Chess references in Films

Discuss anything you like about chess related matters in this forum.
Stewart Reuben
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Re: Chess references in Films

Post by Stewart Reuben » Tue Mar 30, 2021 6:48 pm

I have thought of a new type of chess film festival. One which shows various minorities playing chess. e.g
QUEEN OF KATWE Africans and women Uganda
ALGORITHMS Indian blind juniors
SEARCHING FOR BOBBY FISCHER aka INNOCENT MOVES child player USA
CHESS FEVER 1925 silent USSR
HATLEY HIGH the students are besotted with chess in the same way as they are depicted for basketball, etc. USA
DARK HORSE a mentally disturbed man gained salvation teaching chess. NZ

Stewart Reuben
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Re: Chess references in Films

Post by Stewart Reuben » Tue Mar 30, 2021 7:32 pm

https://youtu.be/9ejKTip0tRQ
Recipe for genius: How child chess prodigies master the game.
Pointed out in the FIDE newsletter how this can be accessed on yotube, as above.

Reg Clucas
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Re: Chess references in Films

Post by Reg Clucas » Sun Apr 18, 2021 3:51 pm

On freeview channel 5USA tonight there is an old Columbo film "The Most Dangerous Match" - the synopsis is "An American chess champion fears he is about to be beaten by a superior player from Russia, and decides the only sure-fire way he can avoid defeat is by murdering his opponent."

Kevin Thurlow
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Re: Chess references in Films

Post by Kevin Thurlow » Sun Apr 18, 2021 6:12 pm

"On freeview channel 5USA tonight there is an old Columbo film "The Most Dangerous Match" - the synopsis is "An American chess champion fears he is about to be beaten by a superior player from Russia, and decides the only sure-fire way he can avoid defeat is by murdering his opponent.""

It's quite entertaining if you like Columbo! Some of the chess is a bit suspect, e.g. a loss in a simul (although I realise why it was included), and a cafe scene. I'll say no more, but look out for those examples...

Stewart Reuben
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Re: Chess references in Films

Post by Stewart Reuben » Sun Apr 18, 2021 6:53 pm

Laurence Harvey was the principal guest actor in that old Colombo film - if memory serves me correct.

Kevin Thurlow
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Re: Chess references in Films

Post by Kevin Thurlow » Sun Apr 18, 2021 9:42 pm

"Laurence Harvey was the principal guest actor"

Yes - he died shortly afterwards (stomach cancer) aged only in his mid-40s.

Geoff Chandler
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Re: Chess references in Films

Post by Geoff Chandler » Sun Apr 18, 2021 11:32 pm

I watched The House on 92nd Street (1945) a film cum documentary apparently based on a true incident.

Secrets are smuggled out of an American scientific laboratory but the FBI have no idea as to the how or who.
They then learn one of the technicians they suspect can hold 14 games of chess in his mind at the same time.
So they figure out he is memorising the details and copying them out at the house on 92nd street.

One memorable moment.

"Where did you take the details too?"

"I cannot remember."

"You can hold 14 games of chess in your mind and now you forget an address?"

Stewart Reuben
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Re: Chess references in Films

Post by Stewart Reuben » Mon Apr 19, 2021 6:29 pm

Geoff C >I watched The House on 92nd Street (1945) <
You have found one that Bob Basalla has not seen. He collates all references to chess in the movies.

Geoff Chandler
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Re: Chess references in Films

Post by Geoff Chandler » Wed Apr 21, 2021 12:19 am

I recently watched the 1966 Thunderbirds Movie. Brains playing (I say Virgil wife says Scoot) at chess.

Image

Plot: (in a nutshell)

Men are sent to Mars. They see something that looks interesting so being human they blast it with a high powered rifle.
Interesting thing turns out to be a now ex-living thing and is killed. Thing's friends (one eyed rocks) attack men,
spaceship takes off but is damaged and has trouble at Earths re-entry. Thunderbirds rescue them.
Cliff Richard and The Shadows make an appearance. Brilliant.

Phil Neatherway
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Re: Chess references in Films

Post by Phil Neatherway » Wed Apr 21, 2021 10:02 am

That's definitely Virgil.
There's also an episode 'Sun Probe' where Brains invents a robot which later beats him at chess.

Geoff Chandler
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Re: Chess references in Films

Post by Geoff Chandler » Wed Apr 21, 2021 11:16 am

Hi Phil,


There is also a Thunderbirds chess set.

Image
Last edited by Geoff Chandler on Thu Apr 22, 2021 1:23 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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John Clarke
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Re: Chess references in Films

Post by John Clarke » Wed Apr 21, 2021 11:21 pm

Mention of Columbo reminded me of an earlier TV series, 77 Sunset Strip (showing my age there). One episode featured events in and around a chess tournament. I forget most of the details, but I do recall that Efrem Zimbalist Jnr's character for some reason had to persuade two of the competitors to rig a game. The American player was very reluctant, but finally agreed, remarking "at least the result's right - I win!".
"The chess-board is the world ..... the player on the other side is hidden from us ..... he never overlooks a mistake, or makes the smallest allowance for ignorance."
(He doesn't let you resign and start again, either.)

Phil Neatherway
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Re: Chess references in Films

Post by Phil Neatherway » Thu Apr 22, 2021 12:51 pm

There is also a Thunderbirds chess set.
Thanks for the thought, Geoff. You say 'is' not 'was' - does that mean it's still available?

Geoff Chandler
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Re: Chess references in Films

Post by Geoff Chandler » Thu Apr 22, 2021 1:29 pm

Phil Neatherway wrote:
Thu Apr 22, 2021 12:51 pm
There is also a Thunderbirds chess set.
Thanks for the thought, Geoff. You say 'is' not 'was' - does that mean it's still available?
There are a few for sale on E-Bay, here is one.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/c/624485884

Paul Bloom
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Re: Chess references in Films

Post by Paul Bloom » Thu Apr 29, 2021 12:58 am

Stewart Reuben wrote:
Tue Mar 30, 2021 6:48 pm
I have thought of a new type of chess film festival. One which shows various minorities playing chess. e.g
QUEEN OF KATWE Africans and women Uganda
ALGORITHMS Indian blind juniors
SEARCHING FOR BOBBY FISCHER aka INNOCENT MOVES child player USA
CHESS FEVER 1925 silent USSR
HATLEY HIGH the students are besotted with chess in the same way as they are depicted for basketball, etc. USA
DARK HORSE a mentally disturbed man gained salvation teaching chess. NZ
Album61 Boris Gelfand ?

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