Count Anikoff, a Russian officer, challenges his best friend, Sergei, to a duel when he finds him courting the young woman he, too, is in love with. Sergei can't bring himself to kill his friend. He fires only after taking the bullet out of his pistol. Now, it is the Count's turn to fire...　　From a story by Aleksandr Pushkin.　　　　First film by R. Castellani, with the participation of both Alberto Moravia and Mario Soldati for the script.