The Defiant Ones (1986 film)

*The Defiant Ones*
The Defiant Ones
Genre	Drama
Written by	James Lee Barrett
Story by	Harold Jacob Smith ; Nedrick Young
Directed by	David Lowell Rich
Starring	Robert Urich ; Carl Weathers
Music by	Steve Dorff
Country of origin	United States
Original language	English
Production
Executive producers	Robert Urich; Carl Weathers
Producers	Robert Lovenheim ; Robert Urich ; Carl Weathers
Production location	Denver
Cinematography	Rexford L. Metz
Editor	Richard Bracken
Running time	100 minutes
Production companies	MGM Television ; Stormy Weathers Production ; Urich Productions
Original release
Network	ABC
Release	January 5, 1986

Last updated February 21, 2025

The Defiant Ones is a 1986 American made-for-television crime drama film directed by David Lowell Rich starring Robert Urich and Carl Weathers. It is a remake of the 1958 film of the same name.

Synopsis

Cullen Monroe and Johnny "Joker" Johnson are prisoners who hate each other and get into a fistfight, causing them to be transported to a different jailhouse by car. During transport they come to blows again, causing an accident. They escape the car but remain chained to each other while the sheriff hunts them.

Cast

Robert Urich as Johnny "Joker" Johnson
Carl Weathers as Cullen Monroe
Ed Lauter as Sheriff Leroy Doyle
Barry Corbin as Floyd Carpenter
Laurie O'Brien as Pauline
Thalmus Rasulala as Fred
William Sanderson as Mason
Ritch Brinkley as Lonny
Ebbe Roe Smith as Deputy Miller
Wil Wheaton as Clyde
Charles Bartlett as Jeffcoat
Richard Fullerton as First Guard
Bob Harris as Driver

Production and broadcast

The film is a remake of The Defiant Ones , the 1958 film that inspired Carl Weathers to become an actor.^[1]^[2] It premiered on ABC at 9:00 p.m. on Sunday, January 5, 1986.^[3]

Reception

In comparing the film to the original version, Walter Goodman of The New York Times wrote that "1986 is not 1958" and joked that the remake is "nothing if not moving. The two keep moving from the opening credits to the close." He further opined that the film contained "enough running music to score the New York Marathon."^[3]

References

↑ Gendel, Morgan (9 February 1986). "A Bad Dude Does Good". The Los Angeles Times.
↑ King, Susan (October 18, 2014). "Classic Hollywood: Carl Weathers of 'Rocky' still a hit with fans". Los Angeles Times.
1 2 Goodman, Walter (January 3, 1986). "TV WEEKEND; 'The Defiant Ones' in a TV Version". The New York Times .

External links

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[1] Gendel, Morgan (9 February 1986). "A Bad Dude Does Good". The Los Angeles Times.

[2] King, Susan (October 18, 2014). "Classic Hollywood: Carl Weathers of 'Rocky' still a hit with fans". Los Angeles Times.

[auto-3] 1 2 Goodman, Walter (January 3, 1986). "TV WEEKEND; 'The Defiant Ones' in a TV Version". The New York Times .

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