Luis had budget enough thanks to important producer Gerardo Herrero that financed lavishly this enjoyable movie. The motion picture was competently directed by Luis Oliveiras and inspiring by historical events about the Spanish Civil conflict and German encroachment on France (1940-1945). And good secondary cast, such as : Alejo Saura is pretty fine as the astute communist who falls in distress, Andrés Gertrúdix as an unfortunate prisoner, Stefan Weinert in his usual role as a Nazi officer ,Pau Durà as Commandant Hernández, Mike Hoffmann as Sergeant Kauffman, Maarten Dannenberg as Corporal Reinke, among others.

Stars Marc Clotet as a stubborn young manĬalled Diego who will try to survive in a hostile environment thanks to SS Colonel Maier's passion for chess and Melina Matthews as the romantic heroine. I was really impressed to see how the two protagonists filled up the screen so wholehartedly. The production values and settings of the show are also outstanding : buildings, halls, jails, all of them with colorful photography and flawlessly selected locations and costumes make us travel in time to the most convulsive times in the history of the 20th century. The yarn is very nice set, packing luxurious cinematography by cameraman Juan Carlos Gómez, evocative musical score by Alejandro Vivas, great production design and glamorous costumes. There are numerous historical remarks about Spanish Republic, Stalinist period and Nazi time. A stirring and romantic flick with dramatic events, thrills, emotion, betrayal and a love story. Wonderful adaptation of the novel by the prestigious writer Stefan Zweig to the big screen. At the end of the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939), Marianne convinces Diego to live in Paris with their daughter, where shortly afterwards Diego will be framed of spying by the Nazis and imprisoned in a Gestapo prison.

, the latter introduces him a French reporter, Marianne Latour (Melina Matthews), and subsequently they fall in love, marry and they have a daughter. It starts in 1934 Diego Padilla (Marc Clotet) wins the Spanish Championship of Chess and finds his friend Javier Sánchez (Alejo Sauras) Moving and attractive melodrama about an obstinate man, a chess player, who becomes involved in several problems when is accused as a spy in the Nazi invaded France.

The chess player zweig