Duel (1971) (TV)

User Rating:

7.7/10   

Director:

Steven Spielberg

Writers:

Richard Matheson (screenplay)
Richard Matheson (short story)

Release Date:

13 November 1971 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Mystery | Thriller

Tagline:

A duel is about to begin between a man, a truck, and an open road. Where a simple battle of wits is now a matter of life and death.

Plot:

A business commuter is pursued and terrorized by a malevolent driver of a massive tractor-trailer.

Plot Keywords:

Truck | Road | Truck Driver | Desert | California

Awards:

Nominated for Golden Globe. Another 2 wins & 2 nominations

Cast

Dennis Weaver	...	David Mann
Eddie Firestone	...	Cafe Owner
Gene Dynarski	...	Man in Cafe
Tim Herbert	...	Gas Station Attendant
Charles Seel	...	Old Man
Alexander Lockwood	...	Old Man in Car
Amy Douglass	...	Old Woman in Car
Shirley O'Hara	...	Waitress
Lucille Benson	...	Lady at Snakerama
Carey Loftin	...	The Truck Driver (as Cary Loftin)
Dale Van Sickel	...	Car Driver (as Dale Van Sickle)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Lou Frizzell	...	Bus Driver (uncredited)
Jacqueline Scott	...	Mrs. Mann (uncredited)
Shawn Steinman	...	Girl on school bus (uncredited)
Dick Whittington	...	Radio Interviewer (voice) (uncredited)

Directed by
Steven Spielberg

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Richard Matheson		screenplay
Richard Matheson		short story

Produced by
George Eckstein	....	producer

Original Music by
Billy Goldenberg

Cinematography by
Jack A. Marta		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Frank Morriss

Art Direction by
Robert S. Smith

Set Decoration by
Sal Blydenburgh		(as S. Blydenburg)

Production Management
Wallace Worsley Jr.	....	unit production manager (as Wallace Worsley)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
James Fargo	....	assistant director (as Jim Fargo)

Sound Department
Norval D. Crutcher III	....	sound editor: 2002 restoration
Edwin S. Hall	....	sound
Sam Caylor	....	sound (uncredited)
Dale Johnston	....	sound effects editor (uncredited)
Jack Kirschner	....	sound effects editor (uncredited)
Ronald LaVine	....	sound effects editor (uncredited)
Sid Lubow	....	sound effects editor (uncredited)
Richard Raderman	....	sound effects editor (uncredited)

Stunts
Carey Loftin	....	stunt coordinator (as Cary Loftin)
Carey Loftin	....	stunts (uncredited)
Dale Van Sickel	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Pat Eustis	....	camera car operator (uncredited)
Sherman Kunkel	....	camera operator (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Richard Belding	....	editorial supervisor

Music Department
Mike Deasy	....	musician (uncredited)
Hal Mooney	....	music supervisor (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Alby Thomas	....	transportation coordinator (uncredited)

Other crew
James W. Gavin	....	helicopter pilot (uncredited)
Junior Newman	....	mechanic (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Universal TV

Distributors

• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1971) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• Cinéma International Corporation (CIC) (1972) (non-USA) (theatrical)
• Cinema International Corporation (C.I.C.) (1973) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Cinéma International Corporation (CIC) (1973) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• K Films (1973) (France) (theatrical)
• Shochiku Company (1975) (Japan) (theatrical) (re-release)
• Succéfilm AB (1973) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Universal Pictures (1973) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Universal Pictures (1983) (USA) (theatrical)
• CIC Victor Video (1989) (Japan) (VHS)
• MCA/Universal Home Video (199?) (USA) (VHS)
• Universal Pictures (Spain) (2004) (Spain) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Universal Title  titles and optical effects

Runtime:

90 min | USA:74 min (original version)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

Iceland:L | USA:PG (1984) | Canada:PG (Ontario) | Brazil:12 | Italy:VM14 (DVD rating) | UK:PG (video rating) | Australia:PG | Norway:12 | Sweden:11 | UK:AA (original rating) | USA:PG | West Germany:12 | Singapore:PG | Spain:13 | Finland:S (1996) | Finland:K-16 (1973) | Finland:K-12 (1984)

Filming Locations:

Acton, California, USA

Company:

Universal TV

Trivia:

During the chase, a parked sedan resembling a squad car is seen, briefly raising Dennis Weaver's hopes, but it turns out to be a service car for a pest exterminator named Grebleips... "Spielberg" in reverse.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Mann loses control of his car and hurtles into the 'Chuck's Cafe' parking lot, he crashes broadside into a fence. The collision knocked out the lower two bars of the three-bar fence. Later we see the car sitting surrounded by fence debris and the upper rail is broken, with runs fore and aft of the car sitting diagonally on the ground

Quotes:

David Mann: Come on, car! COME ON, LET'S GO!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Johnson Family Vacation (2004)

Soundtrack:

Playoff (Duel)

Hail on to the Truck driver ... truck driver FREAK!!

Steven Spielberg's first long feature film (sort of) may only just be a TV-movie, its influence, impact and entertainment value overwhelms the majority of big screen productions. The brilliance lies in the simple plot and the complete lack of background information you're denied. The film is a powerful collaboration between the superb writing skills of Richard Matheson (The Incredible Shrinking Man), the stunningly sublime cinematography by Jack Marta and the over talented vision of Steven Spielberg as a director. Duel easily is one of the ONLY movies ever made that'll keep you on the edge of your seat from beginning till end. What begins as an average day for salesman David Mann quickly turns into a merciless showdown between himself and a seemly driverless truck somewhere in a nearly forsaken countryside. The eerie shots of a giant, boisterous and filthy-looking truck versus the classy red Plymouth Valiant are the most tense road-rage images I ever beheld and they're guaranteed to make your blood pump faster!

The film is terrifically cut in half when the protagonist stops a roadside restaurant to analyze his uncanny situation. While recovering from the previous assault, Mann notices that the monstrous truck is also parked outside the diner so one of the unfriendly guests present there more than likely is his assaulter. This sequence, brilliantly illustrated by pan camera movements and atmospheric voice over sound, perfectly proves how an amazing director Spielberg is. Especially when you bear in mind he only was 26 at the time Duel was released and he mostly worked with a crew of veteran filmmakers. This simply is one of the most action-filled movies ever made and a timeless classic. THIS is how we like to see Spielberg! Giant monstrosity! Filthy trucks or man-eating sharks…not the over-sentimental and melodramatic crap he's delivering nowadays.