The Duellists
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The Duellists
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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this movie.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that The Duellists is an excellent period drama -- set during the 19th century, about a pair of rival French soldiers -- with violent scenes. The film is notable for being acclaimed director Ridley Scott's first feature film, with Keith Carradine and Harvey Keitel playing feuding Lieutenants d'Hubert and Feraud respectively. Both characters are criticized by others for being proud and self-absorbed, both of which are contributing factors to their quarrel. There is also a class divide between the two soldiers despite them holding equal rank, which is part of the reason the privileged d'Hubert is disliked by Feraud. Violence is central to the story, with sword and gun use resulting in bloody injury and some death. Characters are criticized for being needlessly violent toward one another, but men are violent to women without repercussions. Characters occasionally drink alcohol, while some smoke tobacco from pipes. The movie is set in France and other European nations during the reign of Napoleon. While the characters are French, the cast is Anglo-American and predominantly White and male. Female characters do feature, but mainly as love interests to the male leads.
What's the Story?
THE DUELLISTS follows a feud between Lieutenant d'Hubert (Keith Carradine) and Lieutenant Feraud (Harvey Keitel), which escalates during the 1800s.
Is It Any Good?
Notable as the movie debut of Ridley Scott, this 1977 period war drama tells a quietly unnerving story of two men whose obsession with one another needlessly threatens their existence. Cast as members of the 19th-century French cavalry, Keitel and Carradine quickly embody the The Duellists' unassuming d'Hubert and volatile Feraud, both of whom are proud to a fault. We see their mutual dislike simmer across two decades and different countries, before reaching a conclusion that entwines their fates.
Given the stellar trajectory of Scott's directing career (which includes Alien, Blade Runner, and Gladiator, among many others), The Duellists is now mainly referred to as a piece of moviemaking history. Shot on a budget with no special effects, it established Scott's eye for telling the human stories that cut through his big-budget smash hits. But its tale of hubris and frailty still endures, thanks to a talented assembly of cast and crew.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the violence in The Duellists. Did the violent scenes help tell the story in an effective way? What did it tell the audience about the characters, their values and the time in which they lived? Does exposure to violent media desensitize kids to violence?
What were the reasons behind d'Hubert and Feraud's feud? What did this rivalry say about the time period in which the film was set?
What did you discover about the period of history in which the movie is set? Did it make you want to find out more?
Movie Details
- In theaters: January 13, 1978
- On DVD or streaming: December 3, 2002
- Cast: David Carradine, Harvey Keitel, Albert Finney
- Director: Ridley Scott
- Studio: Paramount Pictures
- Genre: Drama
- Topics: History
- Run time: 100 minutes
- MPAA rating: PG
- Last updated: December 19, 2022
Our Editors Recommend
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Gladiator
Masterful but really violent Oscar winner.
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Seven Samurai
Famous epic with stylish violence and subtitles.
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Spartacus
Thrilling epic is too intense for the youngest.
For kids who love epics
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