Searching for Bobby Fischer (1993)

Director:

Steven Zaillian

Writers (WGA):

Fred Waitzkin (book)
Steven Zaillian (screenplay)

Release Date:

11 August 1993 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Tagline:

Every journey begins with a single move.

Plot:

A prepubescent chess prodigy refuses to harden himself in order to become a champion like the famous but unlikable Bobby Fischer.

Plot Keywords:

Chess | Prodigy | Champion | Sportsmanship | Pressure

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 5 wins & 6 nominations

Cast

Max Pomeranc	...	Josh Waitzkin
Joe Mantegna	...	Fred Waitzkin
Joan Allen	...	Bonnie Waitzkin
Ben Kingsley	...	Bruce Pandolfini
Laurence Fishburne	...	Vinnie
Michael Nirenberg	...	Jonathan Poe
Robert Stephens	...	Poe's Teacher
David Paymer	...	Kalev
Hal Scardino	...	Morgan
Vasek Simek	...	Russian Park Player
William H. Macy	...	Tunafish Father
Dan Hedaya	...	Tournament Director
Laura Linney	...	School Teacher
Anthony Heald	...	Fighting Parent
Steven Randazzo	...	Man of Many Signals
Chelsea Moore	...	Katya Waitzkin
Josh Mostel	...	Chess Club Regular
Josh Kornbluth	...	Chess Club Regular
Tony Shalhoub	...	Chess Club Member
Austin Pendleton	...	Asa Hoffman
Tom McGowan	...	Reporter
Ona Fletcher	...	Reporter
Kamran Shirazi	...	Himself
Joel Benjamin	...	Himself
Roman Dzindzichashvili	...	Himself
Jerry Poe McClinton	...	Park Player
Matt De Matt Reines	...	Night Park Player
Vincent Smith	...	Washington Square Patzers
Jerry Rakow	...	Washington Square Patzers
William Colgate	...	Statistician
Tony De Santis	...	Journalist
R.D. Reid	...	Final Tournament Director
Anthony McGowen	...	Park Dealer
Katya Waitzkin	...	82nd Girl
Ryder Fleming-Jones	...	Petey
Harris Krofchick	...	Running Chess Kid
John Bourgeois	...	Gym Parent
Maria Ricossa	...	Gym Parent
Caroline Yeager	...	Screaming Mom
Andrew Sardella	...	Josh's Syracuse Opponent
Nathan Carter	...	Josh's Teammate
Nicholas Taylor	...	Birthday Friend
Jonathan Fazio	...	Birthday Friend
Nicky Mellina	...	Birthday Friend
Philip Neiman	...	Birthday Friend
Elizabeth Gropman	...	Birthday Friend
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Matt Birman	...	Father (uncredited)
Bruce Pandolfini	...	Man in Washington Park (uncredited)

Directed by
Steven Zaillian

Writing credits (WGA)
Fred Waitzkin		(book)
Steven Zaillian		(screenplay)

Produced by
William Horberg	....	producer
Sydney Pollack	....	executive producer
Scott Rudin	....	producer
David Wisnievitz	....	co-producer

Original Music by
James Horner

Cinematography by
John Corso
Conrad L. Hall

Film Editing by
Wayne Wahrman

Casting by
Tina Gerussi
Avy Kaufman

Production Design by
David Gropman

Art Direction by
Gregory P. Keen

Set Decoration by
Steve Shewchuk

Costume Design by
Julie Weiss

Makeup Department
Paul R.J. Elliot	....	hair stylist
Linda Gill	....	makeup artist

Production Management
David Coatsworth	....	unit production manager
Jonathan Filley	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Stuart Feldman	....	dga trainee
Walter Gasparovic	....	assistant director
Tony Gittelson	....	assistant director
Burtt Harris	....	assistant director
Grant Lucibello	....	third assistant director
Juan Ros	....	second second assistant director
Rose Tedesco	....	second second assistant director
Stuart Williams	....	trainee assistant director

Art Department
Conrad V. Brink Jr.	....	assistant props: New York
Dennis Davenport	....	first assistant art director
James Halpenny	....	construction coordinator
Jason Herriott	....	scenic artist
Peter Hudecki	....	storyboard artist
Denis Kirkham	....	set dresser
Doug McLean	....	assistant art director
Mark O'Donoghue	....	carpenter (uncredited)

Sound Department
Steve Bartkowicz	....	re-recording engineer
Patrick Bietz	....	sound editor
Gary C. Bourgeois	....	sound re-recording mixer
John Chalfant	....	sound effects editor
Thierry J. Couturier	....	sound editor
Ken Dufva	....	foley artist
Leslie Gaulin	....	foley editor
Eric Gotthelf	....	foley mixer
Scott D. Jackson	....	foley supervisor
David Lee	....	sound mixer
Michael Magill	....	dialogue editor
Scott Millan	....	sound re-recording mixer
James Moriana	....	foley artist
Paul O'Bryan	....	assistant sound editor
Elmo Ponsdomenech	....	sound re-recording mixer
Catherine Rowe	....	foley artist
Joan Rowe	....	foley artist
Beth Sterner	....	supervising sound editor
Steve Switzer	....	boom operator

Special Effects by
Jason Board	....	special effects
Bob Hall	....	special effects
Troy Rundle	....	special effects technician (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Ciaran Copelin	....	second assistant camera
David Crone	....	Steadicam operator
Tony Guerin	....	assistant camera
Rob Hahn	....	additional photographer (as Robert Hahn)
Rob Hahn	....	camera operator (as Robert Hahn)
Kerry Hayes	....	still photographer
Nils Johnson	....	key video assist operator: New York
Andy Langevin	....	rigging best boy
Jim MacCammon	....	gaffer (as James MacCammon)
Gary Muller	....	first assistant camera: New York
Tom Priestley Jr.	....	camera operator
Rick Raphael	....	Steadicam operator
Ron Renzetti	....	dolly grip
Gerard Sava	....	assistant camera
Randy Tambling	....	key grip
Gary Deneault	....	best boy (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Elizabeth Holder	....	wardrobe production assistant

Editorial Department
Henry J. Golas	....	post-production
Lynel Moore	....	assistant editor (as Lynel Moore Cioffi)
Theresa Repola Mohammed	....	negative cutter
Ronald Roose	....	additional editor
Mike Stanwick	....	color timer
Dawn M. Stoliar	....	assistant editor
Peter Watson	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Bob Bornstein	....	music preparation
Shawn Murphy	....	score mixer
Thomas Pasatieri	....	orchestrator

Transportation Department
Dave Marwick	....	production driver
Robert Tenaglia	....	transportation captain

Other crew
Maria T. Bierniak	....	assistant location manager
Robert Dawson	....	title designer
Fred Kamping	....	location manager
Michelle L. Keiser	....	production assistant
Eric Myers	....	unit publicist
Daniel Strol	....	location manager: New York
Douglas Tirola	....	location manager
D. Gregor Hagey	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Jim McCarthy	....	production accountant (uncredited)
Lisa Wilhoit	....	additional voices (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Mirage Entertainment

Distributors

• Paramount Pictures (1993) (USA) (theatrical)
• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1997) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• Argentina Video Home (Argentina) (video)
• CIC Vídeo (Brazil) (video)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (Argentina)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (Spain)

Other Companies

• Big Screen Records  soundtrack published by
• Cinema Research  titles and opticals
• Film House  dailies
• Inter Video  24 frame video playback
• Panavision  camera and lenses
• Paramount Pictures Corporation (Canada)  production services

Also Known As:

Innocent Moves

MPAA:

Rated PG for thematic elements.

Runtime:

110 min | Canada:93 min (Ontario)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Iceland:L | Canada:PG (Ontario) | South Korea:12 | Argentina:Atp | Australia:G | Chile:TE | Spain:T | UK:PG | USA:PG | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Mirage Entertainment

Trivia:

Joe Mantegna's character, Fred Waitzkin, wrote the book on which the film is based.

Goofs:

Continuity: Vinnie is holding the McDonald's cup with his fingertips and thumb. In the next shot, Vinnie's hand is wrapped around most of the cup.

Quotes:

Fred: You know you could give up the game, and that would be all right with me. In fact, I want you to give it up.
Josh: But I can't.
Fred: Why not?
Josh: Because I have to play. *I* have to.

Movie Connections:

Featured in AFI's 100 Years... 100 Cheers: America's Most Inspiring Movies (2006) (TV)

Zaillian's genius in "Searching for Bobby Fischer"

In SEARCHING FOR BOBBY FISCHER, Steven Zaillian's is the most complete and near-flawless film-work of the 1990s. I can't say merely "director's work" because he also wrote the screenplay. And (I have to presume) he chose Conrad Hall as d.p., James Horner for the music, Wayne Wahrman as film-editor, and he worked with a lighting director, sound director, set director and more -- each of whom did a job worthy of the highest praise. And the cast, the supernal cast -- many of whom have had larger and more celebrated roles, but none of whom has ever nailed a role more satisfyingly -- Kingsley, Mantegna, Allen, Fishburne -- even the smaller and cameo bits are effectively faultless -- by Linney, Stephens, Shalhoub, Pendleton. And of course, Pomeranc's work is a kind of miracle. Every part of it evokes from me applause for Zaillian's imagination, sensibility, knowledgeability, intelligence, judgment.

I confess I post this comment because none of the other comments I've seen on SEARCHING seems to me to realize how much Zaillian must have contributed to making this -- and I think it deserves this adjective -- GREAT movie. (I further confess I didn't first watch the movie until some three years after its debut because of its title. I was damned if I wanted to spend two hours in the presence of someone as nasty-seeming as Fischer. But the title of course was Fred Waitzkin's, the author of the source book. Fred, you cost me a few years -- but Steven Zaillian has made up for it many times over.)