Searching for Bobby Fischer **** (1993, Max Pomeranc, Ben Kingsley, Joe Mantegna, Joan Allen, Laurence Fishburne) – Classic Movie Review 9093

Writer-director Steven Zaillian’s 1993 biographical drama Searching for Bobby Fischer [Innocent Moves] is a decent, well acted real-life story about a small boy called Josh Waitzkin (Max Pomeranc in his debut) who is a genius at chess and is helped by park speed-chess player Vinnie (Laurence Fishburne) and canny teacher Bruce Pandolfini (Ben Kingsley), while his parents Fred and Bonnie Waitzkin (Joe Mantegna, Joan Allen) hesitate over whether he is endangering his childhood and being pushed to breaking point.

None of this seems very vital in Zaillian’s script, but his handling as debut director and particularly the posh actors’ playing make Searching for Bobby Fischer compelling. Making everything out of a look or a gesture, Joe Mantegna and Ben Kingsley are the standouts among a clutch of involving performances. Pomeranc is admirably uningratiating, and the story is never sweet and sentimental, even though James Horner’s score is. Knowledge of and interest in chess would be an asset.

Zaillian’s script is based on the memoirs of the real boy Josh’s father, Fred Waitzkin.

Also in the cast are Michael Nirenberg, Robert Stephens, David Paymer, Hal Scardino, Vasek Simek, William H Macy, Dan Hedaya, Laura Linney and Anthony Heald.

Searching for Bobby Fischer [Innocent Moves] is directed by Steven Zaillian, runs 109 minutes, is made by Mirage Enterprises is released by Paramount, is written by Steven Zaillian, based on the memoirs of Fred Waitzkin, is shot by Conrad Hall, is produced by Scott Rudin and William Horberg, and is scored by James Horner.

Unsurprisingly, it did not do well at the US box office, taking $7,266,383 on a $12,000,000 cost, so they renamed it Innocent Moves in the UK.

Joshua Waitzkin is depicted as the next Bobby Fischer. The real Bobby Fischer denounced the movie, saying it was part of a ‘Jewish conspiracy’ to sully his name and make money out of him.

The real Josh Waitzkin went on to win the US Junior Chess Championships. His sister Katya Waitzkin plays his first opponent in the National Championships.

Max Pomeranc, the son of a writer and a stock broker, was one of America’s top 100 chess players in his age group. He graduated from The Bronx High School of Science in 2002 and McGill University in Montreal, Canada, in May 2006. His last film of only four was the TV movie Journey in 1995, but he reappeared in Definitely, Maybe in 2008.

© Derek Winnert 2019 Classic Movie Review 9093

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