The Defiant Ones (1958)
There’s a good chance you’ve seen a clip of The Defiant Ones interspersed into a montage of famous films. If you’ve seen Sidney Poitier and Tony Curtis chained together and running from bloodhounds, an angry mob, or alongside a train, those famous images are from Stanley Kramer’s Oscar-winning drama.
The plot is simple but intense. After a truck carrying a load of prisoners crashes and most of the passengers are killed, it’s discovered that two have escaped: Sidney Poitier and Tony Curtis. They have a deep and bitter hatred of each other, but because they’re shackled together at the wrist, they’re forced to depend on and trust one another in order to survive.
Nominated for Best Picture, Director, Editing, two Best Actors, Supporting Actor, and Supporting Actress, and winning Cinematography and Original Screenplay, you’d think it would live up to the hype. Sidney and Tony are always hailed for giving excellent, career-defining performances, and while they both tried their hardest, the screenplay (Academy Award winning!) is to blame. Robert Mitchum famously turned down the Tony Curtis role, and for good reason: back in 1958, prisoners were always separated by race. Even if they were being punished or humiliated, they were still separated, and he knew that in the Deep South, a black man and white man would never have been shackled together. He thought the audience wouldn’t be able to get behind the movie because the premise was so unrealistic. Let’s face it, folks, Bob was right. The entire premise is preposterous, therefore nothing in the very simple screenplay, which explains very little, saves it. And the famous last scene (no spoilers here) makes absolutely no sense!
If you haven’t seen this classic and you like to keep up with the “must-see lists”, then definitely rent this movie. The historical context will be entirely lost on today’s generation, and so most young people will probably really like this movie. But I guarantee you, any history major will see the script as Bob Mitchum did. I love Stanley Kramer, but this isn’t his best movie.
Want to watch it? Click here to watch it on ok.ru. And thanks "Classic Cinema Central Seleus B" for posting!
More Whit Bissell movies here!
More Sidney Poitier movies here!
The plot is simple but intense. After a truck carrying a load of prisoners crashes and most of the passengers are killed, it’s discovered that two have escaped: Sidney Poitier and Tony Curtis. They have a deep and bitter hatred of each other, but because they’re shackled together at the wrist, they’re forced to depend on and trust one another in order to survive.
Nominated for Best Picture, Director, Editing, two Best Actors, Supporting Actor, and Supporting Actress, and winning Cinematography and Original Screenplay, you’d think it would live up to the hype. Sidney and Tony are always hailed for giving excellent, career-defining performances, and while they both tried their hardest, the screenplay (Academy Award winning!) is to blame. Robert Mitchum famously turned down the Tony Curtis role, and for good reason: back in 1958, prisoners were always separated by race. Even if they were being punished or humiliated, they were still separated, and he knew that in the Deep South, a black man and white man would never have been shackled together. He thought the audience wouldn’t be able to get behind the movie because the premise was so unrealistic. Let’s face it, folks, Bob was right. The entire premise is preposterous, therefore nothing in the very simple screenplay, which explains very little, saves it. And the famous last scene (no spoilers here) makes absolutely no sense!
If you haven’t seen this classic and you like to keep up with the “must-see lists”, then definitely rent this movie. The historical context will be entirely lost on today’s generation, and so most young people will probably really like this movie. But I guarantee you, any history major will see the script as Bob Mitchum did. I love Stanley Kramer, but this isn’t his best movie.
Want to watch it? Click here to watch it on ok.ru. And thanks "Classic Cinema Central Seleus B" for posting!
More Whit Bissell movies here!
More Sidney Poitier movies here!