Escape in chains

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Movie
German title Escape in chains
Original title The Defiant Ones
Country of production United States
original language English
Publishing year 1958
length 96 minutes
Age rating FSK 12
Rod
Director Stanley Kramer
script Nedrick Young
Harold Jacob Smith
production Stanley Kramer
music Ernest Gold
camera Sam Leavitt
cut Frederic Knudtson
occupation

Escape in Chains is a 1958 American drama film directed by Stanley Kramer and starring Tony Curtis and Sidney Poitier .

action

The inmates John “Joker” Jackson and Noah Cullen manage to escape in an accident on their prisoner transport. Since their wrists are tied together with a chain, they have to come to terms and get their personal difficulties under control if their escape is to be successful: for John is a staunch white man who looks down on blacks; Noah a black man with a loose mouth and the conviction that all whites are arrogant and unjust.

The first point the mismatched couple must agree on is the direction of flight. John wants to go south, where Noah sees no chance for himself, which is why they finally go north. They are being followed by a search party with bloodhounds. Gradually the relationship between the two changes, they develop respect for each other and work together, although they often clash.

When they break into a gas station in a village at night, they are captured by the residents. A former prisoner who lives in the village prevents a lynching and secretly helps the two to escape. Next they come to a farm that is only managed by a woman and her boy Billy. There they get food and can free themselves from the chain.

John's arm is infected from being handcuffed and has a fever. While the woman tends to him, they come closer to each other; she is desperately looking for a man and persuades John to flee with her and Billy and to leave Noah, whom she also despises because of his skin color, to himself. Noah surprises the two in this conversation, but finally agrees to go on alone. The farmer packs provisions for him and describes the path through a swamp to the next railway line. When Noah disappears, she happily tells John that nothing stands in the way of her happiness - there is no way through the swamp, Noah will perish in it and can no longer betray John. Disgusted, John pushes the woman away, whereupon he is shot by Billy. He hurries after Noah, catches up with him, and they reach the railroad together.

There Noah manages to jump on the train, but he fails to pull the weakened John up to him. When John stays behind, Noah also jumps off and holds the exhausted John in his arms until the pursuing sheriff stands thoughtfully in front of them.

background

The subject of the film, racism in the United States , became controversial in the late 1950s. First choice for the role of Joker was Robert Mitchum . According to media reports at the time, he should have refused to "play with a negro". However, this was denied in his autobiography by Tony Curtis , who took on the role of Joker. Even Marlon Brando and Kirk Douglas were for the role in the conversation. Both of them were uncomfortable with the topic and they canceled.

Escape in Chains is one of the few films that does almost entirely without film music. In addition to individual work songs sung by Noah, heard the only music from the transistor radio of a man in the group of helpers available to the Sheriff in his search to one side. This is more of a running gag , because the running radio music annoys the boss every time.

Tony Curtis had campaigned for his co-star Sidney Poitier to get a reasonable fee, which was not common for an African-American actor at the time.

The film was first shown on German television on June 26, 1971 from 8.15 p.m. on ZDF .

Reviews

The German film industry journal Blickpunkt: Film praised the film for its appeal against racism and the acting performances of Sidney Poitier and Tony Curtis.

Reclam's film guide stated : “A well-meaning film, the details of which are realistic and exciting, and consistently well played. Overall, however, the dramaturgy seems too schematic. The welcome commitment against racial hatred is treated too instructively. "

In the film service it was read: "Gripping, visually strong and excellently played film - perhaps a bit too clear in its moral intentions."

Awards

Sidney Poitier was awarded the Silver Bear in the “Best Actor” category at the 1958 Berlinale for his role in this film .

At the Golden Globe Award ceremony in 1959, Flucht in Ketten - with nominations in a total of six categories - won the prize for the best film in the drama category.

When Oscar - awarded in 1959 he was even nominated in nine categories ( "Best Actor" - Tony Curtis, "Best Actor" - Sidney Poitier, "Best Supporting Actor" - Theodore Bikel, "Best Supporting Actress" - Cara Williams, "Best Director" , "Best Editing", "Best Film"), but was only able to win an Oscar in two categories, "Best Camera" (black and white film) and "Best Original Screenplay" .

In the same year the film also received the New York Film Critics Circle Award .
And also in 1959, the film won the United Nations Award of the BAFTA Awards.

Remake

So far, the story of the escape of two prisoners with different skin colors has been retold twice:

Adaptation

Already in 1963 the GDR composer Karl-Rudi Griesbach composed his opera in four pictures “The Black, the White and the Woman” based on his own libretto based on this film.

Web links

swell

  1. ↑ Release certificate for escape in chains . Voluntary self-regulation of the film industry (PDF; test number: 17492 / V). Template: FSK / maintenance / type not set and Par. 1 longer than 4 characters
  2. ^ Filmlexikon and Spiegel.de .
  3. ^ Reclams Filmführer, 2.A. 1973, ISBN 3-15-010205-7
  4. ↑ Escape in chains. In: Lexicon of International Films . Film service , accessed January 29, 2017 .Template: LdiF / Maintenance / Access used