Chess in The Film
The chess game opens with the knight holding out his hands, a white piece hidden in one hand, a black one in the other. Death chooses the black pawn ("You are black", says Block. "It becomes me well." replies Death). The first moves of each use the king's pawn.
In the confessional, the knight says "I use a combination of the bishop and the knight which he hasn't yet discovered. In the next move I'll shatter one of his flanks." Death (in disguise as the priest) replies "I'll remember that." When they play by the beach, the knight says: "Because I revealed my tactics to you I'm in retreat. It's your move." Death captures his opponent's knight. "You did the right thing", states the knight, "you fell right in the trap. Check! Don't worry about my laughter, save your king instead." Death's response is to lean over the chess board and make a psychological move. "Are you going to escort the juggler and his wife through the forest? Those whose names are Jof and Mia and who have a small son." "Why do you ask?" says the knight. "Oh, no reason", replies Death.
Immediately after the death of the robber Raval, Death takes the knight's queen. "I didn't notice that", says the knight.
In one of the last scenes, the knight pretends to knock over the pieces so the young family can escape while Death is reconstructing the game. "You are mated on the next move, Antonius Block" says Death. "That's true", admits the knight. "Did you enjoy your reprieve?" "Yes, I did", Block replies.
Read more about this topic: The Seventh Seal
Famous quotes containing the words chess and/or film:
“Work, as we usually think of it, is energy expended for a further end in view; play is energy expended for its own sake, as with children’s play, or as manifestation of the end or goal of work, as in “playing” chess or the piano. Play in this sense, then, is the fulfillment of work, the exhibition of what the work has been done for.”
—Northrop Frye (1912–1991)
“Is America a land of God where saints abide for ever? Where golden fields spread fair and broad, where flows the crystal river? Certainly not flush with saints, and a good thing, too, for the saints sent buzzing into man’s ken now are but poor- mouthed ecclesiastical film stars and cliché-shouting publicity agents.
Their little knowledge bringing them nearer to their ignorance,
Ignorance bringing them nearer to death,
But nearness to death no nearer to God.”
—Sean O’Casey (1884–1964)