Dangerous Moves

1985 Oscar Winner Best Foreign Language Film

Dir: Richard Dembo

Engaging but not brilliant Swiss film about a world chess championship as metaphor for the Cold War. Nothing special in the acting or writing (although fine in both), the chess scenes carry this movie. It is entertaining and reflects its period well.

The geoplitical mindgames and psychology of the soviet era are played out between these two grandmasters in episodes that rival any sports movie I have seen. The movie is not distracted by subplots, almost to a fault since the presence of Leslie Caron and any other female character is totally superfluous. But the film does not need subplots; I found the chess more than enough to make the experience highly entertaining.

It's like watching the WS of Poker, but intellectual. Not too shabby.

One more to the record. One dollar to anyone not named Ron who stops me.

MAP