The Duellists (1977)
Average Rating: 7.2/10
Reviews Counted: 22
Fresh: 20 | Rotten: 2
Rich, stylized visuals work with effective performances in Ridley Scott's take on Joseph Conrad's Napoleonic story, resulting in an impressive feature film debut for the director.
Average Rating: 6.5/10
Critic Reviews: 5
Fresh: 3 | Rotten: 2
Rich, stylized visuals work with effective performances in Ridley Scott's take on Joseph Conrad's Napoleonic story, resulting in an impressive feature film debut for the director.
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Average Rating: 3.8/5
User Ratings: 5,645
Movie Info
The Duellists is based on a story by Joseph Conrad, variously titled The Duel and The Point of Honour. Keith Carradine and Harvey Keitel play officers in Napoleon's army -- D'Hubert and Feraud, respectively -- who spend their off-hours challenging each other to bloody duels. This goes on for nearly 16 years, with neither man showing any inclination of calling a truce. The final clash finds the gentlemanly D'Hubert getting the upper hand of the obsessed Feraud -- but that's not quite the end of
Jan 1, 1977 Wide
Dec 3, 2002
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Cast
-
Keith Carradine
D'Hubert -
Harvey Keitel
Feraud -
Cristina Raines
Adele -
Edward Fox
Col. Reynard -
Robert Stephens
Treillard -
John McEnery
2nd Major -
Albert Finney
Fouche -
Diana Quick
Laura -
Alun Armstrong
Lecourbe -
Tom Conti
Dr. Jacquin -
-
Gay Hamilton
Maid -
Meg Wynn Owen
Leonie -
Jenny Runacre
Mme. de Lionne -
Alan Webb
Chevalier -
Maurice Colbourne
Tall Second
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The Duellists Trailer & Photos
All Critics (24) | Top Critics (5) | Fresh (20) | Rotten (2) | DVD (14)
Scott gets strong performances from his supporting cast (Quick is sensual and effective) and is able to salvage the movie through the alchemy of the striking visuals.
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.
Keitel struggles gamely against a wooden Carradine, but the American influences further dislocate a script that delivers little observation, psychological or social, on their running feud.
Top CriticIt is precise, intelligent, civilized, and because it never for a moment mistakes its narrative purpose.
The film comes closer to working than it has any right to, given the curious casting (Keith Carradine and Harvey Keitel) and director Ridley Scott's inability to sustain dramatic tension or build a coherent scene.
... one of the most strikingly pictorial movies ever made.
The richness of Scott's visuals, the excellence of the performances and the depth of the themes combine to make a minor masterpiece.
Scott's approach to his material seems essentially a stylistic one; it imposes itself upon the story rather than visa-versa, giving an account of the Napoleonic wars that lacks passion and depth, despite the expert visuals.
Interiors are bathed in the golden light of candlelight and nostalgia, like a period painting in motion, while exteriors are wrapped in fog and mist.
the film improves with multiple screenings, as a viewer becomes less concerned about the outcome of each engagement, and more interested in the passion that is driving it.
A magnífica fotografia, a bela direção de arte e as ótimas atuações se transformam em meros detalhes frente à impressionante estréia de Ridley Scott na direção de longas.
The Duellists registers on the senses like a pointillist work of art, encouraging us to revel in its symmetry and relish its high regard for small details.
the very beauty of the imagery ultimately works to the story's benefit, as it creates an ironic counterpoint to the irrationality of the ongoing feud
Audience Reviews for The Duellists
Super Reviewer
Nothing still takes away the fact that the acting is highly uneven here with Keith Carradine and Harvey Keitel highly miscast in their leading roles. I must also say that in my opinion the whole rhytm of the film is too episodic and too fragmented. Sadly Scott doesn't give his characters any depth. They just remain talking heads for the whole lenght of the film.
But as usually, what Scott loses in depth he wins with the surface. There is no question about it that this film is visually way ahead of it's time and is a treat for anyone who is interested in photography. Still it is far away from Scott's best films and remains one of his lesser works.
Super Reviewer
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Movie: ID: 11036 Title: The Duellists Release Date: 1977-01-01 00:00:00.0 MPAA: 2 Status: 1
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Foreign Titles
- Les duellistes (FR)
