Dangerous Moves

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Dangerous Moves
Dangerous Moves film poster.jpg
Theatrical release poster
Directed by Richard Dembo
Written byRichard Dembo
Produced by Arthur Cohn
Martine Marignac
Starring Michel Piccoli
Alexandre Arbatt
Liv Ullmann
Cinematography Raoul Coutard
Edited by Agnès Guillemot
Music by Gabriel Yared
Distributed by Gaumont Distribution
Release date
  • 25 April 1984 (1984-04-25)
Running time
110 minutes
CountriesFrance
Switzerland
LanguageFrench
Box office$2.5 million [1]

Dangerous Moves (French : La Diagonale du fou, "The Fool's Diagonal", referring to the chess piece called the bishop in English but the fool in French) is a 1984 French-language film directed by Richard Dembo and produced by Arthur Cohn. It stars Michel Piccoli, Alexandre Arbatt, as well as Liv Ullmann, Leslie Caron, and Bernhard Wicki in supporting roles. The film was a co-production between companies in France and Switzerland. It tells the story of two very different men competing in the final match of the World Chess Championship. One is a 52-year-old Soviet Jew who holds the title, and the other is a 35-year-old genius who defected to the West several years earlier.

Contents

Plot

The film follows the story of two chess grandmasters, Akiva Liebskind, ever loyal to the Soviet Union and Pavius Fromm, a Hungarian dissident, who compete in a world championship match in Geneva, Switzerland.

As the match unfolds, the two players engage in a series of intense and strategic chess moves, but their personal issues and political pressures continue to impact their game. Akiva struggles with a serious heart condition while Pavius must contend with the consequences of defecting.

As the game progresses, the pressure begins to take its toll on the players. Akiva's health spirals. Fromm's personal life disintegrates. Game after game the cat and mouse tactics of power, espionage, and patriotism all become part of a game from which neither man can emerge truly victorious.

A great movie for people who love the game of chess.

https://www.nytimes.com/1985/06/30/movies/dangerous-moves-another-winner-for-a-maverick-producer.html

Cast

Production

The film was released in several countries around the world, including the United States. The film's success at the box office and critical acclaim helped to establish its place in cinematic history as a classic of the genre.[ citation needed ]

Dangerous Moves was released during the height of the Cold War, a period of political tension between the Soviet Union and the United States. The film's exploration of personal and political issues against the backdrop of a high-stakes chess match resonated with audiences around the world, and it helped to cement the film's place as a classic of the genre.

Reception

Critical response

Critics praised the film for its intelligent script, nuanced performances, and engaging storyline. On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 67% based on 6 reviews, with an average score of 7.3/10. [2] The movie's exploration of personal and political issues against the backdrop of a high-stakes chess match was particularly lauded. The film's themes of identity, ambition, and loyalty were also widely praised.

Awards

Dangerous Moves won the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film in 1984; [3] it was submitted by the Swiss government, and gave that nation its first Oscar win. It also won the Louis Delluc Prize, the Prix de l'Académie du Cinéma and the César Award for Best Debut.

Soundtrack

The CD soundtrack composed by Gabriel Yared is available on Music Box Records label (website Archived 2013-12-18 at the Wayback Machine ).

See also

References

  1. ↑ "La Diagonale du fou (1984) - JPBox-Office".
  2. ↑ "Dangerous Moves". Rotten Tomatoes .
  3. ↑ "The 57th Academy Awards (1985) Nominees and Winners". oscars.org. Retrieved 2013-10-30.
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