#havejustwatchedONtv - "The Duellists" director Ridley Scott's first feature. Best Debut Film award at the 1977 Cannes Film Festival

Uploaded by Yarbols on Oct 19, 2006

The trailer for the 1977 Ridley Scott's version of Joseph Conrad's story

The Duellists

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

Plot

Set during the Napoleonic Wars, it features two French Hussar officers, Armand d'Hubert (Keith Carradine) and Gabriel Féraud (Harvey Keitel). A misunderstanding between them over an initially minor incident becomes a quarrel that turns into a bitter, long-drawn out feud over the following fifteen years, interwoven with the larger conflict that provides its backdrop. At the beginning, Féraud is the one who jealously guards his honour and repeatedly demands satisfaction anew when a duelling encounter ends inconclusively; he aggressively pursues every opportunity to locate and duel with his foe. The Hussars were stationed at Ausburg Germany initially.

As the story progresses, d'Hubert also finds himself caught up in the contest. He is unable to refuse Féraud's repeated challenges to duel or to walk away because of the rigid code of honour. The feud persists through the different campaigns of the Napoleonic war, and on into the period of the Bourbon restoration which follows. When the story begins, both men are lieutenants, and over time both rise through the ranks to reach the rank of General.

At times, Feraud and d'Hubert meet but are of different rank in the army, which due to army regulations prevents them from duelling, but whenever both are of the same rank and in the same place, Feraud immediately issues a challenge. Each comes close to fatally wounding the other, d'Hubert being critically wounded in a duel with small swords, Féraud later being slashed in a joust on horseback with cavalry sabres and both of them nearly killing each other in an inconclusive combat with heavy sabres inside a barn. During the retreat from Moscow, another duel (this time with pistols) almost takes place, but the two must act together to survive when they are attacked by Cossacks.

After the fall of Napoleon, d'Hubert marries and becomes a respected member of the restored aristocracy and a General of Brigade in the new French Army, while Féraud is an embittered member of the anti-monarchist party. Poor and despised, he rejoins Napoleon after the Emperor escapes from Elba (while d'Hubert refuses to take part in Napoleon's return), but his hopes are dashed after the Battle of Waterloo and Napoleon's final exile to St. Helena. Forced to live under supervised conditions in a country village (unknown to Feraud, d'Hubert, by interceding with Minister Joseph Fouche, was responsible for Feraud's not being executed for being "a rabid Bonapartist"), Feraud still tracks d'Hubert down and challenges him, although he no longer truly remembers, or has conveniently altered, the reason for the perceived injury to his honour.

The final duel is a pursuit through a ruin with each of the protagonists armed with a pair of duelling pistols. When Féraud misses his second shot, d'Hubert immediately seizes the initiative and corners Féraud at gunpoint. Féraud is completely defenceless, with no hope of escape. However, instead of firing, d'Hubert coldly informs Féraud that he has decided to spare his life – on condition that, since according to the rules of single combat Feraud's life now belongs to d'Hubert, Féraud conducts himself in future as a "dead" person and must never have any further contact whatsoever with d'Hubert ever again. Féraud has no choice but to submit to these terms and he departs from the scene. The film ends showing d'Hubert happily married and expecting his first child and Féraud contemplating the fact that he can no longer pursue the obsession which has consumed him for so many years.
 

Cast

    * Keith Carradine - D'Hubert
    * Harvey Keitel - Feraud
    * Albert Finney - Fouche
    * Edward Fox - Colonel
    * Cristina Raines - Adele
    * Robert Stephens - Gen. Treillard
    * Tom Conti - Dr. Jacquin
    * John McEnery - Chevalier
    * Diana Quick - Laura
    * Alun Armstrong - Lacourbe
    * Maurice Colbourne - Second
    * Gay Hamilton - Maid
    * Meg Wynn Owen - Leonie
    * Jenny Runacre - Mme. de Lionne