The Defiant Ones (1958)

Two escaped convicts chained together, white and black, must learn to get along in order to elude capture.

Director:

Stanley Kramer

Writers:

Nedrick Young, Harold Jacob Smith

Stars:

Tony Curtis, Sidney Poitier, Theodore Bikel

Won 2 Oscars. Another 12 wins & 21 nominations.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Tony Curtis	...	John 'Joker' Jackson
Sidney Poitier	...	Noah Cullen
Theodore Bikel	...	Sheriff Max Muller
Charles McGraw	...	Capt. Frank Gibbons
Lon Chaney Jr.	...	Big Sam (as Lon Chaney)
King Donovan	...	Solly
Claude Akins	...	Mack
Lawrence Dobkin	...	Editor
Whit Bissell	...	Lou Gans
Carl 'Alfalfa' Switzer	...	Angus (as Carl Switzer)
Kevin Coughlin	...	Billy
Cara Williams	...	Billy's Mother

Storyline

When the truck that is transporting convicts has an accident on the road, the inmates John "Joker" Jackson and Noah Cullen that are chained to each other escape. They hate each other but they need to help each other to succeed in their intent of going north to jump in a train and reach freedom. Meanwhile the humane Sheriff Max Muller organizes a posse to track them down in a civilized manner and respecting justice. Joker and Cullen reach a small farm where a lonely woman helps them to get rid of their chains. She offers to drive her car with Joker and her son Billy while Cullen would escape through the swamp to the railroad. But when Joker learns that she sent Cullen to a trap, he leaves her and is shot in the shoulder by Billy. Joker seeks out Cullen to save him and when they meet each other, their former hatred has changed to friendship and respect.

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Plot Keywords:

chain gang | escaped convict | manhunt | racism | mississippi | 

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Taglines:

One of the great ones!

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Genres:

Crime | Drama

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

27 September 1958 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Defiant Ones

Filming Locations:

Between Piru & Fillmore, Southern Pacific Railroad, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$778,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Curtleigh Productions, Stanley Kramer Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

96 min (Turner library print) (copyright length)

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

A joke in industry circles at the time was that Kirk Douglas would only do it if he could play the black convict, and that his frequent co- star Burt Lancaster would only do it if he could play both convicts.

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Goofs

The dirt on the shirts throughout the film goes from clean to dirty to clean and dirty. So does the dirt on the faces.

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Quotes

Noah Cullen: I ain't gettin' mad, Joker. I been mad all my natural life.

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Connections

Featured in 1,001 Movies You Must See (Before You Die) (2014)

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Soundtracks

Long Gone
Adapted from "Long Gone (From Bowlin' Green)" (1920)
Music by W.C. Handy (as William C. Handy)
Words by Chris Smith
Sung a cappella by Sidney Poitier (uncredited) several times

User Reviews

The Poitier/Curtis Jail-Break Classic

Sidney Poitier continues to break race barriers with this formula jail-break drama. Teamed with Tony Curtis, the escaped prisoners encounter many situations, where their difference in color seems to matter more than the fact that both are fugitives from the law. Throughout the film, the viewer empathizes with the escapees, figuring that they always got a bum deal in life. A scene towards the end, where a single mother sees a chance to "hook up" with Curtis, shows how Curtis, although often disagreeing, even physically fighting with Poitier, still sees Poitier as an equal in their quest for freedom. Rather than "sell out" his friend, he would rather die trying to save him. The inevidable ending (remember that one of the rules in Old Hollywood was that the bad guys can never win)is quite moving.

Definitely among the established Hollywood Classics. Although many of the "old ways" have changed drastically since the late 50s, this film offers insight into a piece of Americana many people living today can still recall. An important piece of Film History, and highly recommended.