THE DEFIANT ONES is an engaging little 'on the run' thriller that explores various aspects of life in early 20th century America. It's - to my knowledge - the first of the films featuring the trope of having the two main characters chained together throughout the movie (Hitchcock used the idea to a lesser degree in his earlier movies), a trope which has served writers well over the ensuing decades. Here, the idea is handled with freshness and vigour, and it helps tremendously that both Tony Curtis and Sidney Poitier are excellent as the charismatic lead roles. The plot itself is pure simplicity, but this allows for plenty of character vignettes and show-don't-tell vignettes.
Review of The Defiant Ones
