The Duellists

The Duellists

Fencing is a science. Loving is a passion. Duelling is an obsession.

Directed by Ridley Scott

Produced by Enigma Productions, Paramount Pictures

1977100 min7.2 / 10

A visually sumptuous meditation on obsession and honor, following two soldiers locked in a ritualistic rivalry that outlasts empires and reason.

In 1800, as Napoleon Bonaparte rises to power in France, a rivalry erupts between Armand and Gabriel, two lieutenants in the French Army, over a perceived insult. For over a decade, they engage in a series of duels amidst larger conflicts, including the failed French invasion of Russia in 1812, and shifts in the political and social systems of Europe.

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Questions people ask

  • Is The Duellists sad? Yes. More sad than 82% of films.

  • Does The Duellists end with hope? Barely. Less hopeful than 78% of films.

  • Is The Duellists violent? Somewhat. More violent than 71% of films.

  • Is The Duellists scary? Somewhat. More frightening than 61% of films.

  • Is The Duellists easy watching? Not especially. Less comforting than 61% of films.

These describe how the film comes across, measured across the whole film and compared with other well-known films. They are not a content list — nothing here was counted or checked scene by scene, so for age-suitability or specific content use a classification board or a dedicated content-warning service.

Written about

62/ 100

Cinnamon Score

How much this film gives you that nothing else will, and whether it delivers.

Familiar shape, done well.

Rarity84

How unlike any other film this one feels

Surprise32

How much more it delivers than it promises

Love75

How much audiences actually like it

The highest scores in the catalogue →

Ensemble

Everything like The Duellists, and what each one shares →

Like The Duellists

Nearest across the full emotional profile.

Same Mood as The Duellists

Nearest on what's most distinctive about this one.

Like The Duellists, But Darker

Similar, pushed toward heavier and more intense.

Like The Duellists, But Lighter

Similar, pushed toward warmer and easier.

Like The Duellists, But Less Popular

Same territory, far fewer people have seen it.

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