Two escaped convicts chained together, white and black, must learn to get along in order to elude capture.
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Title: The Defiant Ones (1958)
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Cast
| Complete credited cast: | |||
| Tony Curtis | ... | ||
| Sidney Poitier | ... | ||
| Theodore Bikel | ... | ||
| Charles McGraw | ... |
Capt. Frank Gibbons
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| Lon Chaney Jr. | ... |
Big Sam
(as Lon Chaney)
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King Donovan | ... |
Solly
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| Claude Akins | ... |
Mack
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Lawrence Dobkin | ... |
Editor
|
| Whit Bissell | ... |
Lou Gans
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| Carl 'Alfalfa' Switzer | ... |
Angus
(as Carl Switzer)
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Kevin Coughlin | ... | |
| Cara Williams | ... | ||
Edit
Plot Summary
|
Add Synopsis
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. Written by Claudio Carvalho, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Taglines:
One of the great ones! See more »Parents Guide:
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Details
Country:
USALanguage:
EnglishRelease Date:
27 September 1958 (USA) See more »Also Known As:
Flucht in Ketten See more »Company Credits
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IMDbPro »
Technical Specs
Runtime:
(Turner library print) (copyright length)Sound Mix:
Mono (Westrex Recording System)Color:
Black and WhiteAspect Ratio:
1.66 : 1
Edit
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
See more »
Did You Know?
Trivia
The film's co-writers, Nedrick Young and Harold Jacob Smith, were cast as the prison truck drivers, with the writing credits below their faces, because Young was blacklisted and writing under a pseudonym at the time and producer Stanley Kramer wanted to identify them truthfully. See more »Goofs
The truck that was shown being recovered after crashing through a guard rail and rolling onto its top has no damage to the front or top of the cab, and the passenger side of the truck that would have hit the guard rail, and landed first when it rolled; has no damage at all. The only damage portrayed was to the wood side rails, a relatively inexpensive way to make the truck look damaged for a quick take. See more »Soundtracks
Long GoneAdapted 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
See more »
A great job by Stanley Kramer on this film. Tony Curtis and Sidney Poitier turn in stellar performances as two convicts who get an unexpected shot at escape but are held together by a length of chain. They must learn to overcome their racial dislike of each other in order to survive and gain their freedom. But will they? The film is shot in black and white and had it been shot in color it would not have been as good. A remake was done some years later which was passable but didn't match this original version.