Queen to Play is a French film that stars Sandrine Bonnaire, and Kevin
Kline. It is strange seeing Kevin Kline speaking French. He seems fluent and at ease acting in French.
The story centers on Sandrine Bonnaire as Hélène who is married with a troubled teenage daughter. She works as a cleaning lady in both a local hotel in Corsica and once a week for a man living alone in his country home. This man is Dr. Kroger (Kevin Kline), an American expat.
One day, as Hélène goes to clean a room, she is surprised to find a couple playing chess on balcony of their room. It intrigues her the way the young woman beats her boyfriend, in what appears to be skillful playing.
After this, chess take holds of Helene's life especially after seeing a chess set at Kroger's house. Her life becomes consumed with chess after she starts playing chess with Kroger. Ultimately Helene becomes so good she regularly beats Kroger. They discover an intellectual intimacy that goes beyond their afternoon chess sessions. In the process, Helene becomes good enough to enter the local chess club tournament.
I very much enjoyed seeing a film that centers around chess, even though I do no play chess. I recommend this entertaining movie.