One can feel that Kramer, instead of letting the idea grow from an inner necessity, started with a cliche: "Now I am going to make a social film."

| Apr 20, 2022

The Defiant Ones is a film no one with mind or heart is likely to forget in a long, long time.

| Jan 30, 2021

This Stanley Kramer messageathon plays better as a high-concept thriller than a statement about race relations or the human condition.

| Original Score: 3/5 | Jan 30, 2021

Credit goes to producer, director and writers for a picture which combines a strong social document with about as much excitement and suspense as you could ask for.

| Jan 30, 2021

Stanley Kramer, who has been responsible for some of Hollywood's greater motion pictures, has a little masterpiece in The Defiant Ones.

| Jan 30, 2021

Stanley Kramer, his superb stars, featured players and the rest have put on record a powerful, tender definition of brotherhood.

| Jan 30, 2021

It is in the film's final sequence that actors, cameraman (Sam Leavitt) and director have created real power.

| Jan 30, 2021

Mr. Kramer has directed his film with considerable dramatic intensity and Mr. Curtis, who has improved out of all knowledge as an actor, holds his own with Mr. Poitier.

| Jan 30, 2021

This, in short, is quite a film.

| Jan 30, 2021

This Stanley Kramer account of a manhunt has all the incisive cinematic skill and compassionate human values remembered from his first distinguished years as a filmmaker.

| Jan 30, 2021

It is a film full of the sounds of fury, and it deals, through a cleverly contrived situation, with the necessity for racial co-operation.

| Jan 30, 2021

If you have an open mind, and wish to understand and live at peace with your fellow man, you'll find it one of the finest pictures of this or any other year.

| Jan 30, 2021

One of the best action-suspense movies of the year.

| Jan 30, 2021

[Tony Curtis] gives the best performance of his screen career... Poitier is impressive, find Miss Williams gives a fine performance in the part of the lonely farm girl.

| Original Score: 3.5/4 | Jan 29, 2021

It is the genius and fiery faith of Kramer which has welded acting and story together and produced such a terrifying and yet tremendous cinema achievement.

| Jan 29, 2021

Director Kramer makes a story of human understanding slowly carved out of two men's common violence, loneliness and desperation.

| Jan 29, 2021

The performances by Tony Curtis and Sidney Poitier are virtually flawless.

| Feb 19, 2009

Kramer was never much of a director, but there's still power in some of the performances, especially Poitier's.

| Nov 7, 2007

The suspense of the manhunt in the swamps never really overcomes the dead weight of Kramer's 'message', but pleasures are to be found in the supporting roles of McGraw and Chaney.

| Jan 26, 2006

It is nervous and suspenseful from the start.

| May 20, 2003