Driving
down a deserted Southern California highway at a safe and sane 55 miles per
hour, Dennis Weaver steps on the pedal to pass a large gas trailer truck.
Moments later, the truck is back, dangerously tailgating Weaver before
abruptly cutting him off. Let the games begin! For the next 90 minutes,
Weaver 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 with
surprisingly little fanfare on December 18, 1971 (TV Guide reviewer Judith
Christ casually recommended the film for Dennis Weaver fans), Duel ended up
one of the surprise TV-movie hits of the season; it would most likely have
been the hit had it not been for Night Strangler, which came along a few
months later. So popular was Duel that a somewhat longer version (with added
violence and profanity) was prepared for theatrical release. | Dennis Weaver | David Mann |
| Jacqueline Scott | Mrs. Mann |
| Eddie Firestone | Cafe Owner |
| Tim Herbert | Gas Station Attendant |
| Lou Frizzell | Bus Driver |
| Gene Dynarski | Man in Cafe |
| Lucille Benson | Lady at Snakerama |
| Dale Van Sickel | Car Driver |
| Charles Seel | Old Man |
| Dick Whittington | Radio Interviewer |
| Amy Douglass | Old Woman in Car |
| Shirley O'Hara Krims | Waitress |
| Alexander Lockwood | Old Man in Car |
| Carey Loftin | The Truck Driver |
Genre/Type - Thriller, Chase Movie, Road Movie
Produced by - Universal TV
Running time - 90 min.
Joy Ride (2001, John Dahl)
Trucks (1997, Chris Thomson)
Breakdown (1997, Jonathan Mostow)
Maximum Overdrive (1986, Stephen King)
The Hitch-Hiker (1953, Ida Lupino)
Road Rage (2000, Sidney J. Furie)
The Car (1977, Elliot Silverstein)
Black Dog (1998, Kevin Hooks)