The Queen’s Gambit
Ratings: 4/5
Director: Scott Frank
Producers: Marcus Loges, Mick Aniceto
Based on: The Queen's Gambit by Walter Tevis
Release Date: October 23, 2020
Star Cast: Anya Taylor-Joy, Bill Camp, Moses Ingram, Isla Johnston, Christiane Seidel, Rebecca Root, Chloe Pirrie, Akemnji Ndifornyen, Marielle Heller, Harry Melling, Patrick Kennedy, Jacob Fortune-Lloyd, Thomas Brodie-Sangster, Marcin Dorociński
Genre: Drama
Episodes: 7
Original Network: Netflix
Plot:
It is 1967 in Paris. Beth wakes up and pulls herself out of the bathtub of her hotel suite. She knocks back a few pills with an airplane bottle of vodka before racing downstairs for her chess match. At that moment while she is sitting across from her opponent, memories race through her head, and she is taken back around 10 years from where it all started.
Beth is 8 years old and is found impossibly unharmed—physically, at least—by the car crash that killed her mother. Her life changes from thereon.
As her life goes on, she is admitted to a Christian school for orphans – a place that soon becomes her steppingstone for glory. As the orphan, little Beth learns about three most amusing things/feelings: number one would be her uncanny passion for chess, then her friendship with Jolene, and lastly, the most detrimental would be shaping of her physical and emotional dependence on the little green tranquilizers fed to the children at the orphans. Apparently, in those days it was okay and legit to slide pills to the children every day to keep them calm and compliant.
Mr. Shaibel is God’s messenger in Beth’s not yet fairy tale life. He introduces her to the coach of the local high school’s chess team and from thereon she is away, powering through the ranks until she becomes a giant-slaying grandmaster.
Soon, Beth has whisked away and handed over to her adopted family. But the same does not turn out to be the hoped-for domestic idyll. However, when the husband abandons his alcoholic wife, Alma, she and Beth form a fragile connection. The connection between the two strengthens as Alma gradually discovers that winning chess tournaments can be quite the money-spinner. From here on, Beth is introduced to the world of alcohol. As the world of pills was just not enough!
Beth’s rise in grades in the chess world is almost frictionless. Every game that she conquers is determined to change her from within. However, it is everything that happens before the end game that changes her.
The climax unravels a mystery about what conspired around the car crash that took Beth’s mother away from her. At that moment, while laying on her bed she decides to step away from the pills and alcohol and lead a life with a clearer head.
The end of her story as depicted is quite warm and happy.
Review:
The game of Chess, in general, is rarely described as a young person’s game. To be honest, it isn’t even very compelling to watch. Those small wooden pieces being slowly slid around a tabletop doesn’t easily lend itself to absorbing cinema. Given the challenging nature of the game itself, one cannot imagine anything other than a stubborn non-creative series, if based around chess. But, ‘The Queen’s Gambit’ is a clear exception to these set rules!
The series of 7 episodes is based on the book of the same name by legendary short story writer and novelist Walter Tevis, upon whose work the films The Man Who Fell to Earth, The Color of Money, and The Hustler, are also based. That in itself had raised the odds of success for this series.
The series is based on the life of Beth played by Anya Taylor-Joy, who is a 64-square prodigy. The series while is heavy on rags-to-riches fantasy – in totality proves to be great fun.
The flavour full combination of magnetic lead performance, marvellous visual language, vital chess exposition, and an impeccable depiction of the 60-70s, which is very neatly done, all this when put together makes it one of the year’s best series.
Anya Taylor has done a stupendous job in playing Beth. The most promising of all acts being when Beth unravels her inner voices be it the spiritual battle, learning curve, inner reckoning, or re-emergence into the world through her games.
Frank is known for his sterling production design, delicate attention to character, and his nit-picking of the cast who would not settle at anything less than delivering excellent performances, that all has made this project worth watching.
The web-series is a must-watch for all who are looking for some mind involving and classic series with chess, a not – so – famous game, at the center of it!
