The Odds Against Tomorrow.
Today’s November Noir is 1959 classic “Odds Against Tomorrow”. Directed by Robert Wise (The Haunting, Andromeda Strain) and staring Robert Ryan (The Wild Bunch, The Dirty Dozen), Ed Begley (Hang ‘Em High, Twelve Angry Men) and legendary singer Harry Belafonte (Who produced the film as a vehicle for himself).
The plot is basically a bank job, though it’s really more about the characters and the building tension which crescendos with the job itself (which is the final act). Burke (Begley), an aging ex-con has a plan for what seems like the perfect heist, a poorly protected bank with an abundance of cash. He brings in two war veterans Slater (Ryan) and Ingram (Belafonte) to work the job with him. Both carry heavy burdens with them, Slater seems damaged by his time in the war and is bitter from his time in jail. He is an angry man with little nice to say to anyone but his girlfriend Lorry (Shirley Winters) whom he is determined to support (Though that doesn’t stop him having an affair with a neighbour (Played by Noir legend Gloria Graham).
Ingram’s burden meanwhile is his gambling addiction. He has a loving wife and daughter and steady work but his debts have gotten out of control and now the lives of those he love are in danger if he doesn’t settle up. Ingram is basically our hero in this movie, though Slater is introduced first. He is at his core a good man, but he is desperate. He’s also not too keen on the racist attitude of Slater. This tension between the two of them ultimately leads to the failure of the heist and the deaths of all involved (What’d you expect, a happy ending?). Burke for his part does his best to keep everyone calm and focused and I felt genuinely bad for him when he meets his own demise, even more than for Ingram who by the end is just as full of hate as Slater.
The Odds Against Analysis.
I have to give the three leads a lot of credit here for the intensity of their performances. Especially Ryan, who feels positively dangerous and unstable to be around. Belafonte also puts in a top level performance, which is especially impressive given he was more of a singer/composer than an actor. Begley has the least to do of the three but he excels at selling his characters concerns and emotions with just the odd glance here and there, most notably whenever Slater says something racist.
I can’t talk about this movie though without referencing the superb Jazz score by the Modern Jazz Quartet. This is appropriate given this is 1959, one of the most ground breaking years in the history of Jazz and this soundtrack stands up well to the other giant compositional works of that year. It’s worth noting the MJQ actually worked some of the tracks on this score into their regular repertoire. The music is thoughtful, melancholy in others and somewhat dreamlike but also assists in building tension when needed. People tend to think of Film Noir as filled with this sort of Jazz music and it actually isn’t, it’s just a handful of films at the very end of the Noir period, such as this one.
The Odds Against Symbolism.
Accompanying the score is some great imagery. It opens with a shot of some wind blown standing water from a drain at the side of the road and ends with a very similar shot (Though accompanied by a sign saying “Stop – Dead End”). There’s also a moment just before the heist where a contemplative Ingram is staring at some water down by the dock. Nothing is said, but the score and the scenery along with the actors expressions say it all. The movie features a lot of shots of empty streets and worn down looking buildings and a repeated use of wind, both as background noise and visually blowing stuff around in the streets. Everything looks cold, empty and barren. It’s almost post apocalyptic (Which is interesting considering Belafonte ‘s previous film was actually post apocalyptic).
Where there is life often it’s kids running around. Slater, the racist war veteran’s first interaction of the film is actually a friendly one with a small black child. That’s is in stark contrast with his generally angry, bitter attitude and very open racism with Ingram later. The movie seems to be drawing a dividing line between the innocence of the children and the heavy burden carried by the adults.
The most obvious bit of symbolism in the film comes after the explosive finale… literally explosive, where the burned remains of Slater and Ingram can’t be disguised from each other: “Which one is which” asks one of the police officers. It’s worth noting in 1959 this was the first Film Noir with a black lead and needed Belafonte producing the film himself to get there. This was a very different world, but the themes of hatred (Mutual by the end) leading to mutual destruction and the reminder we are all just humans underneath is still very valid.
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