The Chess Players

Like most of Ray's political works, this historical drama is at its best when concerned with simple humanism. It is a critical allegory of Indian complacency in the face of colonial hubris, best manifested in the whimsical sequences of satire involving the titular chess players, rather than the Attenborough-starring episodes detailing diplomatic schemes.

The more political Ray's films get, the less interesting they are. The story is engaging when it focuses on the main characters, not so much when it cuts away to Attenborough and the king. I would have preferred a simple comedy about the chess players, with information about the political climate being subtlely gleaned from the outside world. The allegorical stuff is really ham-fisted. The narration is unnecessary, and at times makes the film feel like an educational reel.

I actually love the political aspects of the film, wherein there's a fascinating dichotomy between complacency and pride which gets turned on its head when the King realizes the British have lost satisfaction with their relation with him. I also like that the actual consequences of the king's rule is left vague as it emphasizes his humanity and relationship to his title, causing the audience to judge him on his interpersonal relationships rather than the qualities of his rule.

83.50

Uneven. I find myself in agreement with the viewers who prefer the more character-focused, mostly chess-related scenes, to the political intrigue, which never really soars.

Interesting mix of comedy and tragedy. The two stories aren't meshed particularly well, but they are symbolically linked and that works well enough. Individually they are both effective, though the titular chess players are the more complex and most interesting. A very good film that lacks in a few places keeping it from greatness.

"Its mannered goofiness echoes the pastoral comedy of Days and Nights In the Forest while the Raj-era dancing-girl trappings recall the decidedly grim The Music Room." - Jay Antani

Score based on distant memory.