The Defiant Ones (1958)
Kernel Score: 78% · 311 ratings · Rated NR
Genres: Crime, Drama, Adventure, Thriller
Released: 1958-08-14
Runtime: 96 minutes
Where to watch The Defiant Ones
- Stream: Fubo, Philo, MGM+, ScreenPix Apple TV channel, ScreenPix Amazon Channel
- Free with ads: Fawesome, YouTube Free, Tubi
- Rent: Prime Video, Apple TV, Fandango At Home
- Buy: Prime Video, Apple TV, Fandango At Home
US availability, updated 2026-10-23.
Overview
Two convicts—one white, one black—escape while chained to each other.
The Defiant Ones parents' guide: ages 11+
Parents need to know that The Defiant Ones is a classic 1958 drama about two escaped convicts, one white and one black, who are chained together and forced to overcome racial prejudice.
- Violence & scariness: Some — The film includes manhunt and escape sequences with tension between hostile pursuers and the two convicts, per the keywords.
Fresh Kernels AI-assessed from the official NR rating, publicly documented content. A guide for families, not an official rating.
Movies like The Defiant Ones
If you liked The Defiant Ones, these are the movies we'd watch next.
- In the Heat of the Night (1967) — 87%
- A Perfect World (1993) — 86%
- Brute Force (1947) — 80%
- Fast Five (2011) — 82%
- The Fugitive (1993) — 84%
- The Night of the Hunter (1955) — 89%
- A Man Escaped (1956) — 89%
- Escape from Alcatraz (1979) — 86%
Director
Cast
- Tony Curtis as John 'Joker' Jackson
- Sidney Poitier as Noah Cullen
- Theodore Bikel as Sheriff Max Muller
- Charles McGraw as Capt. Frank Gibbons
- Lon Chaney Jr. as Big Sam
- King Donovan as Solly
- Claude Akins as Mack
- Lawrence Dobkin as Editor
- Whit Bissell as Lou Gans
- Carl Switzer as Angus
The Defiant Ones FAQ
Is The Defiant Ones good?
The Defiant Ones has a 78% Kernel Score on Fresh Kernels from 311 audience ratings.
Where can I watch The Defiant Ones?
In the US you can stream The Defiant Ones on Fubo, Philo, MGM+, ScreenPix Apple TV channel and ScreenPix Amazon Channel , watch it free with ads on Fawesome, YouTube Free and Tubi and rent it from Prime Video, Apple TV and Fandango At Home.
Is The Defiant Ones OK for kids?
The Defiant Ones is rated NR. Fresh Kernels suggests ages 11+. Parents need to know that The Defiant Ones is a classic 1958 drama about two escaped convicts, one white and one black, who are chained together and forced to overcome racial prejudice.
What movies are like The Defiant Ones?
If you liked The Defiant Ones, try In the Heat of the Night, A Perfect World, Brute Force and Fast Five.