Rotten Tomatoes, The Queen’s Gambit, 2020. [Photograph]
A creative and elusive adaptation of Walter Tevis’ 1983 novel with the same name directed by Scott Frank, The Queen’s Gambit was released during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic. A tele-series that has recorded a groundbreaking number of viewers, the story presents to us a mysterious tale of an orphan girl played by the allusive Anya Taylor-Joy who aspires to become a master chess player. Set against the backdrop of mid-century modern America, with its maximalist architectural outlook, and the eclectic fashion statements of the 60’s, alongside the stunning cinematography and meticulous set design, the TV show has been able to capture the imagination of the global audience.
Netflix, Young Beth Learns Chess from Mr. Shaibel, 2020. [Photograph]
Highlighting themes of addiction, trauma, chess, and obsession, the TV show depicts the early life of an orphan girl named Beth Harmon, who with her eerie grit and mental prowess can defy the limitations of the orphanage she finds herself confined in and emerge into a mainstream world of chess where she is flooded with multiple conflicting elements. However, her evolution as a master chess player is heavily influenced by her physical surroundings which The Queen’s Gambit has so cleverly displayed. The visual language of the sets and the interiors of the different types of spaces that have been incorporated as part of the show keeps the viewer engaged and willing to embrace the ambiguity of the plot.
Premise
Netflix, Queen’s Gambit, 2020. [Photograph]
Obviously, there is much more to the story than the beauty of the game of chess. Scott Frank has been able to portray the tale of a young orphan girl who rises from the dank basements of her orphanage thrown into the glitz and glamour of the world of chess as an aspiring young woman. Her journey leads her to battle with her own demons that revolve around substance abuse, an early dependency that she develops in her orphanage that also serves as a tool for her to excel in her strategic thinking, strained relationships with her stepparents and supposed love interests, the lure of intoxicating glamour, alongside grief and loss. The intense cinematography with the help of persuasive visual aid helps the audience to navigate the progressive journey of Berth Harmon as an aspiring chess player.
Architectural relevance
Netflix, The Wheatley’s Residence, 2020. [Photograph]
The TV show has a magnetic visual language that reels in the audience with its quirky attention to detail. Although it is quite interesting to know that the mid-century modernist American touch to the architecture and interior being shown in The Queen’s Gambit are all set and shot in Berlin. The production designer, Uli Hanisch was able to convert modern-day Berlin into both a decadent Vegas center as well as bring about Soviet communist sobriety as the movie moves onto its final scene.
The aesthetic of Beth’s inner world is projected onto the physical visuals which the legendary production designer Hanisch has tried to put forth in the television series. There is a selection of scenes that speak the architectural language of the era that is ridden with a sheer Brutalist-Bahaus nuance that is also contrasted with the advent of the Art-Deco movement. The variation of aesthetic sensuality that is representative of the era that the tele-series tries to capture can be best observed in the following scenes:
Beth’s cradle- The Methuen Home Orphanage
Uli Hanisch/Netflix, The Queen’s Gambit. [Photograph]
The orphanage presents itself as the crux of Beth’s character foundational for the years to come as the audience observes during the tele-series. As shown in The Queen’s Gambit, the orphanage where Beth grew up to be had a very eerie feel to it as it was set in a neo-Renaissance-style classical tower which almost looked abandoned. The color palette for most of the scenes shown at the orphanage was in the sickly hues of green and petrol blue with the intent of creating a non-welcoming atmosphere. The dull and hard wooden colors that were used also show the harsh nature of the orphanage where the children had to pertain to strict rulings that stripped them of their individuality. Perhaps this was also intentionally shown to depict the use of tranquilizers for orphans which was a norm at the time.
Beth’s New Home with Her Adoptive Parents
Netflix. The Queen’s Gambit, 2020. [Photograph]
For many, the star of the Wheatley House is the wallpaper and the unapologetic use of mismatching patterns with contrasting colors. The Queen’s Gambit depicts a rather humble and plain abode for the Wheatley’s where Beth finds herself. It shows the use of pastel tones with floral patterns, animal kitsch, and mid-century modern décor that all point towards the attempt of creating a façade of a happy home that was not in fact true. The focal point of the living room is the pianoforte surrounded by rather ghastly however modern-looking furniture that shows the satirical take on modernity by the production team. The questionable use of interior design elements and poorly designed home was in fact a direct comment on the questionable lifestyle of Beth’s adoptive parents and their failing marriage.
Netflix. The Queen’s Gambit, 2020. [Photograph]
In addition to this Beth’s bedroom which is decorated in pink plaid and pink tasseled fabric, a loud predicament of the girliest room ever is also seen to be the epicenter of a satirical comment on her otherwise witty and supersmart character. It is a conscious mismatch to Beth’s personality.
Las Vegas Hotel Lobby
Netflix. The Queen’s Gambit, 2020. [Photograph]
The Queen’s Gambit address the challenge of trying to fit in a quintessentially American setup of a flashy Vegas interior was met by formulating an entire set from scratch in Berlin by the production designer. Using an existing building and molding it into a glamourous center for the US chess open where Beth finds her way up the social ladder, the golden aura of the room does not go unnoticed. The use of gem-colored deep blue and purple sofas, and turquoise chairs, paired with sparkly dice as centerpieces for the lobby was a testament to the regal feel that Vegas holds.
Netflix. The Queen’s Gambit, 2020. [Photograph]
The same gaudy theme is repeated in the hotel room where Beth goes to visit a potential suitor. The hotel room is nuanced with turquoise velvet pillows and the same dice being used as a design pattern in the room. The use of groovy and geometric patterns in the bedroom as seen in The Queen’s Gambit Vegas chapter pays homage to the more Art Deco side of the American architectural trend that was dominant during the ‘50’s. Perhaps the gaudy feel along with the glitz and glamour of the room is a personification of the toxicity that fame brought forth for Beth.
The Aztec Palace Hotel (Mexico City)
Netflix. The Queen’s Gambit, 2020. [Photograph]
Considered to be one of the most captivating yet fictional locations for the teleseries, the Aztec Palace Hotel serves as the more ornamental example of set design for this show. The use of bold colors put together in unapologetic contrast, along with stained glass windows that created a dominating viewpoint throughout the scenes shot in this location. The use of furniture with thin silhouettes with floral prints also gave the hotel a vivacious vibrancy.
Final Chess Showdown at Moscow
Netflix. The Queen’s Gambit, 2020. [Photograph]
As the penultimate scene of the entire series, it was only fitting the same Brutalism that was evident at the beginning of The Queen’s Gambit was replicated at the end with the aura of a post-communist Soviet society. The setup for this scene with the final chess match that would determine Beth’s future as a chess player had to have a certain level of intimidation, gloom, and gravity. The final setup for the final scene had to incorporate a feeling of almost watching a serious surgical operation take place. To enhance this feeling of the ‘unknown’, the setting included wooden bleachers, dark undertones, no bright colors, dim lighting, and multi-levels in the room so that the spectators would be almost looking down at the chess participants who were sitting at the lowest level in the room.
Conclusion
Each chess scene in the TV series is electric. Almost to the point that it makes the viewer hold onto their breath. Frank has been able to give the audience a plethora of evocative moments and bedazzle them with wit and wonder when it comes to enjoying the show like any other sports movie.
References:
Netflix. The Queen’s Gambit, 2020. [Photograph]
Tofani, F. The Methuen Orphanage. 2020. [Photograph]
Rotten Tomatoes, The Queen’s Gambit, 2020. [Photograph]
Wallace, R. (2020). Why Is Everyone So Obsessed with The Queen’s Gambit? Architectural Digest.
Barber, M. (2020). Inspecting 11 Rooms From The Queen’s Gambit. Curbed.
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