Defiance (1980)

Good movie, but best of all time? Hardly . . .

I cannot think of one single thing that I would change about this film. The acting is incomparable, the directing deft, and the writing poignantly brilliant.

This story has more twists and turns than a second-rate soap opera.

One of the worst ways to make a cult movie is to set out to make a cult movie.

I doubt I know all of them, but the three films of street gang genre which came out in the very late 70's and very early 80's were "The Warriors"; "The Outsiders" and this one, "Defiance". Each one had it's own positive and negative points, in my opinion. I have to admit that I've watched "The Warriors" several times over the years, and I never tire of it. On the other hand, one viewing of "The Outsiders" was enough for me, it just didn't hold up. "Defiance" however is an excellent film from start to finish, and I'll be sure to watch it again and again. The film does an outstanding job of showing the essence of what it was like to exist in a then gang-ridden neighborhood in NYC. And there is story behind it, as well as good acting, a touch of a love affair, and most importantly the grittiness of people who are determined to regain what was once theirs, only to be snatched by a gang of merciless thugs. Cheers!

This just aired on the ENCORE ACTION channel recently. This is a very entertaining NYC flick - and pretty action filled considering it is PG! Jan Michael Vincent is at his best as a reluctant action hero who finally has enough of a Puerto-Rican gang in a Italian NYC neighborhood. Jan is one of my favorite actors, and he effortlessly pulls off this character with believability and heart. And looks sexy doing it, too. His love interest is very sweet in this movie, as is the orphan kid he 'adopts' along the way. The bad gang leader is very entertaining - this guy loves hats! the gang looks like they dressed up to partake in Michael Jackson's Beat It Video! Best part of this movie is the Jan-Michael shower scene - that's all I have to say.

Merchant seaman Tommy Gamble, Jan-Michael Vincent, is strander in New York City because of some trouble he had with the captain of the freighter that he sailed on the last time he was out at sea. Finding a place to stay in the lower east side he's confronted by a gang of local toughs, The Souls, and shows them he's not intimidated by them like everyone else in the neighborhood is. Although Tommy is reluctant to become one he ends up not just becoming a hero but an inspiration to every one in the neighborhood. Showing them that by standing up and fighting back against thugs is much better then giving into them. The whole neighborhood, who for a long time was too scared and intimidated by the gang-bangers to confront them, rises up against them and runs them out of town. Tommy not only gets the girl Marsha, Theresa Saldana, but all his neighbors gratitude and respect as well.Uplifting little film made much along the lines of that old western "High Noon", It's in that film where the sheriff, Gary Cooper, is forced to take on a gang of outlaws by himself because nobody in town would come to his aid who In the end, after dispatching them single handedly, throws away his badge and rides off with his girl, Grace Kelly, into the sunset leaving the cowardly towns people behind. The difference in "Defiance" is that Tommy was only able to clean up the town from the outlaws with the help of the towns people which made the movie more realistic and believable.

For me, DEFIANCE was/is a film that delivered. Is it 'high art'?--I dunno. But it sure held my interest. JMV is our reluctant hero, 'Tom'. A merchant seaman, stranded in New York because of a beef on the job, near penniless Tom is forced to seek cheap digs in a slum rental while he waits for another ship assignment. He quickly crosses paths with 'The Souls', the Latino gang that holds the neighborhood in a grip of terror.Tom is no white knight or crusader. A world weary pragmatist, he's just a guy trying to keep to himself until he can catch that much-needed next freighter out to sea. Though not an immediate champion of justice, neither is Tom indifferent to the suffering of others and gradually he finds himself being drawn into the lives of several of the local residents.It is the leader of the Souls gang, 'Angel', with his determination to maintain his grip on his turf, and interloper Tom, with his stubborn refusal to abandon his newly made friends, who ignite the inevitable final--and highly satisfying--confrontation.Is DEFIANCE a film filled with startling plot twists and dazzling production value? No. But I found it to be highly entertaining with real sincerity--and it continues to please me after repeated viewings. All hands involved in this production deserve praise for working within their limited budget to craft a tough, tender and edgy action/drama where an average fella, who cannot ignore his heart, takes a huge risk to correct a great injustice.Is it SHANE?--Naw. (But what is?) I will tell you this: this flick delivers a whole fist-full of solid scenes. Fer instance: the moment when Tom draws his 'line in the sand'. Waiting until cover of darkness, Tom strides out of the shadows, club in hand, and begins to demolish Angel's beloved 'low rider' as an invitation to the gang--"Come and get me."That scene works on EVERY level: script, direction, photography, JMV's smoldering fury, the startling, hot musical score that punctuates the moment--IT ALL WORKS! It gave me goose bumps the first time and it still gives me a kick to this day. DEFIANCE had me in it's grip: "Yeah, Tom! Screw the consequences! Let's take it to these vicious punks."This flick never had anywhere near the budget or status of say, a DIE HARD, but it sure has the heart. In the early '80s, as I lived in my tiny apartment in Hollywood and struggled to write, I kept a tattered DEFIANCE poster tacked to my wall for inspiration.DEFIANCE: a solid, commendable script, in the hands of a no-nonsense, focused director, who's leading a sincere and supportive cast--all in pursuit of a simple, but meaningful, action/morality tale that can't help but touch you on some level if you believe in justice and decency. Not too shabby, folks. Not too shabby at all.Now I just wish somebody would get DEFIANCE onto a proper DVD (and throw in a few extras like cast/crew interviews, a trailer, maybe even some out-takes). I'd buy a copy in a heartbeat. And five more for some friends.