Queen To Play

A sultry couple sits on the balcony playing chess under the morning Corsican sun. Not hearing the knock, the chambermaid enters and is surprised to discover them there. The lady is wearing a negligee and she shows no signs of modesty. The gentleman is dressed and encourages the maid to go ahead and clean the room. As they continue to play they hold hands, drink wine, and gaze loving at each other. Then the lady beats him while the gentleman crosses to the railing to take in the view and contemplate his loss. The lady enters inside and helps herself to a cigarette. She is beautiful, sexy and very alluring.
 
Helene, the maid (Sandrine Bonnaire) is intrigued by this mysterious woman, but even more so she is fascinated by the game of chess. Having come to this island as a young woman in marriage she now finds her life very dull. Her teenage daughter is embarrassed by her occupation and her husband is taking her for granted. He often leaves her home alone while he goes off to play backgammon with a friend. Helene is looking for something to wake her up.
 
As a second job Helene cleans house for an expatriate American (Kevin Kline). While dusting she discovers his chess set and cannot resist the urge to examine it. When her employer catches her with the set she boldly asks him to teach her the game. Reluctantly he agrees and their weekly lessons turn into a friendship.
 
As Helene spends more and more time at the Kroger house the village suspects that she is having an affair, little do they know that she has fallen in love with the game of chess. It permeates her entire life as she tries to understand the intricacies of the game. Queen to Play is a story about female empowerment. It shows how even housewives need intellectual stimulation and that every woman, no matter who she is, needs some little passion to call her own.
 
I loved this quiet film. Sandrine Bonnaire is exquisite as an unobtrusive housewife slowly evolving into a confident woman of her own. It is feminist, but not in a brash audacious way. It is a personal film about a woman discovering her worth and the people who love her coming to terms with it. Kevin Kline is also lovely as a widower who has locked him self away in grief. In his first French-speaking role, Kevin displays a layered performance which contains melancholy, sorrow, disdain, and a touch of paternal pride. The two of them together are touching. Add in the lovely location and this film is like a vacation for the mind, restful, yet still challenging. This is a mature love story and one you won’t want to miss.

Rating: First Run Your best move is to see this film