Two goddesses (one of the sun, the other of the moon) search for a magical stone that will allow them to remain on Earth permanently in human form.
Film critic-turned-director Jacques Rivette is one of the founding members of the French New Wave. His experiments with narrative form and the length of many of his films have made it difficult for him to achieve the widespread popularity of some of his contemporaries.
Duelle was Rivette's first film after his groundbreaking Céline and Julie Go Boating, and it marks a strong left turn in the director's work. Originally designed as part of a four-part series called Scenes From A Parallel Life, the story of the warring goddesses was meant to continue across films told under different genre schemes: a musical comedy, an adventure, a ghost/love story, and a thriller, the last being Duelle's category.
The cast includes Juliet Berto and Bulle Ogier, who had just worked with Rivette on Céline and Julie Go Boating and on earlier films by the director. The film's only significant male role is played by Jean Babilée, a former dancer who had performed with avant-garde artist Jean Cocteau, a personal hero of and heavy influence on RIvette.
Rivette's experimentation on this production involved a structure that mirrors the lunar cycle, with the scenes written hours before shooting began each day. The actors were encouraged to improvise with the script while paying close attention to their physical movements in relation to the scenery, the camera, and music which was played live on set. In contrast to these theatrical conceits, Duelle is arguably Rivette's most "cinematic" film, shot in widescreen with an attention to color and design not seen in most of his features.
Unfortunately, Rivette suffered a nervous breakdown after finishing two parts, and the project was never completed. Duelle was screened briefly and its follow-up never received an official release in France. Both films are now considered by Rivette scholars to be two of his best works, though they are not currently available in English-speaking countries.
Running time is 2 hours.
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