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 | Baseball | Hustler | New York City | Speed Chess

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 5 wins & 7 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
Chelsea Moore	...	Katya Waitzkin
Josh Mostel	...	Chess Club Regular
Josh Kornbluth	...	Chess Club Regular
Tony Shalhoub	...	Chess Club Member
Austin Pendleton	...	Asa Hoffman
Tom McGowan	...	Reporter
Ona Fletcher	...	Reporter
Kamran Shirazi	...	Himself
Joel Benjamin	...	Himself
Roman Dzindzichashvili	...	Himself
Jerry Poe McClinton	...	Park Player
Matt De Matt	...	Night Park Player (as Matt De Matt Reines)
Robert Vincent Smith	...	Washington Square Patzers (as Vincent Smith)
Jerry Rakow	...	Washington Square Patzers
William Colgate	...	Statistician
Tony De Santis	...	Journalist
R.D. Reid	...	Final Tournament Director
Anthony McGowen	...	Park Dealer
Katya Waitzkin	...	82nd Girl
Ryder Fleming-Jones	...	Petey
Harris Krofchick	...	Running Chess Kid
John Bourgeois	...	Gym Parent
Maria Ricossa	...	Gym Parent
Caroline Yeager	...	Screaming Mom
Andrew Sardella	...	Josh's Syracuse Opponent
Nathan Carter	...	Josh's Teammate
Nicholas Taylor	...	Birthday Friend
Jonathan Fazio	...	Birthday Friend
Nicky Mellina	...	Birthday Friend
Philip Neiman	...	Birthday Friend
Elizabeth Gropman	...	Birthday Friend
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Matt Birman	...	Father (uncredited)
Bruce Pandolfini	...	Man in Washington Park (uncredited)

Directed by
Steven Zaillian

Writing credits (WGA)
Fred Waitzkin		(book)
Steven Zaillian		(screenplay)

Produced by
William Horberg	....	producer
Sydney Pollack	....	executive producer
Scott Rudin	....	producer
David Wisnievitz	....	co-producer

Original Music by
James Horner

Cinematography by
John Corso
Conrad L. Hall

Film Editing by
Wayne Wahrman

Casting by
Tina Gerussi
Avy Kaufman

Production Design by
David Gropman

Art Direction by
Gregory P. Keen

Set Decoration by
Steve Shewchuk

Costume Design by
Julie Weiss

Makeup Department
Paul R.J. Elliot	....	hair stylist
Linda Gill	....	makeup artist

Production Management
David Coatsworth	....	unit production manager
Jonathan Filley	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Stuart Feldman	....	dga trainee
Walter Gasparovic	....	assistant director
Tony Gittelson	....	assistant director
Burtt Harris	....	assistant director
Grant Lucibello	....	third assistant director
Juan Ros	....	second second assistant director
Rose Tedesco	....	second second assistant director
Stuart Williams	....	trainee assistant director

Art Department
Conrad V. Brink Jr.	....	assistant props: New York
Dennis Davenport	....	first assistant art director
James Halpenny	....	construction coordinator
Jason Herriott	....	scenic artist
Peter Hudecki	....	storyboard artist
Denis Kirkham	....	set dresser
Doug McLean	....	assistant art director
Mark O'Donoghue	....	carpenter (uncredited)

Sound Department
Steve Bartkowicz	....	re-recording engineer
Patrick Bietz	....	sound editor
Gary C. Bourgeois	....	sound re-recording mixer
John Chalfant	....	sound effects editor
Thierry J. Couturier	....	sound editor
Ken Dufva	....	foley artist
Leslie Gaulin	....	foley editor
Eric Gotthelf	....	foley mixer
Scott D. Jackson	....	foley supervisor
David Lee	....	sound mixer
Michael Magill	....	dialogue editor
Sanjay Mehta	....	cable puller
Scott Millan	....	sound re-recording mixer
James Moriana	....	foley artist
Paul O'Bryan	....	assistant sound editor
Elmo Ponsdomenech	....	sound re-recording mixer
Catherine Rowe	....	foley artist
Joan Rowe	....	foley artist
Beth Sterner	....	supervising sound editor
Steve Switzer	....	boom operator

Special Effects by
Jason Board	....	special effects
Bob Hall	....	special effects
Troy Rundle	....	special effects technician (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Ciaran Copelin	....	second assistant camera
David Crone	....	Steadicam operator
Dennis Gamiello	....	key grip: new york
Tony Guerin	....	assistant camera
Rob Hahn	....	additional photographer (as Robert Hahn)
Rob Hahn	....	camera operator (as Robert Hahn)
Kerry Hayes	....	still photographer
Nils Johnson	....	key video assist operator: New York
Andy Langevin	....	rigging best boy
Jim MacCammon	....	gaffer (as James MacCammon)
Gary Muller	....	first assistant camera: New York
Tom Priestley Jr.	....	camera operator
Rick Raphael	....	Steadicam operator
Ron Renzetti	....	dolly grip
Gerard Sava	....	assistant camera
Randy Tambling	....	key grip
Gary Deneault	....	best boy (uncredited)
Douglas Pellegrino	....	first assistant camera (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Elizabeth Holder	....	wardrobe production assistant

Editorial Department
Henry J. Golas	....	post-production
Debra Kahn Tolchinsky	....	first assistant editor
Lynel Moore	....	assistant editor (as Lynel Moore Cioffi)
Theresa Repola Mohammed	....	negative cutter
Ronald Roose	....	additional editor
Mike Stanwick	....	color timer
Dawn M. Stoliar	....	assistant editor
Peter Watson	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Bob Bornstein	....	music preparation
Shawn Murphy	....	score mixer
Thomas Pasatieri	....	orchestrator
James Thatcher	....	musician: French horn

Transportation Department
Dave Marwick	....	production driver
William L. Tataryn	....	exclusive driver: Sir Ben Kingsley
Robert Tenaglia	....	transportation captain

Other crew
Maria T. Bierniak	....	assistant location manager
Robert Dawson	....	title designer
David Hummel	....	production assistant
Fred Kamping	....	location manager
Michelle L. Keiser	....	production assistant
Veronica Miller	....	first assistant accountant
Eric Myers	....	unit publicist
Daniel Strol	....	location manager: New York
Douglas Tirola	....	location manager
D. Gregor Hagey	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Jim McCarthy	....	production accountant (uncredited)
Lisa Wilhoit	....	additional voices (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Mirage Entertainment

Distributors

• Paramount Pictures (1993) (USA) (theatrical)
• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1997) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• Argentina Video Home (1994) (Argentina) (VHS)
• CIC Vídeo (Brazil) (video)
• Paramount Home Entertainment (2003) (UK) (DVD)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (1994) (Argentina) (all media)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (Spain)

Other Companies

• Big Screen Records  soundtrack published by
• Cinema Research  titles and opticals
• Film House  dailies
• Inter Video  24 frame video playback
• Pacific Studios Inc.  chromatrans background
• Panavision  camera and lenses
• Paramount Pictures Corporation (Canada)  production services
• William F. White International  grip and lighting equipment

Also Known As:

MPAA:

Rated PG for thematic elements

Runtime:

109 min | Canada:93 min (Ontario)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

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

Filming Locations:

New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Mirage Entertainment

Trivia:

The chess piece that Josh finds in the park at the beginning of the movie appears to be a replica of a knight from the Isle of Lewis chess men, the earliest chess pieces found in Europe, dating back to the 12th century. Harry and Ron are seen playing with similar pieces in Harry Potter & the Sorcerer's Stone.

Goofs:

Continuity: In the opening scene when Josh encounters Vinnie for the first time, as Vinne stands there with the baseball pointing at the chess piece the sunlight is over his left shoulder. In the reverse angle shot of Josh, the sunlight should be over his *right* shoulder, yet the light is on Josh's left.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Josh Waitzkin:[about Bobby Fischer] In the days before the event, the whole world wondered if he would show up. Plane after plane waited on the runway, while he napped, took walks, and ate sandwiches. Henry Kissinger called and asked him to go for his country's honor. Soon after arriving...

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Special Collector's Edition: Matilda (#3.2)" (2011)

Brilliant intelligently sensitive drama

Let me start by saying I am not a person who goes for sentimental, "heart on your sleeve" type big dramas that seem to be the idol of most professional critics. In fact, to put it bluntly I totally loathe them. (I prefer movies that at least try to have a cohesive plot line with a reasonably accessible story idea and some decent tight pacing; ie: something that's both informative and fun. This is my interpretation of the classic idea of "a good story, well told".)

With that in mind, I wish to state that this movie (film, whatever) really does work, at all levels. It's a good intelligent story (apparently based on fact} about a very bright, very young kid who is discovered to be naturally good at chess and enters the serious national tournaments. During which time, there are raised issues of the concept of the winning ethos; and keeping (or losing) your humanity in the process.

This cast is magnificent here. The central leads are played by Joe Mantegna and Max Pomerance as the father and son respectively. Both give very well-balanced performances. Sensitive, without being sappy. Max in particular is very good, especially in the dramatic climax of the film; which he handles with total dignity. It could have been so over the top and patronizing in lesser hands, but this time it isn't.

They are ably supported by Laurence Fishburne and Ben Kingsley as two different types of coaches, from "opposite side of the tracks" (sorry for that old cliché). It may seem formulaic, but in this case the dramatic contrasts works surprisingly well, and both come over as intelligent representatives of their particular points of view. And there are also great character moments by David Paymer {QUIZ SHOW, MR Saturday NIGHT, etc} and Hal Scardino {THE Indian IN THE CUPBOARD} as well.

Over all, I would highly commend this film as the type of story that manages to tread the fine line between intelligent ideas and an entertaining story. I recommend it to everyone. Give it half a chance and it can work for you. It really is a great example of intelligently entertaining!