Odds Against Tomorrow
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Movie Reviews of Odds Against Tomorrow
Movie Review: A masterwork from the director Robert Wise
Summary: 5 Stars
ODDS AGAINST TOMORROW is oftenly sited as one of the last film noir together with TOUCH OF EVIL. Sadly, it has been overlooked for years. The critics favored it, but it was unpopular among the public. Nevertheless, because of its creative experiments, ODDS AGAINST TOMORROW remains arguably one of the finest film noirs of all time.
The film also should have recognized as the one of the best films of its director, Robert Wise. Wise, always had been an innovative film maker, was successful making many of his films efficiently memorable. His ingenuity was well used for ODDS AGAINST TOMORROW. Joseph Brun's beautiful B&W photography is forcefully astonishing, sharp editing is stunning, use of John Lewis' jazz score is cool, and characters' melancholic mood is perfectly suited to lead us into the grim, nihilistic, yet very poetic noir environment. The technical merits are very high, and not only that, you cannot ignore the artistic value of the film. Wise carefully assembled each scenes with aesthetic compositions and connected the scenes with provocatively irregular, yet breathtakingly dynamic rhythm.
Players were perfectly chosen too. Robert Ryan, Harry Belafonte, Ed Begley, Shelley Winters, and Gloria Grahame are all wonderful. Espesially, Ryan proves himself again as an effecive noir anti-hero as he was in THE SET-UP, ON DANGEROUS GROUND, or INFERNO. He succeeded to inject urgent pain of a troubled man who feels fear, hate, loneliness, and possibly a little hope. Begley is also great. His presence and forceful manner is another key to the films dynamism.
Whole thing is undeniably stylish due to the technical out put and highly professional cinematic senses from whom all concerned. All together, ODDS AGAINST TOMORROW should be remembered as one of the most artistic contribution for the film noir genre, as well as one of the masterworks from the great director, Robert Wise.
Movie Review: "They could have made it out with the loot....."
Summary: 5 Stars
What a brilliant, dreary, and heavy film. I finally saw it this evening... after years of wanting to see it, i finally added another great film noir jewel to my collection. Some reviewers say this is a film soaked with racial and social commentary, others say this is a jazz-mood, period piece film, but i understood it to be much more than those minor, typical observations. Odds against tomorrow is about three men from three different generations, who are desperate for money... one big score that could set them straight. Yes, the racist character of the great Robert Ryan, and Harry Belafonte's character posturing at each other with anger and hostility definitely oils the gears of the plot, but i sensed the real depth lay in the bleakness of all three men's desperation and turmoil of their daily existence. it was a heist movie, a hold-up, quite realistic in fact, that it seemed that this could very well happen or be based on true events. All of the actors were brilliant,and especially Ed Begley as the older man who did all he could to really make it happen, pleading with Ryan and Belafonte, to do the job. The new York city, and upstate landscapes and cinematography were superb. This is a film noir by all means, and of course the social commentary is relevant, but i ask you to look deeper into the three main characters agonies to really grasp the power of the film. The mood of this film is priceless, It is so saddening that films today lack the atmosphere of these black and white treasures.
Peace.
P.S. I believe that the woman behind the bar in the jazz club is a young Cicely Tyson.
Movie Review: TAKING THE ODDS.....
Summary: 5 Stars
Excellent, hardbitten crime drama brilliantly directed by Robert Wise about three men planning a bank robbery. Ex-cop Burke (Ed Begley) recruits bitter, aging racist Earl Slater (Robert Ryan) and urban jazz muscian/singer Johnny Ingram (Harry Belafonte) for the big heist. The money will change and better all of their lives for different reasons. Ingram especially, as he's indebted to a brutal gangster with his gambling debts. Burke is hopelessly enthusiastic but Slater and Ingram are skeptical and don't trust each other because of Slater's blatant racism towards Ingram. As the tension of the planning of the robbery mounts, so does the antagonism between the two men. That such ignorance should exist between people who have the same goal is intelligently played out with a realistic script. Belafonte, Ryan and Begley give convincing performances as do Shelley Winters, Gloria Grahame and Kim Hamilton as the women in Slater's and Ingram's lives. Haunting b&w photography expresses the bleak and depressing world of the men and the individual anxieties experienced by each. A smoky jazz club, stark city streets, cramped apartments, the stares of strangers---all contribute to the claustrophobic atmosphere of the film. The tense, moody jazz score underlies the tense feeling that something is going to go horribly wrong. When it does, the brewing hatred between Slater and Ingram finally and (literally) explodes. Don't miss this exciting film if you like good, gritty adult noir crime dramas. The DVD is a good print and you can't beat the price.Movie Review: A masterwork from the director Robert Wise
Summary: 5 Stars
Oftenly sited as the last film noir picture along with TOUCH OF EVIL. Not only that, ODDS AGAINST TOMORROW is arguably one of the finest films noir of all time. It also should have recognized as one of the best films of director, Robert Wise. For this one, Wise took a job of producer to make sure that the whole thing would be HIS FILM.
As a dedicated film craftsman, Wise always was innovative making his films great, and made them quite memorable. His ingenuity particularly reflected strongly on ODDS AGAINST TOMORROW. Beautiful quality B&W photography is still astonishing today, sharp editing is stunning, use of John Lewis' jazz score is entirely artistic, and the characters' mood is perfectly suited to lead us into a grim, nihilistic, yet a very poetic noir environment.
Players were perfectly chosen too. Robert Ryan, Harry Belafonte, Ed Begley, Shelley Winters, and Gloria Grahame are all wonderful. Espesially, Ryan proves himself again as an effecive noir anti-hero. He succeeded injecting reality of a fallen man who feels fear, hate, loneliness, and hoping for the last.
All together, "Odds Against Tomorrow" should be remembered as one of the most artistic contribution for the film noir genre, as well as the masterwork of great director, Robert Wise.
Movie Review: loved it but uncertain
Summary: 5 Stars
Okay have to say right off best check with other reviewers, consider mine more as a curiosity - most likely I'm incorrect.
From what I've read it's of the "film noir" variety and kind of a commentary / theme on racism-which it is and does.
Where I differ, the filming itself threw my whole take on this movie. Kind of like the "carousel scene" -the kids in the beginning seem to more circle float in. The facial shots / expressions effects. Other things too lighting and angles with the streets and stuff. Very subtle but pretty interesting effects really added to the movie.
Looked more like an aside jazz take on life than anything "noir" or good vs. evil or racism commentary. I love it for that get a kick out of it every time i see it.
BUT - to be on the safe side figure i'm wrong, check other reviews. Treat my review as an idle curiosity, something to try looking for after seeing it a few times. If anyone else sees it great some pretty amazing film work.
If not then fine, it's just like others have described.