Das Spiel des Lebens

The director of this melodrama displays the customary tenuous grasp on how chess is played, and the mawkish sentimentality found in many an old school film. The actors do well to deliver the corny lines and represent the saintly kids of the Bronx.

Unfortunately I teach chess to kids in a school, voluntarily and not as part of any job, as do many chess teachers: and know that chess is the great underdog of the educational world. Hey, I'd be over the moon if some individual ever bunged in a quid or fiver to support the chess, never mind a few thousand dollars. So this film had me weeping uncontrollably all the way through, and I'd watch it again just to get in touch my emotions.

Kids, don't bang down on those clocks you'll break them, and Ted, don't swish the pieces at the and of the games, that would be the chess equivalent of spiking the football at the end of the game. OK, its only a film...sob, sob.

Once in while we need to remember just what a teacher can do to make a difference. This is a movie that does just that. A story that helps us appreciate what a teacher can do to change a child's life. Sometimes what a kid needs is a teacher who understands that tests don't always represent intelligence. Sometimes we need a teacher who sees things a little different. We have seen this type of story hundreds of times in many different forms, but this wonderful little American underdog story has very good actors who make it very enjoyable. This movie joins all the great "feel good" movies that show us the many different ways people have escaped their beginnings. A simple story about success in a most unlikely setting. A very enjoyable "feel good" movie.

I thought this was one of the best things Ted Danson has done. I liked the story and I liked all the kids! I must admit this is one of my favorite kind of stories. I think Richard was a great teacher and he accomplished what many teachers only hope to accomplish. I have great admiration for teachers who use innovative ways of teaching children who don't seem to want to learn. In this film, the teacher uses the game of chess as the instrument of learning. It may seem strange that children would find this game interesting. That's where the intellect of the teacher shines through.I highly recommend this movie to one and all.

This movie was excellent. I didn't look at anything technical, only how this teacher was there for his students. Teachers need to remember why they wanted to teach. Sometimes the teacher is the only person they can ever go to. Teacher was there for the disappointments and the victories. It is also surprising what a difference it made in his personal life. I know for a fact the encouragement and the negative words stay with someone for there whole life. There should be more teachers like him. All in all I enjoyed that movie. There was drama, love, and for me,tears. I would definitely buy a DVD if there is one made. I would like to comment on Ted Danson, he was superb. Not quite like the man he usually portrays on TV series. thank you

The genre of "inspired and unusual teachers who impact the lives of their students" goes back at least to "Goodbye Mr. Chips" (1939) and perhaps farther than that. Many of us still remember our reactions to "To Sir, With Love" (1967) and "The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie" (1969). The present effort, based on the founding of "Chess in the Schools" by David MacEnulty, doesn't rank with these "greats," but it's a respectable sentiment piece and makes up for its formulaic plot to some extent with notably excellent acting. I think Ted Danson is generally underrated, and his performance here is skillful and convincing. I don't know what the real-life MacEnulty was like, but I can imagine him being just about like Danson's portrayal. The five young people who constitute the "Knights" chess team are the heart of this movie, and all are serious actors, though a bit long-in-the-tooth to be in the fourth grade. One gets so accustomed to that misrepresentation, especially in American films, that it goes almost unnoticed. If you watch enough movies, you start to wonder why the real kids you know are so LITTLE! Anyway, this is a not-bad film with a good story to tell, and it won't give anybody nightmares.