Challenge 1070 Response discusses...

Duel at Dawn

with Gary Inbinder

In Challenge 1070: In Duel at Dawn, Max Niemand is known to be familiar with various kinds of firearms. Where might the reader have learned that he is also skilled in hand-to-hand combat?

[Gary Inbinder] The answer is found in Chapter 12:

In addition to the Smith & Wesson and his training with Al Lutkus, Max had acquired some proficiency in ju-jitsu, which had become popular in the States following Japan’s victories in its recent war with Russia.

Another observation from a reader: The knife fight was over pretty quick. Could have been milked a bit more.

[Gary I.] The duel between Max and Bugsy was inspired by the duel at the end of Akira Kurasawa’s Samurai classic, Sanjuro (1962). The film builds up to a climactic duel between two master swordsmen. It’s over in a matter of seconds, a thrust through the heart on a quick draw from the scabbard. Very effective. You can check it out on Youtube.

Besides, it’s too cold to dance around like Gene Kelly in The Three Musketeers, and the longer the fight, the more the odds would have shifted in Bugsy’s favor.