Produced by Ambrosio Film and directed by Luigi Maggi
, Una partita a scacchi (1912) is a short film of only 8 minutes that exemplifies how Italian silent cinema was already exploring psychological suspense and the figure of the "madman" as a driver of fear. Far from historical castle dramas, the plot unfolds almost entirely within the confines of a passenger train compartment.
In the story, an ordinary traveler — played by Febo Mari
— shares a compartment with an asylum escapee (Antonio Grisanti
), who convinces him to play a game of chess during the journey. However, what begins as a pastime takes a sinister turn when the protagonist is surprised by a fatal proposal: the game will be for his life... or his opponent's.
Despite refusing, the passenger is forced by fear to proceed with the deadly game. In a moment of desperation, while stopping at a station, he manages to call for help by writing a note and throwing it onto the platform. To avoid further spoilers for a work that has survived the test of time, you can check out the conclusion in this restored copy available on Vimeo.
The preserved version features French intertitles and was restored in 1995 by the Haghefilm laboratory in Amsterdam, based on a copy from the collection of the National Cinema Museum in Turin.
Sources researched: iMDB, Museo Nazionale del Cinema, Postale cinema muto italiano, Europeana
