Searching for Bobby Fischer (1993)

Director:

Steven Zaillian

Writers (WGA):

Fred Waitzkin (book)
Steven Zaillian (screenplay)

Release Date:

11 August 1993 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Tagline:

Every journey begins with a single move.

Plot:

A prepubescent chess prodigy refuses to harden himself in order to become a champion like the famous but unlikable Bobby Fischer.

Plot Keywords:

Chess | Prodigy | Champion | Sportsmanship | Pressure

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 5 wins & 6 nominations

Cast

Max Pomeranc	...	Josh Waitzkin
Joe Mantegna	...	Fred Waitzkin
Joan Allen	...	Bonnie Waitzkin
Ben Kingsley	...	Bruce Pandolfini
Laurence Fishburne	...	Vinnie
Michael Nirenberg	...	Jonathan Poe
Robert Stephens	...	Poe's Teacher
David Paymer	...	Kalev
Hal Scardino	...	Morgan
Vasek Simek	...	Russian Park Player
William H. Macy	...	Tunafish Father
Dan Hedaya	...	Tournament Director
Laura Linney	...	School Teacher
Anthony Heald	...	Fighting Parent
Steven Randazzo	...	Man of Many Signals

Also Known As:

Innocent Moves

MPAA:

Rated PG for thematic elements.

Runtime:

110 min | Canada:93 min (Ontario)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Iceland:L | Canada:PG (Ontario) | South Korea:12 | Argentina:Atp | Australia:G | Chile:TE | Spain:T | UK:PG | USA:PG | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Mirage Entertainment

Trivia:

In the second half of the movie where Josh's father brings him back to the park to play with Vinnie, real-life Josh Waitzkin and Vinnie (both much older than actors playing them) are visible in the background.

Goofs:

Continuity: Vinnie is holding the McDonald's cup with his fingertips and thumb. In the next shot, Vinnie's hand is wrapped around most of the cup.

Quotes:

Fred: He's better at this than I've ever been at anything in my life. He's better at this than you'll ever be, at anything. My son has a gift. He has a gift, and when you acknowledge that, then maybe we will have something to talk about.

Movie Connections:

Spoofed in Searching for Gern Chegman (2006)

Zaillian's genius in "Searching for Bobby Fischer"

In SEARCHING FOR BOBBY FISCHER, Steven Zaillian's is the most complete and near-flawless film-work of the 1990s. I can't say merely "director's work" because he also wrote the screenplay. And (I have to presume) he chose Conrad Hall as d.p., James Horner for the music, Wayne Wahrman as film-editor, and he worked with a lighting director, sound director, set director and more -- each of whom did a job worthy of the highest praise. And the cast, the supernal cast -- many of whom have had larger and more celebrated roles, but none of whom has ever nailed a role more satisfyingly -- Kingsley, Mantegna, Allen, Fishburne -- even the smaller and cameo bits are effectively faultless -- by Linney, Stephens, Shalhoub, Pendleton. And of course, Pomeranc's work is a kind of miracle. Every part of it evokes from me applause for Zaillian's imagination, sensibility, knowledgeability, intelligence, judgment.

I confess I post this comment because none of the other comments I've seen on SEARCHING seems to me to realize how much Zaillian must have contributed to making this -- and I think it deserves this adjective -- GREAT movie. (I further confess I didn't first watch the movie until some three years after its debut because of its title. I was damned if I wanted to spend two hours in the presence of someone as nasty-seeming as Fischer. But the title of course was Fred Waitzkin's, the author of the source book. Fred, you cost me a few years -- but Steven Zaillian has made up for it many times over.)