- Country: West Germany
- Genres: Drama
- Release: 1985-04-19
- Director: Bernhard Wicki
- Writers: Wolfgang Kohlhaase , Ludwig Turek , Bernhard Wicki
- Language: German
- Stars: Fred Düren , Klaus Schwarzkopf , Jörg Gudzuhn , Rolf Hoppe , Arno Wyzniewski , Rolf Ludwig , Willi Schrade , Hubert Gleißner
- Runtime: 104 min
- Awards: 1 win & 1 nomination
- AKA: Die Grünstein-Variante , Die Grünstein-Variante , La variante Grünstein (France, French Republic)
- Plot: Three prisoners in a pre-World War Two French jail occupy the long hours before their courtroom trials, each after his own fashion: the young German sailor Lodeck teaches chess to the elderly Jew Grünstein, while their simpleminded Greek cellmate daydreams aloud about being Kaiser Wilhelm's personal chef. Showing more patience than aptitude, the novice Grünstein unwittingly stumbles onto a foolproof chess strategy, the secret of which will elude a mystified Lodeck for the rest of his life. It may play like theater, but it's good theater, written and directed with humor and sympathy and graced by a trio of fine performances.
- IMDB:tt0089234
Die Grünstein-Variante Cast · · · ALL
Bernhard Wicki
Director
Klaus Schwarzkopf
Grieche
Fred Düren
Grünstein
Rolf Hoppe
Gefängnisdirektor
Jörg Gudzuhn
Lodek
Arno Wyzniewski
Kaminski
Rolf Ludwig
Garstecki
Willi Schrade
Wärter
Hubert Gleißner
Wärter