Original subtitles

♪ I bet we've been together for a million years ♪

♪ and I'll bet we'll be together for a million more ♪

♪ oh, it's like I started breathing ♪

♪ on the night we kissed

♪ and I can't remember what I ever did before ♪

♪ what would we do, baby

♪ without us?

♪ what would we do, baby

♪ without us?

♪ and there ain't no nothin' ♪

♪ we can't love each other through ♪

♪ ooh-hoo

♪ what would we do, baby

♪ without us?

♪ sha-la-la-la

Queen to Rook 5.

Checkmate.

That's five in a row,

you worthless pile of microchips.

You know, I could get a better game of chess

out of the blender.

You really thought you could beat me, didn't you?

Well, let me tell you something, pal.

I am not the Leland college chess champion for nothing.

I am the best. Do you hear me?

The best!

Alex, I thought I told you not to yell at the appliances.

You know, I have beaten this thing five games in a row, mom.

Do you know what that means?

That means I am in peak form for my big match.

Tomorrow, I am gonna be sitting across the table

from Ivan Rozmirovich,

one of the top young Soviet chess players.

The television cameras are gonna be rolling.

The eyes of the world are gonna be upon me.

And, mom, I'm gonna wipe up the board

with that little Bolshevik.

Alex, that is a terrible attitude.

This is a cultural event.

You should welcome this boy here

with a spirit of cooperation and good will.

Don't be so naive, mom.

This kid has won every match he's played

since he's come to the States.

Right now, Gorbachev and all his buddies in the Kremlin

are laughing, tossing back a few vodkas, saying,

"Keaton is next.

Once we defeat him, nothing can stop us."

You're right. What a fool I've been.

Hey, Alex, there's a telegram for you in the mail

from Washington, D.C.

Whoa. Washington, D.C.

"Dear Mr. Keaton,

"on behalf of the State Department

"and the president of the United States,

I would like to wish you good luck in your match tomorrow."

Look at that.

It's practically signed by the president himself.

"Edmund P. Lockridge,

undersecretary of State for Chess and Backgammon."

My leaders are watching me, mom.

Hey, dad, how's the telecast shaping up?

Were you able to get those things I asked for?

We don't have the budget, son. This is just a local telecast.

What, no slow-motion replays?

No can do.

Howard Cosell?

Sorry.

Goodyear Blimp?

It would never fit in the building, Alex.

And we're now just moments away

from the start of this exciting match.

We are very fortunate to have with us today

American chess grand master Eric Nordstrom,

who will, uh, provide us with a detailed

play-by-play analysis of the event.

Now, Eric, this is your first outing as a commentator,

isn't it?

Yes.

Uh, thank you.

How you doing?

Oh, fine, mom. Fine. Fine.

Look, there he is.

Ivan Rozmirovich...

A Soviet automaton...

Cold and heartless.

Do well. Thanks.

- Alex... - Hey. Guess you're excited, huh?

Um, no.

Um, Jennifer wanted to know

if anyone's gonna be coming around selling hot dogs.

It's unlikely.

I wanted to wish you good luck.

"Good luck."

What do you mean by that?

What do you mean by, what do I mean by that?

I think you know.

Good luck, Alex.

"Good luck." What, are you with him?

What?

So, what did you say to him?

"Good luck."

What did you mean by that?

I don't know, but I won't say it anymore!

Good afternoon, everybody.

I'm Mildred Atkins, chairman of the Leland University

Political Science Department.

On behalf of the university,

I should like to offer a most gracious welcome

to our guests from the Soviet Union,

Ivan Rozmirovich and his coach, Vladimir Rykoff.

Gentlemen, we wish you a hearty...

And now... Now the match will commence.

I wish you both good luck.

Let the chess begin.

Well, the match is underway.

Eric?

You're absolutely right.

It is.

Yes, we have quite a match here.

Really...

Really something.

Very exciting.

Very...

Very exciting.

A very good move.

Thank you.

Well, both players have, uh, just made moves.

They look like pretty good moves to me,

but, uh, of course, I'm just an amateur...

Unlike yourself, Eric.

What is wrong with you, Ivan?

There is nothing wrong with me. He is playing a fine match.

You must win this match.

To lose a match to an unknown American

would be a disgrace, Ivan. A disgrace to the Soviet Union.

Don't you realize that?

I do.

Then win.

Excuse me, uh, ladies and gentlemen, players,

due to the length of the match, we will adjourn until tomorrow,

following the next move by Rozmirovich.

Bishop to Knight 2. Are you kidding?

Excuse me.

Uh, Rozmirovich has moved his Bishop to Knight 2.

And that's a very unusual move.

I'm not quite sure what it means.

I've gone over it a thousand times in my mind.

There's no way around it.

Bishop to Knight 2 is a bad move.

He made a bad move.

All I got to do is move Queen to Bishop 6

and I can't lose.

Well, why are you so upset about this, Alex?

You want to win, don't you? Just accept it happily.

He made a bad move.

Ellen, he did not make a bad move.

Ivan Rozmirovich is too good to make a bad move.

How can you possibly say he made a bad move?

I didn't say it. You did.

It's got to be a trap of some sort.

You know, some hidden strategy I didn't pick up on.

Well, that sounds plausible. It's probably a trap.

It can't be a trap, Ellen.

I have played a million games of chess.

I know a trap when I see one. What's wrong with you?

You're right. I'm sorry.

Maybe I'm just underestimating myself.

I was playing a great game. Maybe he just got thrown.

He got nervous, and he blundered.

Well, that's probably what happened.

He got nervous, and he blund...

He did not get nervous and blunder.

Ellen, he's an experienced tournament player.

He would not get nervous and blund...

Do you know how ridiculous you sound?

I'm sorry.

Bishop to Knight 2.

It's like he's throwing the match.

Why?

Listen, I got to get back to my room.

Stop by later? Yeah.

Hey, uh, Keaton, saw you on the tube today.

Looked pretty good. Thanks.

You gonna demolish that commie tomorrow?

Yeah, I'll do my best.

Rambo Keaton's gonna get the Russki.

Real chess lovers.

Hello.

Hey.

Uh, Ivan. Uh, what are you...

What are you doing here? I-i mean, come in.

Nice to see you. Do they let you walk around here?

I'm... I'm sorry. Um, just sit down.

Are you allowed to sit down?

Yes, aren't you?

How are you doing?

Fine.

I was just taking a walk around the campus,

relaxing a little.

Hey, you any good at this?

I have never played. Good. Great.

Finally, a game I'm better than you at.

Nice shot.

You are doing superbly - in our chess match, I mean.

When did you first take up the game?

I don't know, I guess I've been in love with chess

ever since I watched the...

Bobby Fischer/Boris Spassky World Championship, 1972?

That's right. How did you know?

Watching that match on television

was what got me interested in the game, as well.

No kidding? Oh, yes.

It was some of the most beautiful chess ever played.

Oh, you're telling me. It was unbelievable.

Last game.

The last game - I know it by heart!

Move 36, remember?

Uh, Spassky moved, uh, Bishop to King 6.

Fischer countered with King to Bishop 5.

That's right. Uh, Bishop to Queen 7.

Rook to Queen Knight 8.

After this he could not lose.

He made those pieces dance.

Oh, I used to love the game so much

when I was a boy.

Playing a game of chess was like going to another world,

where I had the power to make things happen

from my imagination.

It was the greatest thing in my life.

Well, w-what about now?

Now, there's no joy in the game for me anymore.

Now, it's a prison.

I have to win all the time, or I've disgraced myself,

I've disgraced my coach,

I've disgraced the Soviet Union.

All I ever wanted to be was a chess player.

I didn't want to be a flag for my country.

Yeah, but you are, Ivan.

I... I mean, I am, too.

That's part of being a great chess player.

You play for the honor of your country.

I love my country, as you love yours.

But the competition that exists is not healthy.

Alex, why can't two people who love the game as we do,

just play chess for the joy of it?

Why does it have to be international standoff?

Because, Ivan, it's...

It's part of the friendly rivalry

that exists between our two nations.

It's like a piano competition, the Olympics, the arms race.

Well, I do not want to be part of it.

I'm tired of all this.

I want to be home,

with my family, with my friends.

I want all this to end.

Is that why you're throwing the match?

Bishop to knight 2.

All I have to do is move Queen to Bishop 6,

and the game's over.

You know that as well as I do. You're losing on purpose.

It's inappropriate to discuss the match during an adjournment.

No, no, hang on, Ivan.

Now, I think I understand it now.

See, I am the first guy you've played

who's given you a close enough match

so you can lose without anyone thinking you lost intentionally.

You slip in the rankings, you're off the team, and it's over.

That's it, isn't it?

I do not know what you're talking about.

Hi, darling. your dad and I just got here.

Mal and Jen will be along in about a half an hour.

Great.

Look, Eric, we're paying you good money for this.

I wish you'd comment more on the match.

Oh, all right.

I-i think both players have handled...

Not now!

When we're on the air.

I can't believe Ivan is throwing this match.

Well, honey, if he really wants to lose,

there's not much you can do to stop him.

I guess not.

For a player as good as Ivan is to throw a match...

What the poor guy must be going through.

Poor guy?

Is this the same person you referred to yesterday

as "that cold, heartless automaton"?

I call a lot of people that.

I know.

You're right.

You know, last night in the snack bar,

there were a couple of guys, real jerks,

cheering me on to "beat the commie."

And it shook me up, mom,

'cause I could hear myself saying that.

In fact, I was saying that just a couple of nights ago.

But the fact is, Ivan is not a villain.

He's just a guy who likes to play chess.

It sounds to me like you really

don't want to win that much anymore.

Not like this, mom.

So, what are you gonna do?

What choice do I have?

Edmund P. Lockridge is watching over me,

cheering me on.

Can't let him down.

Well, you never have before.

You want to know something, mom?

It's a lot easier to hate a country

than it is to hate a person.

I remember when hate was so simple.

Ladies and gentlemen, welcome back.

If the players are ready, we can resume play.

It is Mr. Keaton's turn.

Eric, will you please say something?

Well, it looks like Keaton

is going to Queen to Bishop 6, Check.

That's a very strong move.

It could well win the match for him.

There, was that so hard?

What are you doing? You were going to move your Queen.

Yeah, well, as you know, Ivan,

the move is not final until I take my hand off the piece.

I've reconsidered, decided to move my Bishop.

But the Queen move is the better move.

Says you.

Why are you doing this?

To even things up, Ivan.

And don't pretend you don't know what I'm talking about.

Alex, please.

No.

There, it's all even now.

Bad move for bad move.

Let's play some chess, pal.

Hey, what are you doing?

Trying to make a move, if you'll let go of my hand.

You're making a bad move on purpose again.

Well, uh, there's quite a bit more grabbing going on in...

In... In today's session, I'll say that.

I'm not gonna let you do it, Ivan.

Let go of my hand.

There. The move is official now.

Oh, yeah?

There.

That's an even worse move than you made.

This is worse than yours.

That's the worst move you'll ever see in your life.

That is bad, but watch this.

All right!

Let go of my hand.

Whoa! Some great action here,

ladies and gentlemen.

Uh, things have really picked up.

Will you move your hand?

No. You're not putting that Queen in this square, Ivan.

Now, give it to me.

Gentlemen, what is the meaning of this?

Ivan, come back!

All right, Ivan, drop that Queen.

Steven: Ladies and gentlemen, this is, without a doubt,

the most exciting chess match I've ever seen.

Well, Alex, I never thought I'd say this after a chess match,

but nice tackle.

I was just talking to Nordstrom.

He said that this is absolutely a chess first...

both players disqualified for wrestling.

Alex: Look, Ivan was trying to lose the match

so he could drop out of competitive chess.

But I just didn't think a player that great

should go out with a black mark on his record.

Well, you took care of that, didn't you?

Alex, I'm proud of you.

Some people have to win at any cost.

You're just not like that.

Sure, dad, kick me while I'm down.

Come on, everyone, let's go home.

If you don't mind,

I'd kind of like to be alone for a while.

All right, well, let's us go home.

I don't think I'll take up chess.

It's too violent.

Hello.

Hey.

I came for my bag.

In all the commotion, I forgot to take it with me.

Uh...

Stay back!

Uh, how you doing?

My arm is a little sore,

but the nurse at your infirmary said it was just a sprain.

My first chess injury.

Listen, Ivan, I hope...

I mean, uh...

They're not gonna send you to Siberia for this, are they?

Because I don't think that's right.

I mean, if anybody should go to Siberia, it should be me.

And I'll tell your leaders that. I will.

I mean, who do I call?

They're closed now.

Don't worry, Alex. Neither of us are going to Siberia.

Well, uh, what are you gonna do?

You gonna quit playing tournaments?

Oh, I don't know.

When I get home, I'll talk it over with my parents.

I trust their opinion.

Sorry I put you through all this.

No, I am glad you did what you did.

Alex, everyone I've encountered in the world of chess

has treated me as either a hero or a villain.

But you acted out of concern for me,

out of love for the game.

Right now, I have a good feeling about the world of chess

that I haven't had in a long while.

I consider you my friend, Alex.

Same here, Ivan.

Sorry.

You should visit me in the Soviet Union.

I would love to play another game of chess with you someday.

No tournament,

just two friends who love the game.

Listen, Ivan...

I'm not gonna be in the Soviet Union

for at least a couple of weeks.

So why don't we play now?

What?

Why don't we play right now?

No flags, no international rivalry,

no lights, no cameras, nothing at stake.

Just a couple of guys who like to play chess.

All right.

All right.

I'll play you for a buck.