Duel (1972)

86% of critics liked it
(37 reviews)
80% of users liked it
(33,028 ratings)

Driving down a deserted Southern California highway at a safe and sane 55 miles per hour, David Mann (Dennis Weaver) steps on the pedal to pass a large gas trailer truck. Moments later, the truck is back, dangerously tailgating Mann before abruptly cutting him off. For the next 90 minutes, Mann and… More Driving down a deserted Southern California highway at a safe and sane 55 miles per hour, David Mann (Dennis Weaver) steps on the pedal to pass a large gas trailer truck. Moments later, the truck is back, dangerously tailgating Mann before abruptly cutting him off. For the next 90 minutes, Mann and the never-seen truckdriver are pitted against one another in a motorized duel to the death. Author Richard Matheson conceived Duel after a similar experience with a reckless trucker. The story first appeared in Playboy magazine, then was picked up for adaptation by the producers of The ABC Movie of the Week. The director chosen to helm Duel on location in Soledad Canyon was a bright 23-year-old who'd shown promise on such series as Night Gallery and Columbo: Steven Spielberg. First telecast on December 18, 1971, Duel was so popular that a somewhat longer version (with added violence and profanity) was prepared for theatrical release in 1983. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: PG, 1 hr. 30 min.
Directed By: Steven Spielberg
Written By: Richard Matheson
Genres: Mystery & Suspense, Television

In Theaters: Jan 1, 1972 Wide
On DVD: Aug 17, 2004

Critic Reviews

Dave Kehr, Chicago Reader
This 1971 made-for-TV movie was one of Steven Spielberg's auditions for Jaws, and the same slickly impersonal shock effects prevail.
Janet Maslin, New York Times
Even without benefit of hindsight, Duel looks like the work of an unusually talented young director.
Rob Humanick, Projection Booth
The film's rusted, growling tanker truck is an obvious predecessor to the man-eating Great White of Jaws. And it's every bit as terrifying.
Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews
... 'road rage' taken to new heights of exploitation by the boy wonder.
Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com
At 24, Spielberg demonsrated his technical virtuosity with his first made for TV feature, a nail-biting suspenser of a salesman pursued on the roadby a mad trucker.
Andrew L. Urban, Urban Cinefile
Steven Spielberg's debut feature is a ripper
Lucius Gore, ESplatter
The film pits the awesome talents of Richard Matheson ... with Spielberg, delivering one of the best genre films of the past 50 years.
, TV Guide's Movie Guide
An exquisite piece of streamlined suspense and action that clearly demonstrates that [Spielberg] was already in full control of his vision.
Steve Crum, Video-Reviewmaster.com
Superior made-for-TV thriller directed by Spielberg.
Jean-François Vandeuren, Panorama
Duel demeure donc encore aujourd'hui l'un des meilleurs exemples de l'agilité de Spielberg à si bien combler un manque de substance par ses grands talents de raconteur.
Tom Milne, Time Out
Simply a rivetingly murderous game of cat and mouse that keeps you on the edge of your seat.
Kevin Carr, 7M Pictures
pretty boring for Spielberg
Rob Thomas, Capital Times (Madison, WI)
A lean, efficient thrill ride that taps into "road rage" long before the term existed.
MaryAnn Johanson, Flick Filosopher
[A] masterpiece of visual suspense that's hardly dated at all, more than 30 years later.
Jeffrey M. Anderson, Combustible Celluloid
Not even Hitchcock could have shot or paced Duel any better. Spielberg understands precisely where to insert his silences and pauses, and when to make them restful or tense. He knows how to pour it on for the exciting chase scenes.
Widgett Walls, Needcoffee.com
Apparently there was a time when movies of the week didn't have to concern the latest spouse killer or trysts that end up with people getting their faces shot off.
Thomas Delapa, Boulder Weekly
A thrillingly paranoid tale of a businessman (Dennis Weaver) and his apocalyptic duel with the driver of a monster truck.

Read all 17 critic reviews

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Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

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Featured Audience Ratings

Brad W

Duel is great, the tension and cinematography was incredible and I loved it.
Alexander D

Meh.
Sophie B

Absolutely amazing! I expected it to be a bit naff as it was in his early days but this was well thought out and perfectly executed. The narrative is simple, understandable, believable and intriguing. The cinematography is outstanding and the feel you get when you see that truck is… More
Absolutely amazing! I expected it to be a bit naff as it was in his early days but this was well thought out and perfectly executed. The narrative is simple, understandable, believable and intriguing. The cinematography is outstanding and the feel you get when you see that truck is amazing. Fantastic sound adds to the tension. I like the fact that we never see the truck driver too. The climax - perfect. My only issue is that the middle part which was building up tension took a bit too long, I just wanted the end to begin. Overall though asolutely amazing.
Mike S

Mystery, terror and great on-the-road suspense. Also an important milestone in the career of Steven Spielberg, as it's the movie that catapulted him into fame. Already back in 1971 he had amazing talent, and altough he's made a lot better movies than this, it's… More
Mystery, terror and great on-the-road suspense. Also an important milestone in the career of Steven Spielberg, as it's the movie that catapulted him into fame. Already back in 1971 he had amazing talent, and altough he's made a lot better movies than this, it's astoningly good for its relatively low budget. It's simple, yet exciting. Made for TV, yet with a cinematic feel. Anyone who calls themselves a Spielberg fan owe it to themselves to see this. Because not only is it a brilliantly conceived thriller, but also one that marked the birth of one of our time's greatest directors.
Tim S

Great wind-up movie. Constant state of tension. What a debut for Spielberg. I'm curious to see the 74 minute tv version and see how it plays.
AJ V

What a nightmare, some guy is being terrorized by a truck driver on the highway. This movie has good suspense, I really liked it.
Martin S

This is just so damn good....simple but good
Thomas B

A masterful show of slow building intensity by Spielberg. Full review later.
Jeff "

This movie surrounds a lone driver being terrorized by a psychotic trucker. Speilberg's directing is great and his refusal to show the trucker adds to the suspense. Only the truckers boots and his hand can be briefly seen. The music is quit unconventional and is very effective in… More
This movie surrounds a lone driver being terrorized by a psychotic trucker. Speilberg's directing is great and his refusal to show the trucker adds to the suspense. Only the truckers boots and his hand can be briefly seen. The music is quit unconventional and is very effective in adding suspense. The way Spielberg builds his suspense in this film showcases his flourishing talents as a director at that time, as he was just getting started. Duel is a fine achievement in the Horror/thriller genre. This is a film not to be missed by any suspense and horror fans alike.
Anthony L

Great film, it?s kind of like Jaws but with a truck! In fact, the scene in which Jaws dies uses the same sound effect and is almost a copy of the scene in which the truck goes over the cliff. Spielberg says so himself in the extras. Dennis Weaver is sorely missed.
Arash X

My personal favorite Spielberg film
Chris G

An average TV move that has survived the sand of time just because one of the credits is "directed by Steven Spielberg". Duel deals with a business man on the road in practically the middle of nowehere where he runs into a truck that wants to kill him over cutting him off… More
An average TV move that has survived the sand of time just because one of the credits is "directed by Steven Spielberg". Duel deals with a business man on the road in practically the middle of nowehere where he runs into a truck that wants to kill him over cutting him off (calling the villain the truck is the correct term since you never see the drivers face). It's your typical game of cat and mouse. Dennis Weaver (playing the harassed) doesn't get much to work with in this film. He drives and gets paranoid. The script is typical made for TV fare with an odd thing occuring when I viewed this film. It almost seems that Weaver's internal dialogue is put in haphazard, probably as a way to explain difficult plot points. He'll be silent for a period then chatty inside of his head. You can tell this is Spielberg's early effort because he just seems to be trying too hard. Shot after shot comes at you and the only thing in your mind is that he had that one worked out beforehand. I can't really blame Spielberg since the lackluster script really isn't as exciting as the film seems. Most of the film is as exciting as you driving a couple hundred miles in the middle of nowhere except this time you see dad's face instead of the back of his head. Duel is a decent TV movie, being that it will be forgotten six months after airing. Spielberg is still learning his craft and he is very good but can't get above the dull script. A film that's as tiring as sitting in a car watching scenery for two hours.
Jason S

I really don't see the attraction of this movie. There is a little suspense and the main character does a good job of playing a man going crazy but I have seen this done better in other movies.
A B

This classic chiller road movie is a must-see.
Pierluigi P

great start for Spielberg, making an exhausting hitchcockian/Kafka-esque thriller with a great performance by Dennis Weaver, bringing to life the fear in crescendo for a faceless and merciless truck driver whose only goal is to end the common man's journey at any cost.
xGary X

Like The Birds before it, this film is more about the director's skill at cultivating a sense of menace and tension rather than any form of plot development. And in that spirit, a travelling salesman inadvertantly pisses of the driver of a huge semi truck, who then pursues him in… More
Like The Birds before it, this film is more about the director's skill at cultivating a sense of menace and tension rather than any form of plot development. And in that spirit, a travelling salesman inadvertantly pisses of the driver of a huge semi truck, who then pursues him in a gripping game of cat and mouse down the highway. It may not sound like much, but Spielberg's abilities as a storyteller are obvious even at this early stage in his career. Weaver also deserves a nod as he has to carry the movie pretty much by himself being the only human combatant to be seen!
Dr Blood

It's a good waste of 86 minutes if you expect to find out who the lorry driver is.
Dean !

A very simple film but still a great tense thriller.
Aaron N

Before Jaws came Duel. It's a simple story about a man being constantly pursued by a semi. It's not about why, it's just about the struggle this man must go through and the tension throughout. With some simple elements, Spielberg makes a very engaging movie.
Khris N

Speilberg's first movie i think - a sign of things to come - this was one of the best psychological scary thrillers I HAVE EVER SEEN - and 30 years and plus on, it still can grip the audience in fear and keep drivers aware of the roads, which led to Spielberg scaring the… More
Speilberg's first movie i think - a sign of things to come - this was one of the best psychological scary thrillers I HAVE EVER SEEN - and 30 years and plus on, it still can grip the audience in fear and keep drivers aware of the roads, which led to Spielberg scaring the daylights out of swimmers in JAWS. Dennis Weaver superbly plays the terrified motorist being hunted by a demonic semi, to which relentlessly pursues and tries to kill him in mnay inventive ways. Weaver's narrative and thoughts compile into his terror as he tries to survive in this very white knuckle thriller. I have never seen a more terrified person on screen - and the realism and stunts of this movie is near perfect at a time where computers and special effects really never existed. The stunts are so close it is nearly real - and watching Weaver's brick-shitting expressions of fear and terror make this a valuable and completely underrated movie - this movie should be rerun in cinemas everywhere - just to celebrate and show Spielberg's raw potential and his starting point as a cinematic legend. FCKING FABULOUS!!