An excellent brief review (with plot spoilers) of The Narrow Margin on the ever-useful films noir web site. I personally classify this film as a police procedural, not a genuine film noir — which I think helps explain why the treatment of the apparent femme fatale, played by Marie Windsor, is so unsatisfying. Femmes fatales
serve no real dramatic purpose in a police procedural — they're just,
if anything, red herrings . . . and who wants to see Marie Windsor
treated as a red herring?
Meanwhile Joe D'Augustine from Film Forno sends this comment on Odds Against Tomorrow:
“This
is a great movie! One of Jean Pierre Melville's favorites. Ryan and
Belafonte are amazing. Bravo to HB for financing it, that took guts and
no wonder it dealt with the frustrations of a black American male so
honestly. It was also one of the first films edited by DeDe Allen, her
next was The Hustler. The old cop who got screwed out of his pension is
excellent as well. Ed Begley, Is he corrupt or was he turned corrupt by
a corrupt system? I guess he is on a friendly basis with the
bookie/gangster. And he is the mastermind of the big steal. Great
locations, it is one of Wise's best! He really made all kinds of films
and made them well.”