The Checker King 2001
Distributed by Fanlight Productions, 32 Court St., 21st Floor, Brooklyn, NY 11201; 800-876-1710
Produced by The University of Iowa Video Center and Shadow Bird
Productions
Directed by Kevin Kelley
VHS, color, 39 min.
Jr. High - Adult
Aging, Biography, Death and Dying, Storytelling, Health Sciences
Date Entered: 11/12/2004
Reviewed by Brad Eden, Ph.D., Head, Web and Digitization Services, University Libraries, University of Nevada, Las VegasThis video is a moving biography of Harold O'Brien, an 81-year-old Mason City, Iowa man who is going through the loss of a spouse and severe depression. Harold met his wife late in life, and she encouraged him to pursue his interest in the game of checkers, and enter the Iowa state Checkers Championship, which he won. When she encouraged him to enter the National Checkers competition, Harold was just getting ready to go when his wife died. He never went, and began an six-year struggle with severe depression. The film, begun and narrated by his nephew, chronicles Harold's emergence out of depression, and his ultimate goal of competing in the National Checkers competition. The story of his life and depression is told firsthand by Harold, and the trip to Ohio with his nephew for the checkers competition is chronicled. Harold received a lot of attention from his assisted living center, the local press, and TV news stations. In the end, he did not win the competition, but came out high in the standings.
The film is well-documented, and shows the struggles of older Americans to find meaning in life after the death of a spouse, as well as one man's drive to share his love and passion for the game of checkers.