Duel (1971): Cast, Ratings, Box Office & Plot
Duel is a 1971 action thriller directed by Steven Spielberg, starring Dennis Weaver, Jacqueline Scott and Charles Seel. It runs 1 hour 30 minutes and earned $2,544 worldwide. Critics gave it 89% on Rotten Tomatoes and 81 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 7.6/10.
- Released
- Runtime
- 1h 30m (90 min)
- Director
- Steven Spielberg
- Original language
-
English - After the credits
- No No extra scene
What Is Duel About?
The premise of Duel without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.
While driving along a lonely highway, a salesman named David Mann finds himself pursued by a large, menacing oil tanker. What begins as a frustrating encounter quickly turns into a dangerous game of cat and mouse as the tanker's driver seems determined to harass and intimidate him. David’s ordinary drive transforms into a desperate fight for survival, pushing him to his limits as he attempts to outmaneuver and stop his relentless pursuer in a thrilling battle of wills.
Duel Themes & Keywords
· 50 tags- truck
- mysterious villain
- 1970s
- nervousness
- stress
- chase
- pursuit
- on the road
- road movie
- tanker truck
- desert
- driving
+38 more Show fewer
- road rage
- salesman
- fear
- dust
- rearview mirror
- overheated car
- car damage
- speeding vehicle
- unknown villain
- soliloquy
- internal monologue
- vehicle combat
- train
- voice over inner thoughts
- car driver
- mysterious truck
- eighteen wheeler
- school bus
- cafe
- car chase
- snake
- california
- domineering wife
- suspense
- pay phone
- danger
- survival
- psychological torture
- peterbilt semi tractor
- motor vehicle
- road traffic
- talking to oneself
- pursuer
- truck driver
- tarmac
- summit
- road sign
- monologue
Duel Cast
Dennis Weaver leads the cast, with Jacqueline Scott and Charles Seel. Directed by Steven Spielberg; 10 actors are credited in all.
-
Director Steven Spielberg
Also Starring in Duel
· 6 moreDuel Reviews & Ratings
Critics gave Duel 89% on Rotten Tomatoes and 81 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 7.6/10.
-
IMDb 7.6 /10
See on IMDb -
Rotten Tomatoes 89% Tomatometer
Popcornmeter 84%
See on Rotten Tomatoes -
Metacritic 81 Metascore
User score 7.9
See on Metacritic
Duel Plot Summary
What happens in Duel from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 14 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 2-minute read.
Spoilers ahead
David Mann, portrayed by Dennis Weaver, embarks on a business trip from Los Angeles, cruising in his striking red 1970 Plymouth Valiant. As he ventures eastward, he finds himself navigating away from the bustling freeways into a desolate stretch of two-lane interstate that meanders through the California high desert. Initially, the journey seems smooth, until he encounters a filthy, slow-moving tanker truck spewing black smoke. With irritation mounting, Mann attempts to overtake the truck, only to be met with a menacing blast from the truck’s air horn as the driver suddenly accelerates, forcing Mann to swerve sharply.
Full summary
The whole story of Duel, scene by scene
Duel Box Office
Duel grossed $2,544 worldwide.
Worldwide gross
$2.5K
- International
- $2.5K
How Well Do You Know Duel?
10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.
Question 1 of 10
- Question 1: not answered
- Question 2: not answered
- Question 3: not answered
- Question 4: not answered
- Question 5: not answered
- Question 6: not answered
- Question 7: not answered
- Question 8: not answered
- Question 9: not answered
- Question 10: not answered
What type of vehicle is David Mann driving?
Cars in Duel
32 cars on screen, including the 1955 Peterbilt 281 and the 1971 Plymouth Valiant.
-
1955 Peterbilt 281 Featured role -
1971 Plymouth Valiant Featured role -
1962 Dodge S-Series Important role -
1961 Peterbilt 351 Important role
Duel Also Known As
39 alternative titles, including “飞车大决斗” and “飞车杀机”.
- Also known as
-
- 飞车大决斗
- 飞车杀机
- Um Assassino pelas Costas
- El Diablo Sobre Ruedas
- 대결
- 듀얼
- Duell
- Terror bak rattet
- Encurralado
- Дуел
- Dvoboj
- Duellen
+27 more Show fewer
- Fasans kilometrar
- Kauhun kilometrit
- Monomahia
- I monomahia
- Η μονομαχία
- Duel of Death
- Párbaj
- 激突!
- Reto a muerte
- Duelo
- Reto a la muerte
- Pojedynek na szosie
- Duel pe autostrada
- Дуэль
- Belâ
- El duelo
- ไอ้จอว์สบก 18 ล้อ
- 대추적
- 결투
- 决斗
- דואל
- Düello
- 決鬥
- Duelul de pe autostradă
- Дуель
- Dvikova
- ตำนานโหด ฝ่าตีนอำมหิต
Seen Duel?
Movies Like Duel
Films with a similar story, tone or audience, including The Duel, Duel at Diablo and Vanishing Point.
Duel FAQ: Cast, Box Office & Runtime
Runtime, release date, director, cast, box office, ratings and post-credit scenes of Duel, each answered in a sentence.
How long is Duel?
Duel runs 1 hour 30 minutes (90 minutes).
When was Duel released?
Duel was released on November 13, 1971.
Who directed Duel?
Duel was directed by Steven Spielberg.
More films by Steven Spielberg Who is in the cast of Duel?
Duel stars Dennis Weaver, Jacqueline Scott and Charles Seel, among 10 credited actors.
How much did Duel make at the box office?
Duel grossed $2,544 worldwide.
How is Duel rated?
Duel has 7.6/10 on IMDb, 89% on Rotten Tomatoes and 81 on Metacritic.
Does Duel have a post-credit scene?
No. Duel has no extra scene during or after the credits.
Coming soon to your phone
The Plot Explained Movie Summary App
From blockbusters to hidden gems: plot summaries, endings explained and timelines on your phone. Save your favorites and never miss a twist again.
Be the first to know when it launches. Your email stays private, always. Learn more about the app
