Ridley Scott's "The Duellists"-a Wellesian Film?

[Welles Fan]

On a recent thread, we were discussing what films not directed by Welles were “Wellsian”. I think I have found one that is Wellesian in its method of production, if not in style and content. I was fortunate to receive the new Special Edition DVD of one of my favorite films-The Duellists, for Christmas. For those who have not seen it, this is Ridley Scott’s first film, released in 1977.

I remember reading about the movie in 1977 when I was in college, and since I have an interest in all things Napoleonic, I looked forward to a movie about a 10-year series of duels between two Hussars of Napoleon’s cavalry. Unfortunately, due to the limited release of the film, I did not see it until 1980 or so, when it was released on video. Though it was eventually released on Laserdisc in widescreen, this new DVD marks the first time the film has been released in stereo as well.

The special edition includes a commentary by director Scott, and an interesting interview feature-director Kevin Reynolds (Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves and the recent Count of Monte Cristo) interviews Scott while they watch specific scenes on a monitor. As Scott discussed how the film came to be made, the making of it struck me as Wellesian. Originally, Scott and writer Gerald Vaughan-Hughes were going to do a film based on Guy Fawkes and The Gunpowder Plot. This fell through due to lack of financing, so Scott looked around for more material to adapt. Scott chose the Conrad story The Duel because it was a 19th century story and was in the public domain, and since he was paying a screenwriter, he could not afford to buy rights to a story. He sold the idea, and was given $900,000 to make the film. He shot entirely on location in France, and “didn’t build anything because he couldn’t afford to”. With the help of his gifted cinematographer-Frank Tidy, with whom Scott had worked on countless TV commercials, Scott created a beautiful version of 19th century Napoleonic France (only Barry Lyndon rivals it for beauty, IMO) on a shoestring budget. The way his lack of funds sort of forced him to come up with creative solutions and ideas (though the film was totally storyboarded) reminds me of Welles at the height of his independent genius, when he produced films like Othello, The Trial and Chimes at Midnight (and even the scene in Touch of Evil, when Welles and Heston were taking a leak and Welles sureveyed the room they were urinating in and decided it would make a great location for the scene later in the film between Joe Calliea and Heston) .

I have not watched the film with commentary yet, but learned much from the little interview (it’s called “Duelling Directors”). Those who like the film, or those who have not seen it, should pick up this new DVD. The commentaries and the featurette provide a lot of insight into the creation of a great film. I always thought Welles thrived on “making do” with what he had to work with in the independent years. Although Ridley Scott has made some interesting and more commercial films since The Duellists (Alien, Blade Runner, Gladiator, Black hawk Down), I do not think he has really made a better film.

[jaime marzol]

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super. thanks for the report. will have to get this. did not know it was scott's first film. the interview in front of the monitor sounds incredibly interesting, as does the SAP.

[mteal]

THE DUELLISTS is a fine movie, but it strikes me as being closer to Kubrick then Welles. In fact, on the Kubrick ng there seemed to be a general consensus that THE DUELLISTS and Todd Hayne's SAFE were the most Kubrick-like films. I've been trying to track down SAFE with no luck yet.

I recently got a Napoleonic-era movie on DVD that reminds me of Welles in certain ways: Woycek Has's THE SARAGOSSA MANUSCRIPT. It's a strange but fascinating 1965 Polish movie about a magic book found in Spain with all kinds of supernatural tales in it. It's slightly reminiscent of Welles' script for THE DREAMERS in that has a kind of Chinese-box structure (tales within tales and sometimes even tales within tales within tales!). The DVD was produced by Scorcese and Coppola with cover art designed by Jerry Garcia of The Grateful Dead, who was a big fan of the film.

It's too bad Kubrick didn't get to make his film about Napoleon (there is a complete script apparently), but it's even more of a shame that Welles didn't get to make his film of Tolstoy's WAR AND PEACE, a great book that I probably would never have read if it hadn't been for my interest in Welles (I don't know if his script for it still exists). Taking nothing away from the King Vidor and Bonderchuk versions, which are both quite good, but the very thought of a Welles WAR AND PEACE staggers the imagination.

[Welles Fan]

I don't think The Duellists is a Wellesian film, so much as a movie made under Wellesian conditions: scrapping plans for the Guy Fawkes film, the low budget, "stumbling" upon perfect locations, lots of out of pocket expenses (Scott had to pay for the costumes himself, and the film people owned them in the end. The costumes for Keitel and Carradine alone cost $19,000!), limited release (it played in 7(!) theatres in the USA), working with unknown people Scott had worked with in the the past in commercials, breaking "rules" about lighting indoor scenes, etc.

I've never read much about what Kubrick had planned for the Napoleon film. I did read the novel Anthony Burgess fashioned out of the screenplay he was working on (Napoleon Symphony-a fun read).

I'm interested in that Saragossa Manuscript, which I've never heard of. Is it a Region 1 DVD?

BTW-the Bondarchuk War and Peace is supposed to be released soon in a 4-disc uncut, undubbed 2.35:1 Dolby Digital 5.1 remastered DVD edition.

[mteal]

That's great news about the Bondarchuk WAR AND PEACE. I had no idea it was filmed in 2.35. It would be nice if they gave that a theatrical re-release to arthouses too. I'd like to see it on the big screen if possible, although that's alot of movie to do in one sitting. I remember seeing it years ago on the Kultur video set which was pan-and-scan. When the story got to 1812, what you saw on the TV was a gigantic "181". It'll be nice to finally get that "2" as well.

THE SARAGOSSA MANUSCRIPT is a regular American DVD, if that's Region1. I bought it at Border's for $20. It's also got a good music score by Penderecki. And an unusual aspect ratio of 2:1.

While we're on the subject of the Napolean era, I might as well mention Welles' work as Cagliostro in BLACK MAGIC, the Mercury stage production of DANTON'S DEATH and the radio adaptations of COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO and LES MISERABLES. Not to mention his cameo for Bondarchuk in WATERLOO.

[jaime marzol]

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mteal, interesting angle on the 'kubrikness' of THE DEULIST. i see that now.

this has to me my favorite keitel movie. he really is a monster.

wellesfan, the movie looks so good that you really surprised me by what you posted the production problems, it ended up real nice on the screen. like leone when he directed good bad ugly, he overcame the limitations of his production. most recentley i noticed another example of a good director overcoming the absolute poverty of his equipment... Penn directing ALICES RESTAURANT. recently showed on TCM in lbx. a friend told me it's like the christmas movie of choice for pot heads.

[mteal]

The visual granduer of THE DUELLISTS does seem inspired by BARRY LYNDON, and in this sense it certainly doesn't look like a small-budget film. It was clearly a labor of love, which can often inspire a filmmaker to find ingenious solutions that don't require money. It probably is Ridley Scott's best work, with the exception of the director's cut of BLADE RUNNER, which is also somewhat Kubrick-like.

THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE UGLY is one of my all-time favorites, and another example of a film aided immeasurably by a great music score. No doubt Welles understood this as well. "A film is never right until it's right musically" he once said.

BTW, for anyone interested in THE SARAGOSSA MANUSCRIPT, there's a nice write up on it on this month's issue of Video Watchdog.

[Welles Fan]

A good example of Scott's low-budget wizardry in The Duellists: the scene in one of the tents in the French Army encampment. Keitel is arm-wrestling a fellow hussar, and you can see other tents from out the tent opening. Your mind tells you that these are but a few of hundreds of tents in the encampment, and you sort of imagine that you see a larger encampment, but in reality, Scott showed us everything he had. Throughout the film, he constantly implies that what you are seeing is the tip of the iceberg, and that the bulk of the French army is just out of view behind a tent or building.

I still have not had the time to hear the entire commentary, to see if Barry Lyndon was on Scott's mind. It is actually possible that it was not. Some of the 2500 commercials that Scott shot in the years preceding The Duellists were considered pictorially beautiful, and Scott was developing a reputation for a great visual sense before making a feature film. Barry Lyndon was released 2 years before The Duellists, and Scott may well have had an idea for how the picture would look before Barry Lyndon's release. They are certainly visually similar, with Scott relying more on cloudy skies and graduated filters at the top of the screen (an effect that is often over-used and has seldom been done better). BTW, an early Scott student effort, Boy on a Bicycle is also on the Duellists disc.

I found The Sragossa Manuscript at several online retailers and will probably order it.

[mteal]

Another excellent movie of that era to check out if you get a chance: Andres Wajda's DANTON. It stars Gerard Depardieu as Georges Danton, the popular revolutionary leader who tried to bring down Robespierre's reign of terror. It's very well-directed and acted, and it covers pretty much the same ground as Welles' stage production of DANTON'S DEATH. I found a letterboxed VHS copy at one of my local libraries, so anyone interested might be able to find it through a library exchange program.

[jaime marzol]

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the communist at my local pubic library will not accept videos, or audio recordings in inter library loans. am i being prejudiced against? are other libraries doing this? in the past, i have had problems with the old prune that runs the inter library loan desk. after one of my disputes with her, 3 books on my loan requests were advanced books on desktop publishing, and guess what book arrived? DESKTOP PUBLISHING FOR DUMMIES. think she likes me?

i had incredible service at the library when i lived in a small town. now i live in a big town again and almost nothing i ask for arrives. i think it's because of that old prune that hates me.

will be searching for ridley's DUELIST this evening at my local artsy video store.
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[Welles Fan]

I've seen Danton, and it is an good movie. I've always been interested in that period when the fRench Revolution devoured its own.

Reminds me-I read a good novel on the revolution a few years ago called A Place of Greater Safety by Hilary Mantel. It was recommended by the History Book Club as one of the rare novels that is as informative as a nonfiction work. It's a long one-got it at the local library.