Searching for Bobby Fischer

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Searching for Bobby Fischer

Theatrical release poster

Directed by

Steven Zaillian

Produced by

William Horberg

Screenplay by

Steven Zaillian

Based on

Searching for Bobby Fischer: The Father of a Prodigy Observes the World of Chess by Fred Waitzkin

Starring

Joe Mantegna Laurence Fishburne

Joan Allen Max Pomeranc Ben Kingsley Music by

James Horner

Cinematography

John Corso Conrad L. Hall

Edited by

Wayne Wahrman

Distributed by

Paramount Pictures

Release dates

August 11, 1993

Running time

110 min.

Country

United States

Language

English

Box office

$7,266,383

Searching for Bobby Fischer, released in the United Kingdom as Innocent Moves, is a 1993 American drama film written and directed by Steven Zaillian. The film was Zaillian's directorial debut, and stars Max Pomeranc, Joe Mantegna, Joan Allen, Ben Kingsley and Laurence Fishburne. It is based on the life of prodigy chess player Joshua Waitzkin, played by Pomeranc, and adapted from the book of the same name by Joshua's father Fred. Contents [hide] 

1Synopsis

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2Cast

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3Sarwer versus Waitzkin match o 3.1Poe versus Waitzkin endgame

o 3.2Alternate endgame 

4Reception

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5References

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6Further reading

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7External links

Synopsis[edit] Josh Waitzkin's family discovers that he possesses a gift for chess and they seek to nurture it. They hire a strict instructor, Bruce Pandolfini (played by Ben Kingsley) who aims to teach the boy to be as aggressive as chess legend Bobby Fischer. The title of the film is a metaphor about the character's quest to adopt the ideal of Fischer and his determination to win at any price. Josh is also heavily influenced by Vinnie, a speed chess hustler (Laurence Fishburne) whom he meets in Washington Square Park. The two coaches differ greatly in their approaches to chess, and Pandolfini is upset that Josh continues to adopt the methods of Vinnie. The main conflict in the film arises when Josh refuses to accept Fischer's misanthropic frame of reference. Josh then goes on to win on his own terms.

Cast[edit]  Max Pomeranc as Josh Waitzkin  Joe Mantegna as Fred Waitzkin  Joan Allen as Bonnie Waitzkin  Ben Kingsley as Bruce Pandolfini  Laurence Fishburne as Vinnie  Michael Nirenberg as Jonathan Poe  Robert Stephens as Poe's teacher  David Paymer as Kalev  Hal Scardino as Morgan Pehme

 Austin Pendleton as Asa Hoffmann  Vasek Simek as "the man who beat Tal"  William H. Macy as Tunafish father  Dan Hedaya as tournament director  Laura Linney as Josh's school teacher Some famous chess players have brief cameos in the film: Anjelina Belakovskaia, Joel Benjamin, Roman Dzindzichashvili, Kamran Shirazi, along with the real Joshua Waitzkin,Bruce Pandolfini, and Vincent Livermore. Chess master Asa Hoffmann is played by Austin Pendleton; the real Hoffmann did not like the way he was portrayed. Chess expert Poe McClinton, still a park regular, is seen throughout the film. Pal Benko was supposed to be in the film but his part was cut out. Waitzkin's real mother and sister also have cameos. The Russian player in the park, played by Vasek Simek, who holds up the sign "For $5 a photo or a game with the man who beat Tal", was based on the real life of Israel Zilber.[1][2] Zilber, Latvian chess champion in 1958, defeated the teenage Tal in 1952,[3] and during most of the 1980s was homeless and regarded as one of the top players in Washington Square Park.

Sarwer versus Waitzkin match[edit] This section uses algebraic notation to describe chess moves.

At the end of the film, Josh is seen playing a tough opponent named Jonathan Poe in the final tournament. The character Jonathan Poe was not the actual name of Josh's opponent; his real name was Jeff Sarwer (a boy younger than Josh). In September 1985, Josh first played and was defeated by Jeff at the Manhattan Chess Club. In November of the same year, Josh returned to the Manhattan Chess Club and beat him in a rematch.[4] The film depicts their third match in the 1986 US Primary Championship. Near the end of the game, where Josh offers Poe a draw, Poe rejects the offer and play continues. Sarwer rejected the draw offer in the realworld game as well. Josh played Sarwer to a draw (the two kings were the only remaining pieces on the board), and they were declared co-champions.[5][6] Sarwer went on to win the 1986 World Championship Under-10. "Poe vs. Waitzkin" a

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Poe versus Waitzkin endgame[edit] The diagram depicts the game position in the film, with Waitzkin playing the black pieces, before Waitzkin offers Poe the draw. This position did not occur in the real Sarwer–Waitzkin game; it was contrived by Waitzkin and Pandolfini specially for the film. The following moves are executed: 1... gxf6 2. Bxf6 Rc6+ 3. Kf5 Rxf6+! 4. Nxf6 Bxf6 5. Kxf6 Nd7+ 6. Kf5 Nxe5 7. Kxe5?? In the October 1995 issue of Chess Life, Grandmaster Larry Evans stated that the position and sequence were unsound; Poe (playing White) could still have drawn the game by playing 7.h5 instead. 7... a5 8. h5 a4 9. h6 a3 10. h7 a2 11. h8=Q a1=Q+ 12. Kf5 Qxh8 0–1 (White resigned)

Alternate endgame[edit] An alternate endgame position had been composed by Pal Benko. It was supposed to have been used in the film, but was rejected on the day before the scene was filmed because it did not use the theme that Josh overused his queen. a

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In this position, Black should play: 1... Ne2 after which White is in zugzwang; he must play either 2.Bg3, losing the bishop to 2...Nxg3+, or 2.Bg1, allowing 2...Ng3 mate.[7]

Reception[edit] The book and the film have each received positive reviews from critics. Waitzkin's book was praised by Grandmaster Nigel Short,[8] as well as chess journalist Edward Winter, who called it "a delightful book" in which "the topics [are] treated with an acuity and grace that offer the reviewer something quotable on almost every page."[9] Screenwriter and playwright Tom Stoppard called the book "well written" and "captivating".[10] The film currently has a 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, based on 34 reviews.[11] Roger Ebert gave the film a score of four stars (out of four), calling it "a film of remarkable sensitivity and insight", adding, "by the end of [the film], we have learned […] a great deal about human nature."[12] James Berardinelli gave the film three stars (out of four), calling it "an intensely fascinating movie capable of involving those who are ignorant about chess as well as those who love it."[13] Bobby Fischer never saw the film and strongly complained that it was an invasion of his privacy by using his name without his permission. Fischer never received any compensation from the film, calling it "a monumental swindle".[14]

The film was nominated for Best Cinematography (Conrad L. Hall) at the 1993 Academy Awards. It won the category at the American Society of Cinematographers the same year. The film also ranked No. 96 in AFI's 100 Years... 100 Cheers.

References[edit] 1. Jump up^ Wall, Bill. Searching For Bobby Fischer Trivia. Retrieved May 26, 2007. 2. Jump up^ The Games of Israel Zilber at chessgames.com. Retrieved May 26, 2007. 3. Jump up^ Mikhail Tal vs. Israel Zilber, 01 at chessgames.com 4. Jump up^ Wall, Bill ( August 7, 2007) Searching for Bobby Fischer (the movie) Trivia, Chess.com. Retrieved August 16, 2014 5. Jump up^ pp. 214-22 of the book 6. Jump up^ Jeff Sarwer vs Joshua Waitzkin at chessgames.com. Retrieved August 17, 2011. 7. Jump up^ Bruce Pandolfini, Endgame Workshop: Principles for the Practical Player, 2009, p. 64, Russell Enterprises, ISBN 978-1-888690-53-8 8. Jump up^ The Spectator, April 8, 1989, pp. 30–31 9. Jump up^ Searching for Bobby Fischer review, Edward Winter, Chess History, 1989 10. Jump up^ The Observer, April 2, 1989, p.45 11. Jump up^ Searching for Bobby Fischer, Rotten Tomatoes 12. Jump up^ Searching for Bobby Fischer review, Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times, August 11, 1993 13. Jump up^ Searching for Bobby Fischer review, James Berardinelli, ReelViews, 1993

14. Jump up^ Brady, Frank (2011). Endgame: Bobby Fischer's Remarkable Rise and Fall – from America's Brightest Prodigy to the Edge of Madness (1st ed.). Crown. pp. 267–68. ISBN 0-307-46390-7.

Further reading[edit]  "20 years of Searching", Chess Life, August 2013, pp. 38–41

External links[edit]  Searching for Bobby Fischer at the Internet Movie Database  Searching for Bobby Fischer at AllMovie  Searching for Bobby Fischer at Box Office Mojo  Updated article from 2006 by award-winning Esquire (UK) journalist Eamonn O'Neill

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Works produced b      

Categories: English-language films 1993 films American biographical films American films Chess films Chess in the United States

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Films about chess Films shot in Toronto Directorial debut films 1990s biographical films 1990s drama films American drama films 1993 in chess Paramount Pictures films Films directed by Steven Zaillian Screenplays by Steven Zaillian Film scores by James Horner Films produced by Scott Rudin

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