The Long Duel ** (1967, Trevor Howard, Yul Brynner, Harry Andrews, Charlotte Rampling, Andrew Keir) – Classic Movie Review 7793

Director Ken Annakin’s 1967 British action adventure film The Long Duel stars Trevor Howard, Yul Brynner, Harry Andrews, Charlotte Rampling, and Andrew Keir, and tells of a ‘conflict of ideals and arms’ that is ‘fought out in the Himalayas and across the scorching plains of India’.

Howard plays Freddy Young, a British officer in India during the Twenties, and Brynner plays the Sultan, a native tribe leader in British India. They start off as enemies and then learn to respect one another, before beginning a duel, with each representing the fortunes of his side. Andrews plays Superintendent Stafford of the United Provinces Police, who clashes with Freddy Young.

The Long Duel is a cheap-looking, old-fashioned British colonial movie with some OK acting and a worthy attempt to deal with racial issues in an intelligent way. But there is too much talk and not enough action, and the film tends to drag.

Also in the cast are Virginia North, Laurence Naismith, Maurice Denham, Edward Fox, Imogen Hassall, Paul Hardwick, David Sumner and George Pastell.

The Long Duel is directed by Ken Annakin, runs 116 minutes, is made by The Rank Organisation and London Independent Producers, is released by Rank, is written by Peter Yeldham, based on a story by Ranveer Singh, shot in widescreen and Technicolor by Jack Hildyard, produced by Ken Annakin, scored by Patrick John Scott and designed by Alex Vetchinsky.

It was shot between 31 October 1966 and 23 December 1966 at Pinewood Studios, Iver Heath, Buckinghamshire, England, and on location in Spain at Sierra Nevada, Granada, Andalucía. The old railway in the movie was also used in North West Frontier (1959) and Seven Guns for the MacGregors (1966) and Red Sun (1971).

© Derek Winnert 2018 Classic Movie Review 7793

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