Disgraced former police officer David Burke (Ed Begley) is looking for a way to make some quick money. When he decides to rob a bank, he calls on mean ex-con Earl Slater (Robert Ryan) and black entertainer Johnny Ingram (Harry Belafonte) to help him pull off the heist. Johnny is reluctant to agree but is forced to reconsider because of his significant gambling debts, while racist Earl balks because of Johnny's involvement. Ultimately, though, they must work together to get the job done.

A film from the very end of the noir era, Odds Against Tomorrow is wonderfully cast and beautifully shot on location in New York City and Hudson, NY. It features an energetic score by John Lewis of the Modern Jazz Quartet, one of the best in noir.

Harry Belafonte's performance as Johnny Ingram, a nightclub singer with a bad gambling habit, is strong and subtle, and a reminder that it's a shame that Belafonte stopped acting soon after this. Although the film features three leads, his character and his performance is the heart of the film.