Film Review: Duel

Duel (1971) is a suspenseful Thriller/Action created by Steven Spielberg, that puts you in the front seat alongside the fearful protagonist David Mann. (Dennis Weaver) In this Spielberg classic, Mann finds himself in a battle for his life on the rough roads against a monstrous truck driver intent on destroying him. But Duel is about much more than a murderous truck driver, for the plot is just a sturdy foundation in which the incisive story is built upon. David Mann is fighting for his life, yes. Although, more importantly in some cases he is fighting for his manhood. 

The virility of David Mann is represented as poorly in the film numerous times, or at least in terms of his own personal reflective thoughts. He feels like he is not the man of his house, he lacks manliness and doubts his own unrestrained assertiveness as a male in the world. Well not this time, this time he puts his foot down (quite literally) in a clash against the roughest and toughest entity of masculinity around. Well, with his life surely at stake he might as well use this time to plunge headfirst into the ambience of daring machismo. In this hour and a half of drumming intense action, Spielberg invites us to be up close and personal with David, to see what else truly lies beneath that neatly ironed blue collared shirt, and well groomed mustache. 

Figure. 1. Duel film poster.

There are many indicators throughout Duel, regarding Mann's anxious victimization to the inescapable pigeonhole of conjectured brawniness across men. Firstly, when he is in the car listening to the radio, you can hear a man talking to the broadcaster about his life while he explains that he doesn't feel like the man of his house. David's silence and continuation of listening suggests he sympathizes for the man, as he's taken the time to listen and relate to this other man's experience. When David talks to his wife on the phone, they discuss a previous night at an event together where a man was forceful/aggressive towards her. It is clear that David did nothing about this, and failed to stand up for his wife during this moment of masculine aggression unleashed towards her by another man. It is obvious after hearing this that David struggles to fit the boots of the stereotypical "man." Learning this early on helps set up the story clearly as a battle for male dominance. The giant and primitive truck that David finds himself up against, starts to get aggressive after David overtakes him. Of course, the polite man didn't overtake the truck in a rude gesture, instead he was late to a meeting and was choking on the toxic fumes that the truck trailed behind it. Once David overtakes the truck, the truck declares war, overtaking him back and slowing down in front while trying to block the road. The truck is a medieval mammoth, that makes David's tiny clean car look pathetic. It resembles everything manly, which is what adds such an unnatural discomfort. "The duel is within David Mann's own internal conflict. The truck exaggeratedly represents masculinity and everything that David secretly wants to be." (Reed, 2015) That's why it is so important to David, that's why he must face this monster, as it is part of the process for him to face his introverted demons. 

If it was only a fight for a survival and getting out alive, it would be obvious. David hangs around in a diner to look for this man, instead of being grateful for being alive and leaving to get on with his day. After believing that the truck driver is inside the diner with him, he feels mocked and tormented. His masculine dominance is extremely tested here, which is why he stays in the diner, to try and figure out who the driver is. The diner scene is an excellent represention of an atmosphere of manly boldness, contrasted strongly against timid looking David. He sits down alone at a low down table in the corner, while the pale pink walls behind him taunt and doubt his manliness. (See Fig. 2.) The pool table is a well placed touch, standing in the centre of the diner while people play on it. It's a strong symbolic message about David putting his "balls on the table," taking every piece of manhood he possesses and gambling it, which is what happens in the story metaphorically. At the time, the table has balls spread all over it, prompting David's important requirement to show what he's got, and to prove how much of a man he is. David must present his manhood along with his adversary's, and put it all on the line to commence the ultimate test to determine what he's got, to establish the true alpha male. In the diner, David approaches a man and confronts him aggressively, which results in him getting beat up by the man. Not only did David acuse the wrong person, but he also got overpowered in the physical confrontation. Despite his self caused humiliation, he did choose to behave authoritatively and agressive in what he thought was standing up for himself. Although Mann's self disciplined masculine power is detectable, his internal anxiety still clearly holds a grasp on his character's personality output. David knows he lacks the grit and toughness which others acquire, which is why he puts pressure on himself to step up, and be able to fill a role which he is happy with himself. His timorous self is his enemy, and if he is going to die he wants to know that he died as a real man in his own personal perception. "Spielberg created what is arguably a complex Freudian exposition of male frustration and fear of castration as seen through contemporary man's battle with civilization, industrialization and himself." (Espinosa, 2013) 

Figure. 2. Duel film still.

What multiplies the film's intensity is the visual comparison of masculinity between David Mann, (with his car) and the truck. His polished car looks tiny in comparison to the 10 wheeled beast that torments him on the road. The truck is chunky and rusty, roaring as it accelerates and gusts toxic smoke. Its overwhelming size and unmatchable brute force stacks all the odds up against David's small vehicle. The visual representation isn't just effective through the cars alone, but also through the camera shots and sound that Spielberg includes. When there's distance between David and the truck, the camera is placed beside a small section of the truck. With David in the distance, it makes him and his car appear smaller than just one of the truck's tires alone. Some of the shots used deliberately reveal both vehicles, just to exaggerate the characteristics of them both. "When Mann pauses at a gas station, the truck pulls up next to him, and Spielberg shoots from above, looking down over the truck's cab at Mann and his little red sedan, emphasizing how he's dwarfed by his adversary." (Howard, 2011) Also, shots that focus on the truck when it is pursuing David include the camera shaking intensely while the engine roars monstrously. David on the other hand, does not have this effect on the camera in his tiny car.

Figure. 3. Duel film still.

It appears that the truck possesses everything that David's car lacks, which is size, sound, strength, speed, agility and confidence. The truck driver knows it is capable of much more than David, so continues to be the tormenting bully that provokes the poor man. In the gas station scene the truck driver obnoxiously honks their horn, repeatedly while waiting to be attended to by the guy assisting David. The truck driver allows David to pass him not long after, only because oncoming traffic is on its way, which almost causes David to crash and die. It doesn't take rocket science to figure out that the truck driver is an obnoxious ruffian with no respect, (for David specifically) which is what taunts David even harder. All of this sets up the ultimate challenge for David, to overcome his self doubt and search deep within to find his inner savage. He is at a point in his life where he's a grown adult and has a wife and kids, but isn't so strong at standing his ground and protecting his territory, this is obviously learned near the beginning where we find out that another man physically harassed David's wife and he failed to diffuse the situation himself. It is important to the story that these things happened at that time in his life, which prepares him for the challenge and makes him fully aware of his perception about his own masculinity. David must choose between fight or flight, and even though his pathetic looking car doesn't really stand a chance against the giant monster, he still refuses to lose his composure and get down on his knees. David's actions are admirably inspiring, especially as he is the main character and is a seemingly nice person. Everyone knows his car won't be able to do a thing to do the truck, even him. It's as if the vehicles represent their manhood, and although David is much less effective, he has the heart and fight inside of him and he has finally unleashed it. Although, throughout the film we do see David panic and try to avoid the truck, while he also has an urge inside of him to somehow come out victorious against his rival. Mann finds a stranded school bus on the road, which needs a strong push in order to get it on the road again. Not only do the kids sit on his car bonnet, while he struggles to be authoritative enough to get any of them to listen and get down, but he also lacks the strength to push the school bus and help, not to mention his car becomes awkwardly stuck too. In an extreme act of taunting and discouragement towards David, the truck driver comes along and pushes the bus back onto the road easily. It goes out of its way to show David that it can do exactly what he just failed to do, humiliating him once again. This must loom in David's head, that the truck driver is saying "I am bigger than you. I am stronger than you. I am more capable of satisfying. I am the type of man your wife needs and really wants." The horrible embarrassment bestowed upon David here only makes his anxiety worse. He has witnessed that the truck can do what he cannot, and he has truly realized the man in himself is nothing compared to this truck driver and never will be.

Throughout the whole film, Spielberg uses his shots carefully to obscure the truck driver from being seen, leaving their identity unknown. Doing this makes the battle for masculine dominance much more exciting, for it is as if the driver isn't even relevant. It suggests more so that David is facing the truck, and not the driver. The adrenaline is raised even higher to think of it as a man vs machine duel, which ultimately puts David in an even more impossible position for him to prevail. We see glimpses of the truck driver's forearm or boots, but their identity remains a mystery for the whole film. This is impressively done considering the truck is seen for a long duration of time and with multiple camera shots. Leaving the driver out means that nothing is taken away from the brute force and horror that the truck possesses, so it is as if the truck is the enemy of David, not the actual driver. Man against man can be exciting, but it's nothing compared to a man against a giant, unstoppable beast. When the truck waits in the road in front of David, David gets out of his car and approaches the truck on foot. Instead of getting out of the truck to face him, they drive even further ahead. It could be true that the truck driver wasn't brave enough to take on David face to face, as all they really have to show for their masculinity is their gigantic vehicle. So it does raise the question of who is more courageous out of the two, and if the driver without their truck is more of a man than David. Despite David's attempt to deal with the driver face to face, it is in his best interest to get back in his car. He would be strolling into his death if he fought the truck on foot, as the driver clearly isn't going to exit the truck. All David has for defense and weaponry is his car, it isn't much but it's all he has got. David is literally facing an unstoppable force, so when it comes to him battling the monster, he is going to have to use something besides strength to defeat it. 

In an adrenaline fueled pursuit on the roads, David crosses a point where his vehicle is at its limits and there's no turning back. His car is weakening and slowing down, while he still fights with everything he has got. The truck continuously stays on his trail trying to kill him, and it is certain that the end is near at this point. David puts his foot to the peddle and drives towards the edge of a cliff, while the truck rams into the back of him. Moments before his car falls off the edge, David leaps out at the last second to safety, as he witnesses his wrecked car and giant truck pummel down from the cliff edge and crash into the earth. Fiery smoke fills the air after the destruction unravels. A shot reveals blood in the truck, to allow us to assume the driver is dead. David stands strong, after glorious victory. Instead of using his masculine brute force to defeat his enemy, he uses his guts and sacrifices his car to take down the monster with it. He strips himself of his only defense, but wins the fight in the process. With the credits rolling after this, it is difficult to understand where David's path took him next after the film. Whatever the case, he has taken something from it. He managed to destroy the biggest, strongest and most masculine enemy out there, so who's to say who he can't defeat?

Whether his victory makes him the most dangerous out there, it doesn't matter. David used all of his bravery and risked his life to stand up to his opponent. His courage alone proves him as a man, as well as his victory. For David's internal battle inside his own mind, he has beat the best, which can finally allow him to be the man he has always desired to be. 

Illustrations List

Figure. 1. IMDb, Duel film poster. https://m.imdb.com/title/tt0067023/ (Accessed 06/02/18)

Figure. 2. Bullock P, Duel film still. http://www.denofgeek.com/uk/movies/steven-spielberg/45885/spielberg-at-70-bullies-monsters-and-the-1970s (Accessed 06/02/18)

Figure. 3. Movie Mania, Duel film still. https://2010amovieaday.wordpress.com/2011/02/17/some-like-it-hot/#comments (Accessed 06/02/18)

Bibliography

Espinosa C. (2013) https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/fiufilmclassfruitvale.wordpress.com/2013/09/08/spielbergs-masterful-duel-man-vs-machine-women-and-himself/amp/ (Accessed 06/02/18)

Howard E. (2011) http://seul-le-cinema.blogspot.co.uk/2011/02/duel.html?m=1 (Accessed 06/02/18)

Reed W. (2015) https://danielevans108.quora.com/Masculinity-and-Inferiority-in-Duel-1971 (Accessed 06/02/18)