldar Grigorian, Stefan Zweig
Produced by Tobias Walker, Philipp Worm
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Top Cast

Oliver Masucci

Oliver Masucci

Dr. Josef Bartok

Albrecht Schuch

Albrecht Schuch

Franz-Josef Böhm

Birgit Minichmayr

Birgit Minichmayr

Anna Bartok

Rolf Lassgård

Rolf Lassgård

Owen McConnor

Andreas Lust

Andreas Lust

Johann Prantl

Samuel Finzi

Samuel Finzi

Alfred Koller

Lukas Miko

Lukas Miko

Gustav Sailer

Joel Basman

Joel Basman

Barkeeper Willem

Clemens Berndorff

Clemens Berndorff

Dr. Swoboda

Johannes Zeiler

Johannes Zeiler

Dr. Fink

Themes & Keywords

chessworld war iiplaying chess

About The Royal Game

The Royal Game is a history, drama, war, thriller film released in 2021 exploring themes of chess, world war ii, playing chess. Directed by Philipp Stölzl, it stars Oliver Masucci, Albrecht Schuch, Birgit Minichmayr. 1938. While the Nazi troops march into Vienna, the lawyer Josef Bartok hastily tries to escape to the USA with his wife but is arrested by the Gestapo. Bartok remains steadfast and refuses to cooperate with the Gestapo that requires confidential information from him. Thrown into solitary confinement, Bartok is psychologically tormented for months and begins to weaken. However, when he steals an old book about chess it sets him on course to overcome the mental suffering inflicted upon him, until it becomes a dangerous obsession.

Movies Similar to The Royal Game

Discover titles like The Royal Game — ranked by similarity and community votes

We found 15 movies similar to The Royal Game

If you enjoyed The Royal Game, you'll love these handpicked recommendations. Each title below shares similar themes, tone, and storytelling style. Our algorithm analyzes genres, keywords, director filmography, and cast connections to find the closest matches. Whether you're looking for the same emotional depth, narrative structure, or visual style, these picks are curated to deliver the best viewing experience for fans of The Royal Game.

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The World Champion
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Some sporting victories are about more than just claiming a title. Some of them go down in history. The film follows the most dramatic and legendary showdown in the history of chess – the match between Anatoly Karpov, then world champion, and Viktor Korchnoi, a recent emigrant from the USSR. In this battle between two outstanding chess players, a duel of personalities under immense psychological pressure, the stakes are incomprehensibly high.

Katyn
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On September 1st, 1939, Nazi Germany invades Poland, unleashing World War II. On September 17th, the Soviet Red Army crosses the border. The Polish army, unable to fight on two fronts, is defeated. Thousands of Polish men, both military and government officials, are captured by the invaders. Their fate will only be known several years later.