The Challenge is a 1970 made-for-television movie war film starring Darren McGavin and Mako.

They agree to settle the matter with a "surrogate" war, fought by a single representative of each country.

Meyers is familiar with Gallery, who was court-martialed during the Vietnam War for hunting Viet Cong sentries at night and keeping trophies of his kills.

He is put through a training program and given a selection of weapons, including a pair of Madsen submachine guns bolted together that fires regular ammunition and birdshot rounds.

On the submarine, Meyers arrives and unveils his plan to secretly send in Bryant since Gallery has not been successful after four days.

Resting in his cave, he hears Yuro beseeching him to forsake the treacherous country that sent a second man against the rules.

The original director, Joseph Sargent, left the production after conflicts with the producer during editing.

Says Puchalski, "it's hard to understand why [he decided to use the Allen Smithee pseudonym] in this case, since The Challenge is actually a tightly-wound lesson about the stupidity and futility of warfare.