Marathon UpdateThe Chess Players When MartinTeller
ranked this as the lowest-rated Satyajit Ray in the Marathon I figured I wasn't going to end on a high note. The problems with The Chess Players are numerous and rather easy to spot, and so are the highlights.
My favorite small moments are during the power struggle between the British Governor General and the Indian ruler. I really liked Richard Attenborough's first scene. His reasoning for taking control of the land has a bit of arrogance, but a lot of logic. Later on the king gives a very long monologue about the situation, but I loved the visual symbolism Ray would invoke by cutting to the empty throne. The scene ends with a moment that's overdone, but I really liked the way it showed that this king was not going to roll over. That story, however is way too long, mostly because the bulk of Attenborough's dialogue is spoken twice, by him and then subtitled by a translator.
It also plays rather obvious because it's intercut with a humorous story of two upper-class chess fanatics, oblivious to the changes going on around them. Their story says much the same thing, but in a wonderfully indirect way, both in the characters and in their chess games. This section has problems as well. Some of the situations are at the level of a TV sit-com, and it's not funny or sly enough. Ray could've incorporated the outside world even better for a great satire on two people (and possibly an entire culture) who just want to fiddle while their traditions burn down around them.
RATING: * * 1/2FINAL ANALYSIS: A very interesting exploration. I would call his films Very Good, but I would call him a Great director. I still plan to catch up with The Music Room, Company Limited and Days and Nights in the Forest when I can get my hands on them.