Paul Morphy: A movie/film

Isn't Kevin Spacey over sixty years old ?

Actaully, it's not racist to care. Racial identity is important to most non-whites in America.

Thanks.  Creole is a nearly meaningless term because it can mean so many different things to so many different minds. I've always subscribed to Morphy's Creole ethnicity or, more likely, cultural background, along the lines that the Vieux Carré people at the beginnings of the 19th century saw themselves - descendants of Europeans who settled the area. They mostly identified with the French but not exclusively.  Complexities came sometime later. Since we happen to know a lot of Morphy's heritage and genealogy, there's no doubt about his race or whatever today's correct term might be.

Whether Morphy is White, Black, or something in between isn't important in the least in or of itself. But if the topic is breached, "in the least" facts should be presented as well as conjecture.

I'm curious... how do you picture M'Donnell in your mind?  How do you picture Labourdonnais?

I don't know. According to Leontxo García, Labourdonnais was a hefty guy, imposing but entertaining, prone to curse during their games, while McDonnell was the typical phlegmatic British, although probably he was more nervous deep inside. We are talking about five matches, 85 games during five months if I'm not wrong, on an environment typical of a festival. And both gladiators had a sad end. I think it could be a great movie.

George Clooney. Penelope Cruz as the love interest. Action sequences and car chases shot in L.A. and the Nevada desert. Jackie Chan could be consulted for the fight scenes. 

It might be interesting to note that M'Donnell was about 3 years younger than Labourdonnais and a far more "Romantic" player, willing to take chances. He was witty and well liked by people who knew him and was considered possibly one of the best odds-givers on his time (Deschappelles had retired). Labourdonnais didn't traveled to London in order to play a match or matches with M'Donnell (nor was it his first such trip), but acquiesed to George Walker's suggestion for a match.  During his stay he was playing daily at the Westminster Club where M'Donnell was the leading player.  Labourdonnais was famous for being a fast player, often reaching for a piece as his opponent was setting his down.  M'Donnell wasn't a fast player, but I'm not sure he was a slow player either.  However, M'Donnell was a very sick man, probably even before the match began and certainly during the match. He died during a break in the match (the break was called by Labourdonnais who had to attend to business at home). 

But I'm with you... this match blended so many elements and contrasts that it captures the imagination. I'm not sure exactly how cinematographically exciting an 85 game match(es) would be though.

A lifetime of working with non-whites on a daily basis. I can assure you, Blacks, Latinos and Asians in America are quite proud of their heritage and want it acknowledged.

It actually is the opposite, kleeof. For me, anyway. I walk around thinking that I'm just another human being until kabop-kabaam-kabooom, someone cut's me off mid sentence and say something like "That's not surprising you think that way. "Your women" (referring to my race) are not as arrogant as western women?"....or some stupid shit like that.

Sure, it can vary from person to person. But I've met very few non-whites in America who don't want their race to be recognized and respected.

Yeah. You make this movie with a white guy and you can bet you'll see some black activist on CNN going on about how hollywood had ignored the black man once again by choosing a white guy to play the role of a black man.

God bless America!

It is highly unpleasant, kleeof. Humans got all kinds of stupid/ugly stereotypes in their heads about this race or that race...and as soon as they see you - that is all you are. All the accumulated stereotypes they have in their heads projected on you.

It's walking into STUPID on a daily basis.

1/16 black? LOL

Yes, I agree 100%. 

But this is not really the type of recgonition I am talking about.

It's too bad you can't look at someone and see that they are stupid as easily as you can see if they are black,asian or white.

SUrely you know Jesse Jackson. 

Kleeof, I pulled my linen out of the laundry yesterday and it was all rolled up into one tightly entangled ball. I was trying to forcibly disentangle the mess - and didn't get anywhere with it. After 15 minutes of trying, I took it out on the back porch. Held that balled up mess by one end and just shook it repeatedly....it came undone by itself....

Anywho, there isn't much left in me that can be pidgeon-holed into any race or nationality...least of all, by the color of my skin. I'm a self-made outcast...I am repelled by clannishness and tribalism.

I saw Jesse Jackson on TV once or twice

Fiveofswords--" he didnt descend into insanity"

I guess you haven't read his biography, then.

Of course, you could remedy that HERE.