THE DEFIANT ONES

"THE DEFIANT ONES" (1958)

This is an American drama film which tells the story of two escaped prisoners, one white and one black, who are shackled together and who must co-operate in order to survive. It stars Tony Curtis and Sidney Poitier. This was my first time watching the movie and I thought it was fantastic! Both Curtis and Poitier were at their very best in this one. The film was adapted by Harold Jacob Smith from the story by Nedrick Young, originally credited as Nathan E. Douglas. It was produced and directed by Stanley Kramer. The film was highly regarded at the time of its release; it won Academy Awards for "Cinematography (Black-and-White)" and "Original Screenplay." It was nominated for seven others, including "Best Picture" and "Best Actor" for both Poitier and Curtis. Poitier won the Silver Bear for "Best Actor" at the Berlin International Film Festival.

SYNOPSIS: "In 1950s America, members of a chain gang are being transported through the South when their truck crashes. Two of the convicts, John "Joker" Jackson (Tony Curtis) and Noah Cullen (Sidney Poitier), who are chained together, find an opportunity to escape. Jackson is white, Cullen is black and, at first, the men appear to be opposites in every way. But as they flee across the country, the two form a deep bond. A female landowner leads Jackson to make a difficult decision about his own freedom."