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It's a shame that some foreign movies have achieved fame and critical acclaim, and others never make it past their own country of origin. Schachnovelle, or Brainwashed in America, is a fantastic German movie that no one's ever heard of.

Once again, Curd Jurgens couldn't be any better. American audiences really only remember him as the villain in The Spy Who Loved Me, but he was an excellent actor whenever given the chance. In Brainwashed, he starts as a cultured art collector who gets targeted by the Nazis in occupied Austria because he helps smuggle art pieces out of the country. In a very civilized interrogation, he reveals that he doesn't believe violence ever solves anything and that manners and civility are at the heart of most men. In response, Hansjorg Felmy realizes that he'll never get the information he wants out of Curd by torturing him in the regular way. Instead, he has to torture his mind...

This is one of those "what does it take to get nominated" performances. In fact, if it came out during another year, it would be a "what does it take to win" performance. However, it came out in 1961 in the United States, and he was up against Sidney Poitier in A Raisin in the Sun at the Hot Toasty Rag awards. Obviously, Curd didn't take home the newspaper trophy. It's still an incredible tour-de-force, so if you don't mind watching subtitled movies, you need to rent it. If you're a chess player, it might become your favorite movie ever. I could tell you more about the story, but it really shakes you up if you don't know what's coming. Curd has such a fantastic energy, building and breaking down his character's walls and making the audience feel they're right inside his tiny cell and experiencing his mental breakdown alongside him. If you want to see more of him, grab a Kleenex box and rent the remake of The Blue Angel next.

DLM Warning: If you suffer from vertigo or dizzy spells, like my mom does, this movie might not be your friend. There are some strobing lightening flashes that coincide with canted angles in his cell, and also the big scene when he loses it over the checkered floor at the ball has some canted angels, and that will make you sick. In other words, "Don't Look, Mom!"