A 1977 historical drama based on Joseph Conrad's short story The Duel from The Set of Six. Ridley Scott's first feature film as a director, it won the Best Debut Film award at the 1977 Cannes Film Festival. A perfect example of Conrad's favourite topic - honour
The film is set in Strasbourg in the year 1800 when Napolean Bonaparte rules France. Lieutenant Armand d'Hubert (Keith Carradine) is sent to find Lieutenant Gabriel Feraud (Harvey Keitel) to put him under house arrest. An obsessive duellist, Feraud takes it as a personal insult from d'Hubert and challenges him to a duel. Throughout the war up to the Battle of Waterloo, the men meet several times, each time challenging each other to another unfinished duel.
Thumbnail credit: Filmoteca de Navarra