Duel (1971)

Duel (1971) — also known in some releases as Duel of Death — is a lean, high-tension action-thriller about an ordinary traveling salesman, David Mann (Dennis Weaver), who becomes the target of an apparently psychotic, unseen truck driver while driving across a lonely California highway. What begins as a minor irritation — a slow, rusty tanker that blocks the road — quickly escalates into a relentless game of cat-and-mouse as the truck pursues, menaces and terrorizes Mann, forcing him into increasingly dangerous maneuvers. Directed by a young Steven Spielberg, the film strips story down to its essentials: a single protagonist, a hulking, faceless antagonist (the truck), and an empty, sun-baked road. The movie builds suspense through visual storytelling, tight pacing, and sound design rather than exposition — the truck’s presence, ominous camera angles and long stretches of silence make the rig feel like a monstrous character in its own right. Mann’s escalating fear, frustration and eventual determination drive the drama, making the film a tense psychological thriller as much as an action chase. If you watch Duel, expect mounting anxiety and white-knuckled suspense rather than large-scale set pieces. You’ll experience the claustrophobic terror of being hunted on an open road, the dread of an antagonist who is never fully seen or explained, and a minimalist, pulse-quickening approach to cinematic tension. It’s a compact, gripping ride that shows how effective filmmaking and a simple premise can create a lasting sense of danger and unease.

Actors: Dennis Weaver, Jacqueline Scott, Eddie Firestone

Director: Steven Spielberg

Runtime: 90 min

Genres: Action, Thriller

81 /100 7.6 /10 7.8 /10