Odds Against Tomorrow is of it's time, being produced in 1959 but because elements of this movie have influenced modern day crime movies it could be said to be ahead of its time. As other reviewers have commented this can be seen for example in the ending of Heat or the soundtrack to The French Connection.
When compared to contemporary cinema the pace is somewhat slow. An inordinate amount of time is spent on character development leaving the last 15 minutes or so to squeeze in the heist and its aftermath. The slow pace even shows itself in moody landscape shots depicting the boredom of the protagonists as they wait around until its time for the bank to close.
All three leads put in superb performances. They all display bitterness and desperation, with their personal lives riven with problems. The subject of racism rears its head causing Ryan and Belafonte's characters to be continually at conflict and this is utilised as a device during the films denouement.
If you are a fan of film noir/heist movies and don't mind the slow pace i highly recommend this movie.
When compared to contemporary cinema the pace is somewhat slow. An inordinate amount of time is spent on character development leaving the last 15 minutes or so to squeeze in the heist and its aftermath. The slow pace even shows itself in moody landscape shots depicting the boredom of the protagonists as they wait around until its time for the bank to close.
All three leads put in superb performances. They all display bitterness and desperation, with their personal lives riven with problems. The subject of racism rears its head causing Ryan and Belafonte's characters to be continually at conflict and this is utilised as a device during the films denouement.
If you are a fan of film noir/heist movies and don't mind the slow pace i highly recommend this movie.