PAWN SACRIFICE
US, 2014, 115 minutes, Colour.
Tobey Maguire, Liev Schreiber, Michael Stuhlbarg, Peter Sarsgaard, Robin Weigert.
Directed by Edward Zwick.
This is a story about the American chess champion, Bobby Fischer. Bobby Fischer has been a fascinating subject for documentaries as well as some feature films including The Search for Bobby Fischer.
This is a powerfully written film by British Stephen Knight (Eastern Promises, Dirty, Pretty Things). It has been directed by Edward Zwick who has made quite a range of genre films from About Last Night to The Last Warrior.
One of the producers of the film is Tobey Maguire who takes on the role of Bobby Fischer, one of his best performances, able to show Fisher’s talent, his response to his unusual Brooklyn background, his drive to win, the various tournaments, the buildup to his famous confrontation with Russian chess master, Boris Spassky, in Iceland, 1973.
There is an interesting supporting cast with Peter Sarsgaard as Father Bill Lombardy, with Michael Stuhlbarg as the entrepreneur behind his success, and Liev Schreiber as Spassky himself.
The film opens with Fisher’s temperamental behaviour on arrival in Iceland, then goes back to his childhood days, his Russian mother and her communist friends, Jewish background (in the film emphasising how Fischer turned virulently anti-Semitic), the boy’s talents, being recognised. The film emphasises Fisher’s strange personality, the matter-of-fact episode where he calculates a situation to lose his virginity, his growing paranoia echoing the Cold War, further suspicions of Russians and surveillance, taking phones apart, thinking he was being observed through the television set… There are also the tantrums and demands as well as the extraordinary skills in his playing, leading up to his surprising move in the Iceland game and here’s beating Spassky.
There is pathos in the information of the aftermath, the continuing paranoia, poverty and vagrancy, playing illegal games and being threatened by the US, settling in Iceland, denouncing the US especially after 9/11 – with some final images of Spassky himself in old age on television.
1. A chess film? Details of play, the players, the observers, the range of moods and skill?
2. Audience knowledge of Bobby Fischer, his talent, his life, victories, the clashes with Boris Spassky? His achievement, his mental health, his later years?
3. The title, play, the famous sixth game in Iceland? 1973?
4. The use of the contemporary television commentary, the TV hosts, International, the commentary?
5. New York, 1951, his childhood, his relationship with his mother, sister, the father having left, his quest for his father? The Russian background, the status of Communism of the time, Red Scares, anti-communist movements? The gatherings? The mother, her role, her friends, the meetings? Her control over her son? His playing chess, his age, the range of games, the various opponents, in the parks, in clubs? His dislike a draw, his being assertive, ambitions, obsessed?
6. The actors portraying him, the continuity? Toby Maguire and his performance? Communicating the inner life of Bobby Fischer as well as his behaviour, tantrums, chess skills? The strong supporting cast?
7. Fisher’s American reputation, coming from Brooklyn, his range of travel, the different championships, defeats, victories?
8. The film using collages of the period, American events, international events, faces, trends, government, music? US-USSR relationships, rivalry, the Cold War?
9. Bobby going to the church, meeting Bill Lombardy, Bill agreeing to help Bobby, clergy, wearing the cassock frequently, less religious manifestations, his knowledge of chess, helping with the rehearsals and articulating the moves, becoming a father-figure, trust-figure, a companion in travels, helping with the rehearsals and training? Working with Paul, managing Bobby? Knowing the moves, at the games, with the board? His exasperation with Bobby, walking out, returning? Bobby’s achievement?
10. Paul, lawyer, approaching, his background with celebrities, his instincts? Seeing the possibilities, promotion, his manner, extroverted, spending himself in support of Bobby, the ups and downs, his work behind the scenes, his connections, with Nixon, the phone calls with Kissinger? Bobby and his whims, Paul meeting his demands, the intensity, the financial details, exasperated, yet ultimate success?
11. The Russians, chess masters, the various games, the ethos, in the Cold War? Spassky amongst the experts? His personality, age, superiority, wins, his touches of paranoia, but seeing through Bobby, the games, Bobby’s tantrums and his patience, yet his touches of wanting moves, suspicion about the vibrating chair? His being outwitted by Bobby, his concession?
12. The effect of the opening, the focus on Iceland, the mayhem, Bobby at the window, the flashbacks?
13. Bobby Fischer and paranoia, American paranoia of the time, the implications of the Cold War? Its influence? Bobby and his Jewish background, yet the strangeness of his denunciation of the Jews, slandering them, ridiculing them? Ousting his mother? His relationship with his sister, conversations? Is Mother going to California? Is visit there, not seeing her? The issue of sexuality, his wanting to lose his virginity, choosing the girl, the meetings, his being matter-of-fact, her reaction? Her later observing Bobby in the
games? His going to the championship, his loss, its effect, his tantrums? Wanting to move out of chess? Is being challenged?
14. The years of travel, winning, his entourage, the scene with Spassky on the beach and his paranoia?
15. Self-centred, sociopathic, hearing voices, thinking there was surveillance on him through the TV, his continually undoing phones, fear of surveillance? His ethos, the decision not to go to Iceland, the pressures on him, Paul and his desperation, the challenge, the comparison with young men going to Vietnam and dying, and his only being required to play game?
16. His celebrity, American fever, television interviews, the role of the media?
17. His going to Iceland, his demands, erratic behaviour, his upset at the television cameras and the sound, the coughs, the various stances? Trying to concentrate? Walking out, forfeiting again? The range of his demands over the years, money and benefactors, a wooden chessboard, a silent room? These being conceded?
18. The play, Spassky and his plans, seeing through Fisher, but Fischer turning the tables, Spassky conceding? The psychological strategy of Spassky? Fisher and his genius moves?
19. Fisher’s achievement? Yet his mental condition, continuing paranoia, the information about his vagrancy, the implications of the Cold War, preoccupation with the Soviets, denunciation of the Jews, the illegal game in Belgrade? Being ousted by the US? Wandering, going to Iceland, his comments after 9/11? The footage of the real Bobby Fischer?
20. The chess genius, a young genius – and some of the comments made in comparison with Mozart and his behaviour and genius?
