Odds Against Tomorrow by William P. McGivern

(hb; 1957)

From the inside flap

“. . .two men, strangers but inevitable enemies, meet in the planning of a crime. They violate the laws of society deliberately and gravely; a bank is broken into, a man is killed and two protagonists are driven to ground in a lonely farmhouse.

“One of them is bitter and inarticulate, tormented by his inadequacies and failures. His accomplice, a Negro, is clever but in panic at the thought of death. Do they dare trust one another?”

Review

Odds─for the most part─is another compelling, taut and unflinching McGivern crime tale, this one taking on the ugly theme of racism. When a heist goes sideways, one of the henchmens’ overt racism further complicates the crooks’ increasingly intense flight while the cops close in on them. The action takes surprising, unlikely turns near the end, leavening the work for readers who want a kumbaya and uncharacteristic-for-McGivern ending. For those of us who prefer more realistic and potentially grimmer fare, the 1959 film version fixes the novel’s forced turns. Despite that, the book version of Odds is an excellent, bristling and timely story.

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The resulting film was released stateside in November 1959. Robert Wise directed the film, from a screenplay by Abraham Polonsky, billed as John O. Killens, and Nelson Gidding. (Polonsky was on blacklisted by HUAC.)

Harry Belafonte played Johnny Ingram. Kim Hamilton played Ruth Ingram. Robert Ryan played Earle Slater (“Earl Slater” in the book). Shelley Winters played Lorry ("Lory" in the book). Gloria Grahame played Helen.

Ed Begley played Dave Burke. Wayne Rogers played “Soldier in bar”.

The Moving Target by Ross MacDonald

(pb; 1949: first book in the Lew Archer series)

From the back cover

"Like many Southern California millionaires, Ralph Sampson keeps odd company. There's the sun-worshipping holy man whom Sampson once gave his very own mountain; the fading actress with sidelines in astrology and S&M. Now one of Sampson's friends may have arranged his kidnapping.

"As Lew Archer follows the clues from the canyon sanctuaries of the megarich to jazz joints where you get beaten up between sets, The Moving Target blends sex, greed, and family hatred into an explosively readable crime novel."

Review

Moving is a lean, tightly plotted and fast-moving P.I. novel with snappy dialogue, underlying sexual tension and quick-sketch, sketchy characters. It is excellent, dark and worth owning. Followed by The Drowning Pool.

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The resulting film, Harper, was released stateside on April 9, 1966. It was directed by Jack Smight, from a screenplay by William Goldman.

Paul Newman played Lew Harper, the cinematic counterpart to Lew Archer. Lauren Bacall played Mrs. Sampson. Arthur Hill played Albert Graves. Janet Leigh played Susan Harper.

Pamela Tiffin played Miranda Sampson. Robert Wagner played Allan Taggert. Julie Harris played Betty Fraley. Tom Steele played Eddie Fraley. 

Robert Webber played Dwight Troy. Shelley Winters played Fay Estabrook. Roy Jenson played Puddler. Strother Martin played Claude.

Eugene Inglesias played Felix. Richard Carlyle played Fred Platt. Harold Gould played "Sheriff".