The Duellists

a beautiful movie with exquisite photography & score that evokes splendidly what the Napoleonic era could very well have been like, the premise is very simple but i really enjoyed the way it was explored, a seemingly insignificant incident based on a misunderstanding escalates into a ridiculous decade long series of duels between two antagonists, one of which is really rather reluctant and the other completely driven by this desire to avenge what he perceives as a slight to his honor, all set against a backdrop of the sweeping events of the Napoleonic Wars raging across Europe The cast, Locations and atmosphere are fantastic, i'm really surprised this film isn't more well know, a classic movie in my book,

I had been up nearly 36 hours when my pal suggested, "Let's see a movie." How could I possibly sit through a movie after so long without sleep? What could so capture my attention? The answer would be, "The Duelists." I was mesmerized. Never before nor since has a film looked so phenomenally beautiful (thanks, Frank Tidy). This has been compared to Barry Lyndon, but Barry Lyndon was a still canvas. This is a canvas that moves with better story and acting, too. The action? First rate sword fighting and the tension leading up to each fight is real (Keitel makes his disgusting bully fully hate-able). The romance? That scene between Carradine and his lady love as their horses get into the act is priceless. Welles' Citizen Kane is still perhaps the best "first" by a director, but then I must nominate The Duelists as next in line for Mr. Scott.

The Duellists is really well shot, considering it was his first film. The zoom out shots remind me of Barry Lyndon. I liked the concept but couldn't connect to the characters. The narration felt cheap and unnecessary but I guess a lot of debuts have narration. The liked the ending very much, it left me thinking about honor, how we interpret it and is it worth fighting for.

Seems this film has left most viewers with only positive comments to make (quite rare actually). I agree with most of them. This is a very believable film and is beautiful to watch in parts thanks to Scott's eye for design and natural beauty, esepecially regarding the use of light. I was mesmerised to know how it was all going to end. I was so sure it was going to end tragically but then was surprised and elevated by the ending that showed the richness & depth of the human experience. I believe there's some meaning for us all in this movie. And I got to hear about this movie by accident! An amazing quality of a film overall when you read about it's history, which was almost not made! 8/10

A really wonderful movie that lives from the great script, the exceptionally good actors (from the major to the minor roles), the very well done directing and an outstanding score. The cast is really good, from the main actors to Diana Quick and to such interesting and sadly underrated actors as Morgan Sheppard and Liz Smith. This movie shows that, provided with a good script, Ridley Scott once was able to do really good movies. If you think this movie is heartless just compare this debut with the first movie done by Ridley's brother Tony, the hollow "The Hunger". The only drawback is his taste for sometimes overdone and unnatural photography. The script is surprisingly faithful to the original story by Joseph Conrad (that one really should read). If you are looking for a movie full of style and grace you will find it here!

Often, when you watch a movie, you can tell when it was made. It deals with the mores and prejudices of the time it was made. The costumes are done without attention to detail or the hair-styles of the leading actors don't belong to the time when the movie is supposed to be taking place. Not this movie. It deals with timeless themes: courage, fate, inevitability, honor. The costumes are impeccable, and even the hair-styles change as time progresses, exactly as the fashions changed during the times of the Napoleon. Without knowing the actors (though the cast is composed of excellent, justifiably famous artists), there is no way to tell it was made in 1977. It might have been made yesterday, or it might have been filmed on the spot. If you enjoy a movie where attention was paid to every detail to make it a true piece of art, if you enjoy dramatic photography thoughtful themes, and just the barest suggestion of dry humor, this is the movie for you.

An early masterpiece by Ridley Scott with two superb actors playing the two main characters (two officers of the French Grande Army): Keith Carradine and Harvey Keitel. This is not your usual swashbuckler or costume movie but a fine look into a past time and into a very different code of honor and bravery. I watched it a couple of times and I dare to say: timeless and a must-watch.