Grandmaster Of Shows

I can’t play chess; I don’t even understand the game.

This was my first reaction when I saw the trailer for ‘Queen’s Gambit.’ In addition, I assumed it was one of those sleep-inducing shows about royalty judging from its title. We got into Queen’s Gambit proper and I was sold, from that scene where this little girl defeated an entire high school chess club in a simultaneous exhibition, (a chess exhibition where one player plays multiple games at a time with a number of players.), there was no turning back for me, I had to see it all.

The most intriguing part of this show is that although the plot seems to be a lot about chess, it is way more than that. It highlights the importance of relationships, not only with others but also the way you relate with your mind. It defines the importance of an active imagination.

It is easy to tell that every part of this show was carefully thought out. Every decision, down to the cast’s outfits, was carefully thought about to portray something that existed in that time. It was so real that at some point, I began to assume that a ‘Beth Harmon’ must have existed somewhere, and this was was her story rather than a fictitious character.

The Queen’s Gambit slowly reveals how society has evolved and the level of change we have experienced to reach our current position. It elaborates on changes as it concerns technology, fashion, architecture, music, and interior decoration. It is how technology has evolved from the use of rotary telephones to the use of touch phones. The film is a flashback in time, showing how things have changed through the decades and how they would continue to expand as long as people entertain the desire to innovate.

Chess was a big part of the story, relationships were also important, but we can’t deny that this is the kind of film that made use of every prop to its advantage. It appreciates its environment, using it as a means to share a story.

I can’t play chess, but I’d love to find someone to slide rooks and knights with across the board. Queen’s Gambit is a love letter to an ancient game. A celebration of chess. It is the story of perseverance and survival; there are moments filled with grace and others of brutality, but one player will prevail in the end.

This show transcends the idea of chess, the concept of genius; it has multiple themes which attend to many of the issues faced today. The themes of this film are quite heavy, but they also bring a level of weightlessness. The Queen’s Gambit is so much more, but I’d rather you explore.

It might have taken Beth Harmon years to become grandmaster, but it took this show less than a month to be worthy of the title, “ The Grandmaster of Shows.”