Duel (1971) (TV)

Director:

Steven Spielberg

Writers:

Richard Matheson (screenplay)
Richard Matheson (short story)

Release Date:

13 November 1971 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | 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 | California | Desert

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)

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:

Since filming only took about twelve days, it remains Steven Spielberg's personal benchmark for how quickly he can shoot a film.

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: As David Mann is walking towards his seat in Chuck's Cafe after his visit to the rest room, the shadow of the camera can be clearly seen on his back.

Quotes:

[first lines]
[radio playing, driving down the road, approaches the truck]
[David coughs, coughs again]
David Mann: Talk about pollution.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Blacktop (2000) (TV)

Soundtrack:

The Duel (end titles and end credits)

One Helluva Ride

This film proves that television can produce a quality film. Much like Spielberg's first big theatrical hit, "Jaws", this film deals with a menace, the driver, that is pretty much unseen for most of the film. It also preys upon our fear of being caught in a desperate situation with no one around to help. Also, Dennis Weaver was perfectly cast as the unfortunate motorist that happens to be the prey of a psychotic truck driver. This definitely is a far cry from Weaver's most famous role of Marshall Sam McCloud, who was the typical hero compared to the terrified motorist he plays in this film. Too bad that we here in the United States never got a chance to see this great film in a theater like the rest of the world. This is definitely a classic suspense film.