The Duellists

(UK)

Enigma. Director Ridley Scott; Producer David Puttnam; Screenplay Gerald Vaughan-Hughes; Camera Frank Tidy; Editor Pamela Power; Art Director Bryan Graves

Keith Carradine
Harvey Keitel
Cristina Raines
Edward Fox
Robert Stephens
Albert Finney

The Napoleonic Wars are behind this stubborn sword slashing and then pistols of two men whose personalities are caught up in their own personal vendetta within the epic European battles of the times.

Harvey Keitel is an almost obsessed dueller who is asked to appear before the general due to his duels, by Keith Carradine who practically volunteers for the job.

Keitel is jaunty and menancing and Carradine more determined and a bit troubled but also caught up in this strange need of one to prove honor and the other slaking a twisted nature.

It does not quite achieve a more lusty visual feel for the times and the strange relations of these two men to themselves and to the women in and out of their lives.

Fine thesps in smaller roles help with even Albert Finney in as the Napoleonic head of the Paris police.

(Color) Available on VHS, DVD. Extract of a review from 1977. Running time: 95 MIN.

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