The Chess Player (Le Joueur d'Échecs)

Hidden Treasures (173 items)
list by Kenji

Watched in 2012 (172 items)
list by Harmonica

Kenji's Film Canon (642 items)
list by Kenji

Chess in the cinema part 1 (84 items)
list by Venice

My Favourite French Films (45 items)
list by Kenji

A grand dashing romantic adventure set in the 18th century, with Poland resisting the Russians in the time of Catherine the Great- replete with masked balls, sleigh rides in the snow, firework displays and automata. A terrific silent film.

The Polish people are repressed by the Russians, and the nobleman who could help them is obsessed with his mechanical chess paying machine. A woman not unlike Joan of Arc tries to lead the Polish army to victory, and she hallucinates that they win.