The Long Duel

Yul Brynner - Sultan
Trevor Howard - Young
Harry Andrews - Stafford
Charlotte Rampling - Jane
Virginia North - Champa
Andrew Keir - Gungaram
Laurence Naismith - McDougal
Maurice Denham - Govenor
Jimmy Lodge - Guard

Unconvincing historical adventure yarn set on India's North-West Frontier during the 1920's. After breaking his repressed yet rebellious tribesman free from the jail in a British fort, Sultan (Yul Brynner), the leader of the Indian Bhantas tribe is pursued by Superintendent Stafford (Harry Andrews). After months of scouring the hills the hunt proves unsuccessful and the British Governor (Maurice Denham), decides are more specialized approach is required and gives idealistic policeman, Freddy Young (Trevor Howard), the mission of capturing the rebel leader.

Despite being given instructions to bring back his quarry dead or alive, Young is impressed by the courage of his adversary and resolves to bring him back alive. Young tries setting a trap aboard a train he expects Sultan to ambush, but despite offering his adversary the chance to surrender peacefully the scheme ends in a bloody battle. After eventually infiltrating Sultan’s camp and arranging dialogue with the leader, Young pleads with him to surrender before more fierce British forces storm his camp – Sultan declines the offer. In the ensuing battle Sultan escapes the carnage but is mortally wounded. Acknowledging respect for his pursuer, Sultan arranges a rendezvous with Young to ask him to raise his young son as his own.