Having served his apprenticeship on episodic television shows, Steven Spielberg graduated to television features with Duel, a masterclass in pared-down suspense that gave notice to alert viewers of a significant new talent. David (Dennis Weaver) is a salesman travelling through the Mojave Desert who, for reasons unknown, becomes a target for an unknown truck driver who torments him doggedly. This mysterious antagonist seems determined to continue their highway battle until it results in David’s death. Adapted by Richard Matheson from his own short story, the film is a terrifically taut experience, with Spielberg’s innovative approach to filmmaking already on display.

Notes by Kevin Coyne