Directed by Robert Wise and produced by HarBel, Harry Belafone's production company, Odds Against Tomorrow (1959) starred Belafonte, Robert Ryan, Shelley Winters, Ed Begley, Gloria Grahame and famed dancer Carmen De Lavallade as Kitty. The score is by composer, arranger and Modern Jazz Quartet pianist John Lewis.
The soundtrack orchestra included Lewis (arr,cond); Bernie Glow, Joe Wilder, John Ware and Melvyn Broiles (tp); John Clark and Tom McIntosh (tb); Al Richman, Gunther Schuller, Paul Ingram and Ray Alonge (Fr. hrns); Harvey Phillips (tuba); Robert DiDomenica (fl); Harvey Shapiro and Joseph Tekula (cello); Ruth Berman (harp); Milt Jackson (vib); Bill Evans (p); Jim Hall (g); Percy Heath (b); Connie Kay (d); Richard Horowitz (timpani) and Walter Rosenberger (perc.). [Photo above of John Lewis]
The film noir based on the novel looks at the star-crossed collaboration of former, disgraced cop David Burke (Begley), who enlists the help of Earl Slater (Ryan) a racist, ex-con to rob a bank. Burke also brings in debt-ridden nightclub performer Johnny Ingram (Belafonte).
Belafonte chose Abraham Polonsky (above) to write the screenplay. Polonsky was blacklisted by the House UnAmerican Activities Committee at the time, so Polonsky used John O. Killens, a black novelist and friend of Belafonte, as a front to be the credited screenwriter. In 1996, the Writers Guild of America restored Polonsky's film credit under his own name. Lots of great New York street scenes.
Here's Odds Against Tomorrow...
The soundtrack orchestra included Lewis (arr,cond); Bernie Glow, Joe Wilder, John Ware and Melvyn Broiles (tp); John Clark and Tom McIntosh (tb); Al Richman, Gunther Schuller, Paul Ingram and Ray Alonge (Fr. hrns); Harvey Phillips (tuba); Robert DiDomenica (fl); Harvey Shapiro and Joseph Tekula (cello); Ruth Berman (harp); Milt Jackson (vib); Bill Evans (p); Jim Hall (g); Percy Heath (b); Connie Kay (d); Richard Horowitz (timpani) and Walter Rosenberger (perc.). [Photo above of John Lewis]
The film noir based on the novel looks at the star-crossed collaboration of former, disgraced cop David Burke (Begley), who enlists the help of Earl Slater (Ryan) a racist, ex-con to rob a bank. Burke also brings in debt-ridden nightclub performer Johnny Ingram (Belafonte).
Belafonte chose Abraham Polonsky (above) to write the screenplay. Polonsky was blacklisted by the House UnAmerican Activities Committee at the time, so Polonsky used John O. Killens, a black novelist and friend of Belafonte, as a front to be the credited screenwriter. In 1996, the Writers Guild of America restored Polonsky's film credit under his own name. Lots of great New York street scenes.
Here's Odds Against Tomorrow...
This story appears courtesy of JazzWax by Marc Myers.
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