THE DUEL
Iran, 2004, 135 minutes, Colour.
Directed by Ahmad Reza Darvish.
The Duel is one of the most expensive films made in Iran. While it begins in the present, and continues its story in the present, especially in the tribal regions near the borders with Iraq, a great deal of the film shows battles in the Iran- Iraq war. They are mounted with great care, and quite some detail. They make comparisons with the film The Family Farm which also showed a great deal of war action.
The screenplay of the film might have come from a writer like Jack Higgins, a great deal of war action but seen in the light of present activities, dangers, action.
During the war, the local fighters are asked to save a huge safe from a train. They do so (in a rather spectacular manner) with great loss of life. However, the safe finally goes to the bottom of a river. The village people blame the hero of the film who has spent twenty years in an Iraqi prison and finally is released. With the dramatic confrontations on his return, the village decides to pardon him. However, the local strong man who had organised the saving of the safe, has a secret and there is a melodramatic final confrontation.
The film is continually exciting, well paced, a kind of action matinee entertainment.
1. The popular aspects of the film? Action, adventure, a hero? War action? The more serious elements in the exploration of tribal themes and the film's blame of Iranians who exploited the war situation?
2. The big budget and sets, locations? The re-creation of the war, the battle sequences, the special effects and action? Editing and pace?
3. The border between Iraq and Iran, the villages, the dangers, the war, the destruction? The death of so many people? Seen in retrospect?
4. The focus on Zaynal being released from prison, aged forty, the voice-over giving the information about his twenty years' imprisonment, the lack of detail and knowledge about his presence in the prisons? The secret files, his being released, taken back to his village? His journey being the framework for the flashbacks?
5. The conduct of the war, his being in charge, his friend Yahya being in charge at headquarters, Zaynal on the front line, the action, the repairing of the ambulance, the bombings, shooting? The desperate phone calls to Command? Yahya and his having to make decisions? The higher command? Difficulties of phone calls? The bombings, the need for people to escape? Cars, trains? The spectacular presentation of the bombers bombing the people at the railway station? The devastation?
6. The focus on Salimeh? With the children, the bombing of the train? Her receiving the necklace from Zaynal, a memorial of his wife? Her command that he protect Yahya? His promise that he would?
7. The situation with the safe, Eskander and the strongmen, stating they had orders from the governor? The train being waylaid by the Iraqis? Zaynal and Yahya and the disputes about what was to be done? Zaynal and his suspicions, the former clashes with Eskander? Eskander being in love with Yahya's wife?
8. The nature of the mission, the men chosen, their skills, arrival at the train, hiding from the Iraqis, locating the safe, the guide and his fright? The finding of the actual safe, Zaynal's decision and the phone call to bring the tank? The chain, the taking of the safe, the pursuit by the tanks? The escape, the number of men killed? Zaynal's return, his wanting to give the safe to the authorities, Eskander trying to block him, Yahya and his following orders? The taking of the safe, getting it onto the boat, Yahya following, the safe going overboard, Yahya drowning? Zayna, and his capture?
9. The aftermath of the release, his going home, the village meeting, his being forgiven by the tribes? Salimeh and her refusal, her son shooting at him?
10. The situation in the village, the next generation, the older men, the head of the village and his tribal authority, Zaynal's father and his drug-taking? The young woman, her suitors? Salimeh and her domination of her son? Eskander and his place in the village, having the rights over all the scrap metal from the war?
11. The build-up to the climax, Zaynal and his being taken by Salimeh, tortured, dragged along the road by her son? His nephew rescuing him? His decision to find the safe, going to the commander and finding the one who saved the safe during the war? The diving, his going down, identifying the safe, its being brought to the surface? Eskander wanting the safe?
12. The tribal celebrations, the marital jealousies, the meetings, Eskander and his men? Blocking the safe?
13. Zaynal and his bringing Yahya's bone back to Salimeh, her believing him, her burying the bone? The end of the feud?
14. Zaynal and his nephew with the safe, taking it to the authorities, the blockade, everybody present? Zaynal driving the truck through the minefield? Eskander and his pursuit, the confrontation, the shootings, his stabbing Zaynal? The revelation that the safe was pure gold? Being smuggled out of Iran? The drive through the minefields, the mines exploding? The end of the feud, the end of the quest for the safe, a new beginning?
15. This kind of action adventure for an Iranian audience, the worldwide audience? The place of the war in the Iranian psyche, the aftermath, the blame on the exploiters?
