L'Échiquier de la Passion

What do all great directors have in common? Their talent shows even in their earliest work, for those who have eyes to see it: Kubrick's "Killing", Truffaut's "400 Blows", Besson's "Le Dernier Combat", and this wonderful discovery - "Black and White like Days and Nights" are all wonderful films made by up and coming directors who became bigger than even they could imagine.

"Black and White Like Days And Nights" is a film about an obsessed chess player Thomas Rosemund played phenomenally well by Bruno Ganz ("Wings of Desire / Himmel Uber Berlin", "Downfall"). Thomas' love of chess leads him to make many interesting and questionable decisions, which I can barely contain myself from spilling here... watch it and enjoy it.

The story is simple, yet powerful and hard hitting. Even though the film was made for TV, it touches the very essence of human weakness: stubborn pride mixed with brilliant intellect, and what happens when those are blindly followed to the deepest recesses of human mind. So simple, yet so captivating.

Hats off to Wolfgang for making a masterpiece out of such a simple premise as well as to two main actors for making their characters so believable. The only regret I have about this film is that it does not seem to be available anywhere as it has not been released on DVD or VHS.

This is a brilliant film, and captures the combat and obsession of chess. Bruno Ganz plays an amalgamation of Steinitz, Morphy, and Fischer. One great line is his sister's: "Ha Ha, Mom took your board way and you can't play anymore!" The scene has the young future GM staring at the floor blankly, after his parents decided he was obsessed and hid his board. He looks up at says simply "I don't need a board."

Highly gifted mathematician and computer specialist (Bruno Ganz) develops a chess program that should be able to defeat every opponent but one day loses against the world champion. Therefore the mathematician "swears vengeance" and becomes a chess pro himself, but his passion for the game turns to sick paranoia.

This could be seen as a critical movie about the chess scene but there's more to it. Ganz (exceptional) plays a man who's trapped in his own dream world and finally succumbs to it (there are parallels to the later "Erfinder" (Inventor) Ganz stars in, and other parallels to the abysmal "Knight moves" with Christopher Lambert). Furthermore, the whole film is an allegory for a politic and economic system that's become unbearable. It's only drawback are it's TV roots. Otherwise this could have been a great cineastic pleasure.

This film presents elements of the lives of chess world champions Wilhelm Steinitz and Bobby Fischer. Bruno Ganz is perfect in the role. The scene I'll not forget anytime soon is when the future chess genius, shown as a boy, has his chessboard and pieces taken away by his parents, who are concerned that he is obsessed. Staring at the floor, his sisters teases him: "Ha ha, mummy took your board away, you can't play chess anymore." He replies: "I don't need a board!"