Brainwashed

Centowic, the world chess champion, boards a ship bound for a major tournament. The departure is delayed by the belated arrival of an anxious passenger accompanied by Bishop Ambrosse, creating tension among the travelers. The delay foreshadows a journey where chess and secrets intertwine.

Passengers urge Centowic to play a game, and he reluctantly agrees. His opponents seem about to lose, but a mysterious passenger accidentally joins the scene and helps them draw. The stranger then reveals he has just had his first chess piece in his hands.

The stranger claims he has just started learning chess and has never competed in a major tournament. His unusual confidence intrigues Centowic, and the moment hints at a deeper backstory to come.

A flashback reveals Werner von Basil, an Austrian lawyer, and Bishop Ambrosse hiding art treasures abroad to protect them from the Nazis after Austria's occupation. They risk discovery as they move the treasures to safety.

At a party hosted by von Basil, Gestapo agent Hans Berger uses his girlfriend Irene Andreny to try to elicit information about the hiding place. When questioning fails, Berger's pressure intensifies.

Berger arrests von Basil and has him imprisoned in solitary confinement. Von Basil loses his belongings and endures a routine where a guard brings meals. The isolation begins to erode his resolve.

During questioning, von Basil pretends to cooperate and manages to steal a book from a coat pocket. The book turns out to be about chess matches, not the hiding place, so he begins replaying the games in his mind. The situation deepens the connection between chess and resistance.

Back in his room, von Basil reads the chess book and uses bread as pieces to reenact the described matches. Berger discovers the secret and deprives him of the book. He continues to play chess with himself in his mind.

Irene pleads with Berger to release von Basil, hoping to spare him further torture. Berger insults her, showing the regime's contempt for compassion.

Von Basil experiences a nervous breakdown but refuses to reveal the hiding place. Hartmann, Berger's superior, presses to break his will. The strain underscores the danger he faces.

Back on the ship, von Basil plays another chess match against Centowic, eager to learn how much information he may have surrendered. Irene arrives and reassures him that he revealed none of his secrets. The encounter tests his calm and resolve.

Irene is spared harassment as Berger loses influence with his superiors. She helps shield von Basil from further pressure, cementing a bond between them. The danger around them slowly eases.

Von Basil and Irene fall in love, giving their relationship a personal beacon amid political terror. Their romance provides a hopeful counterpoint to the surrounding danger.

The flashback resolves, and the ship's chess moment ties back to Centowic's realization about information boundaries. Love and trust endure under oppression, offering a note of resilience.