Enemy at the Gates is a 2001 war film directed by Jean-Jacques Annaud, starring Jude Law, Joseph Fiennes and Ed Harris set during the Battle of Stalingrad in World War II. The film's title is taken from William Craig's 1973 nonfiction book Enemy at the Gates: The Battle for Stalingrad, which describes the events surrounding the Battle of Stalingrad from 1942-1943. It is based on a duel mentioned in the book that developed between Soviet sniper Vasily Grigoryevich Zaytsev and his German rival, Major Erwin Konig, as they stalk each other during the battle. The movie is also partially based on the book War of the Rats.