Searching for Bobby Fischer (1993)

Joe Mantegna: Fred Waitzkin

Photos 

Quotes 

• Bonnie : He's not afraid of losing. He's afraid of losing your love. How many ball players grow up afraid of losing their fathers' love every time they come up to the plate?

  Fred : All of them!

  Bonnie : He knows you disapprove of him. He knows you think he's weak. But he's not weak. He's decent. And if you or Bruce or anyone else tries to beat that out of him, I swear to God I'll take him away.

• Bruce : You have no idea what I want. What is chess, do you think? Those who play for fun or not at all dismiss it as a game. The ones who devote their lives to it for the most part insist that it's a science. It's neither. Bobby Fischer got underneath it like no one before and found at its center, art. I spent my life trying to play like him. Most of these guys have. But we're like forgers. We're competent fakes. His successor wasn't here tonight. He wasn't here. He is asleep in his room in your house. Your son creates like Fischer. He sees like him, inside.

  Fred : You can tell this by watching him play some drunks in the park?

  Bruce : Yes. You want to know what I want. I'll tell you what I want. I want back what Bobby Fischer took with him when he disappeared.

• Fred : He's better at this than I've ever been at anything in my life. He's better at this than you'll ever be, at anything. My son has a gift. He has a gift, and when you acknowledge that, then maybe we will have something to talk about.

• Tunafish Father : If your son wins this game and my son wins his, they'll be playing together.

  Fred : [normal tone]  Wow. I can hardly wait.

  Tunafish Father : [getting defensive]  Hey! It's only a game!

  [sighs and rubs face] 

  Tunafish Father : I'm gonna get myself a tuna fish sandwich. Can I get you a sandwich - ?

  Fred : No that's ok...

  Tunafish Father : [cutting him off]  I'm gonna get you a tuna fish sandwich.

• Bruce Pandolfini : His chess ideas are like pieces of his body he's reluctant to give up. For instance, he simply can't cope with being told not to bring his queen out too early in the game. Why shouldn't he? He's won many a game in Washington Square doing exactly that, why is this suddenly wrong?

  Fred : Try getting him to brush his teeth sometime.

  Bruce Pandolfini : What I'm trying to teach him and what he's learning there are two very different things. Park hustlers play tactics, not position. They rely on wild, unpredictable moves meant to intimidate their opponent. Great in a two-minute speed game for drug money, but it'll cost Josh dearly in real games.

  Fred : Well, he's learning some new words!

  Bruce Pandolfini : I was wondering if you could keep him from playing there so much.

  Fred : Sure.

  Bonnie : No. It'd kill him not to play in the park. He loves it.

  Bruce Pandolfini : It just makes my job harder.

  Bonnie : Then your job's harder.

• Fred : You know you could give up the game, and that would be all right with me. In fact, I want you to give it up.

  Josh : But I can't.

  Fred : Why not?

  Josh : Because I have to play. *I* have to.

• Josh : Can we go to the dealerships now?

  Fred : But the game's not over, yet.

  Josh : Yes, it is.

• [after the first lesson] 

  Fred : So were you two talking about chess up there?

  Bruce Pandolfini : No, it didn't come up.

• [watching Josh's final game] 

  Bruce : That was a mistake.

  Fred : What was a mistake? *Who* made a mistake?

• Josh : Can we get some brochures now?

  Fred : Sure, pee and get your coat.