History Film / TheDuellists

* SoldierVsWarrior: A subtle theme of the film - Feraud is an arrogant, reputation-obsessed BloodKnight looking to escape boredom between battles via dueling, while d'Hubert is a calm professional who only accepts the challenges due to the expectations of the [[HonorBeforeReason period.]]) d'Hubert also never forgets that, technically, he and Feraud are brothers-in-arms, so even his application of HonorBeforeReason in saving Feraud is more professional than personal. The more traditional and ceremonial the duel is, the more the duel-happy warrior Feraud tends to come out ahead, while the more professional soldier and reluctant duelist d'Hubert does better the more "battle-like" the conditions are.

* TheReasonYouSuckSpeech: d'Hubert's girlfriend goes to Feraud at this camp the night before their second duel, telling him that he duels only to work out his spite on others.

* GetItOverWith: [[spoiler:After d'Hubert wins the final duel, Feraud eggs incites him to kill him. D'Hubert lets him live with his defeat instead.]]

Creator/RidleyScott's first feature film examines Féraud's consuming obsession, and d'Hubert's inability to say no to another potentially fatal challenge. The screenplay is based on the short story "The Duel" by Creator/JosephConrad. Winner of the Best Debut Film award at the 1977 Cannes Film Festival.

-->'''d'Hubert:''' He's most unreasonable!
-->'''Jacquin:''' The enemies of reason have a certain blind look. Feraud has that look, don't you think?

* MoodWhiplash

* ShownTheirWork: The movie has been praised by swordsmanship buffs for its highly accurate and realistic depiction of what 19th century duels [[TruthInTelevision were actually like]], short, vicious, and usually over the moment the first blow is landed.

* SoldierVsWarrior: A subtle theme of the film - Feraud is an arrogant, reputation-obsessed BloodKnight looking to escape boredom between battles via dueling, while d’Hubert is a calm professional who only accepts the challenges due to the expectations of the [[HonorBeforeReason period.]]) d’Hubert also never forgets that, technically, he and Feraud are brothers-in-arms, so even his application of HonorBeforeReason in saving Feraud is more professional than personal.
** Interestingly, the more traditional and ceremonial the duel is, the more the duel-happy warrior Feraud tends to come out ahead, while the more professional soldier and reluctant duelist d’Hubert does better the more “battle-like” the conditions are.
* SpiritualSuccessor: To ''Film/BarryLyndon''. Scott stated on the DVD commentary that he deliberately set out to mimic that film's lush cinematography. Gay Hamilton is in both films.
* SuaveSabre: Naturally since this story features two Hussars in Napoleon's army who develop a feud over some trifle and fight a series of duels with each other over a long period of years. The first, third, and fourth duels are fought with their cavalry sabres, while the last is fought with pistols. The major themes throughout are the pride and bravado of the Hussars, the macho military culture that created the expectation of dueling, and the personal obsession between the participants. The third duel, fought on foot with heavy sabres, actually subverts the trope by getting really ugly: it goes on for so long the duelists are gasping for breath, propping themselves up on their swords, and occasionally mustering the strength to make wild roundhouse swings at each other. The fight is ended by their seconds when they discard their swords and just start having at each other.

Not to be confused with ''{{Film/Duel}}'', another directorial debut by another [[Creator/StevenSpielberg prominent director]].

* SoldierVsWarrior: A subtle theme of the film - Feraud is an arrogant, reputation-obsessed BloodKnight looking to escape boredom between battles via dueling, while d’Hubert is a calm professional who only accepts the challenges due to the [[ButThouMust expectations]] of the [[HonorBeforeReason period.]]) d’Hubert also never forgets that, technically, he and Feraud are brothers-in-arms, so even his application of HonorBeforeReason in saving Feraud is more professional than personal.

* TestosteronePoisoning: When Jacquin asks what the issue was that led to Feraud challenging him, d'Hubert can only reply that is was a Cavalry thing.

* BadassMustache: Both of the leads. Also Badass Pigtails.

* ScarsAreForever: Feraud has a scar on his right forearm from his first duel with d'Hubert. After he loses an arm wrestling match, he complains that his arm muscle "never healed properly" prompting him to challenge d'Hubert to a second duel.

* TheQueensLatin: All the characters are French but most of the cast except the two American leads are British. Creator/RidleyScott actually wanted the leads to be played by two established British actors, see WhatCouldHaveBeen on the Trivia tab.