The Duel (Duelul)

The Duel (Duelul) Cinema Poster Country Romania Directed by Sergiu Nicolaescu Release Date 1981 Language Romanian Studio Casa de Filme 5 Distributor Romaniafilm Main Cast Character Actor Police Commissioner Tudor Moldovan Sergiu Nicolaescu Rică Păsărin Ion Ritiu Grigore Maimuca Colea Rautu Limbă Jean Constantin The Kid Toma Dorel

The Duel (Duelul) is a 1981 Romanian crime movie directed by Sergiu Nicolaescu and starring himself as Police Commissioner Tudor Moldovan. The story takes place in September 1939 in Bucharest, Romania. Commissioner Moldovan investigates several bank robberies that were carried out by the gang of Rică Păsărin (Ion Ritiu) by order of businessman and pro-Nazi politician Grigore Maimuca (Colea Rautu). In order to find the criminal, Moldovan befriends Păsărin's younger brother, a street boy known as "The Kid".

The main character of the movie also appears in a series of crime movies filmed in 1970s (The Duel is a prequel to A Police Commissioner Accuses (Un comisar acuza) and Revenge (Revansa)).

The following weapons are seen in the movie The Duel (Duelul):

Handguns

Smith & Wesson Victory Model

The personal weapon of Police Commissioner Tudor Moldovan (Sergiu Nicolaescu) is a Smith & Wesson Victory Model revolver (probably standing for Military & Police model that better fits late 1930s).

Smith & Wesson Victory Model - .38 S&W

Tudor Moldovan aims his revolver.

Moldovan with his revolver on the rooftop.

Moldovan fires his revolver at Maimuca's henchmen.

Moldovan loads his revolver in the final scene.

Another view at the same scene. Note the lanyard ring and plain wood grips.

Rast-Gasser M1898

When Tudor Moldovan (Sergiu Nicolaescu) visits a company of street children, one of the boys tries to threaten Moldovan with an old Rast-Gasser M1898 revolver. Later this revolver is seen in hands of the gangster Rică Păsărin (Ion Ritiu).

Austrian Rast Gasser 1898 - 8 x 27mm Gasser

One of the company of street boys aims a Rast-Gasser revolver.

Tudor Moldovan holds the revolver, taken from the boy.

Rică Păsărin with Rast-Gasser revolver.

A close view at Păsărin's revolver.

Arminius HW-3

An Arminius HW-3 revolver is used by Rică Păsărin (Ion Ritiu) in one scene. This gun is anachronistic for 1939. Moldovan's assistant, subcommissioner Petrescu (George Mihaita) is seen with a snub nose revolver that also appears to be Arminius.

Arminius HW-3 - .22 caliber revolver

Rică Păsărin with his snub nose revolver and Tudor Moldovan with his Smith & Wesson Military & Police in a standout.

A close view at the grip of Păsărin's revolver.

Petrescu (at the right) holds his revolver.

Petrescu with his revolver in another scene.

Walther P38

The main weapon of Rică Păsărin (Ion Ritiu) and other gangsters are Walther P38 pistols. The story takes place in 1939 so it's highly unlikely that Romanian criminals would have access to the most modern pistol of Wehrmacht.

Walther P38 WWII dated with black grips - 9x19mm

Păsărin's henchman aims his P38 during the bank robbery.

Rică Păsărin tucks a P38 in his pants.

Tudor Moldovan (Sergiu Nicolaescu) unloads a P38 taken from a criminal.

Rică Păsărin fires his P38 in the final scene.

One of Maimuca's henchmen with a P38 in the final scene.

Another Maimuca's henchman with a P38 in the same scene.

Submachine Guns

MP40

During the second bank robbery several of Păsărin's men are armed with submachine guns that are supposedly MP40s, which is anachronistic.

MP40 submachine gun - 9x19mm.

A bank robber at the left holds a submachine gun.

Shotguns

Sawn-off Double Barreled Shotgun

The criminals also use sawn-off double barreled shotguns.

Stevens 311R (sawed-off) - 12 gauge

Two of Păsărin's henchmen fire their sawn-off shotguns at a witness of the robbery.

Another view at the sawn-off shotgun in the same scene.

Rifles

Romanian contract Vz. 24 Rifle

Romanian contract Vz. 24 rifles are seen in hands of Romanian police.

Czech vz. 24 - 7.92x57mm Mauser

Policemen aim their rifles at arrested gangsters.

Policemen with Walther P38 and Vz.24 rifle.