4. The Life And Death Of Colonel Blimp - The Duel
The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp is a classic British film directed by the magnificent duo Powell & Pressburger. Made in 1943 during World War Two, the story is centered around an officer from the British military and an officer from the German military that become friends after a shared stay in a hospital. But they don't simply happen to meet one another there, after the British officer insults a member of the German army the Germans insist upon a fencing duel to protect their honor. The German officer that fights the British officer is the same man who eventually becomes his closest friend. But just as the duel takes place the camera cranes away outside their arena. This could have been done for several practical reasons: the actors couldn't fence and they didn't want to hire stuntmen, adding a lengthy fight sequence to an already epically long film might have been wasteful, or maybe they just couldn't get the action right. But not showing the duel allows the audience to believe that they could still be friends after permanently scarring each other. If we saw these dignified men fighting for their life we may lose empathy for them. Anyway, the scene takes on a light and comedic tone which allows their ensuing friendship to come more naturally, and the film is fantastic just the way it is.