Chess Fever (1925)

Recommended

Soviet Union

Feature Film

Original Title: Шахматная горячка

Directors: Vsevolod Pudovkin, Nikolai Shpikovsky

Writer: Nikolai Shpikovsky

Cinematographer: Anatoli Golovnya

Cast: Vladimir Fogel, Anna Zemtsova, José Raúl Capablanca, Sergei Komarov

During the world championships, a young man – like the rest of Moscow – is gripped with chess fever, much to annoyance of his non-believing fiancée, who is desparate to escape from the game, in this entertaining silent comedy, filled with delicious little visual flourishes and featuring a brief cameo from the then world champion, José Raúl Capablanca. Iain.Stott