Review of The Duellists (1977) by Christopher B — 05 Nov 2015

The Two-faced Meet on the Edge.

It's sparkles as two words meeting in the air. It's Ridley Scott's debut film (inspired by a Joseph Conrad's tale) and it is based on a futile motive of offense turned into a 15-years-long-lasting-duel: From the time Napoleon got on charge (1800) till the beginning of the Restoration (1816). That's a challenge protracted through the time and involving two hussar lieutenants: Volatile and insolent Gabriel Féraud (Harvey Keitel) and measured courteous Armand d'Hubert (Keith Carradine).

The opposition between two natures, two points of view, two worlds can bump into each other only on the edge, in the heat of a duel Scott show us using quick reverse shots. There is a perfect melody linked to those cutting blows we saw in their memorable clash in Strasbourg, in the Féraud's house courtyard where the same Féraud got injured.

But this is only the starting point of a rivalry sliding through years and places, becoming an obsession to Féraud and a fierce anxiety to his opposite D'Hubert. There are only these two figures in front of us while all other things roll on the background and everything else fade in the vague conglomerated of the facts - Thanks to backlits that Ridley Scott skilfully builds on around the single fact that matters: The duel Féraud/D'Hubert.

Two uniforms will wind up the following year in Augusta: Once in a farmstead's garden when D'Hubert were wounded to the chest and he couldn't continue the match; then inside a barn with a grisy fight goes on to the exhaustion of the contendings - Spectators stop them.

By the time they are compromised men and an iron bond inextricably grip them. Whilst moderate D'Hubert tries to escape the forthcoming vis à vis, he stumbles upon his enemy in a tavern in Lubecca (1806). So here it is a new quarrel. On horseback. But this time D'Hubert becomes Féraud: The wicked challenger ends up on the ground for the impetus of whom wants to definitely close the game.

However the duel will never get to the end until one will die. And six years later that phantom comes again in the middle of the blank desertic Russia Campaign, but this time Féraud and D'Hubert's guns aim at the same direction to stifle Cossacks threat. History steps in between. And it also does when they return home: Armand D'Hubert is at the service of King Louis XVIII; instead Gabriel Féraud wrecks himself like his Emperor does.

D'Hubert becomes general; Féraud gets in the list of whom destined to the guillotine. But general D'Hubert has a personal code honor and asks for a grace to be given to his rival Féraud, interceding to the powerful Police Minister, Joseph Fouché (Albert Finney).

Nevertheless the duel hasn't disappeared and there is nothing can placate Féraud. Until the epilogue in Tours (1816), the final skirmish amongst ruins of a castle: One gun and two cartridges to everyone. Féraud consumes his, D'Hubert has one lock and load and takes a decision: He honorably decides to declare dead the enemy and so to take his life. He decides to lead him to his hour death and to stop men who challenge the world as everything is a dull game.