The 1948 film "Force of Evil" is set in New York City and is about a lawyer, Joe Morse, who works for a former gangster named Ben Tucker who is currently running a large "Numbers Racket" gambling scheme. The Numbers scheme like most gambling was illegal then (1948) just about everywhere in the United States. Ben and some other gangsters are planning to merge their Numbers businesses into a cartel, the "Combination", with the goal of eventually promoting a legal state lottery system like the ones in Ireland and Cuba. The cartel also plans to force the small Numbers businesses (called "banks") into bankruptcy. The Numbers game is a simple scheme where the bettor picks a three-digit number from "000" to "999" and places a small bet on it. Each day the winning number is announced in the newspapers and the winners collect 600 to one on their bets. The 600 to one payout is used in this film but some operators paid less than that, sometimes 500 to one. The lawyer's brother Leo Morse runs a small numbers bank which will be forced out of business. Joe wants to protect his brother financially but Leo refuses to join the Combination. A Numbers bank is shown with coin counting machines counting nickels (US five-cent coins).

The film opens with a scene shot from high up showing people walking around.

Joe Morse, wearing a suit, visits a newstand while other customers discuss the Numbers game and place bets with the proprietor.

The newspaper has a headline related to the Numbers Racket.

A special prosecutor named Hall has promised to close down the Numbers banks. Joe Morse and a man named Hobe Wheelock are partners in a law firm. Joe's main (possibly only) client is Ben Tucker.

Joe is proudly wearing his Phi Beta Kappa college honor society membership badge. Ben Tucker is a former Prohibition gangster now running a large Numbers business. The pair discuss the "Combination" and Joe's problem with his brother Leo not wanting to join the group. The cartel has a scheme to bankrupt the small Numbers banks. They know that many superstitious gamblers will bet the number "776" on July 4 and plan to ensure that the number is the winner. Joe visits his brother at his business. Joe knows about the scheme but can not tell his brother.

The business office has machines needed to process large numbers of coins bet by customers.

A coin counting machine counts coins which are seen to be real US nickels or five-cent coins of the Thomas Jefferson variety. Joe meets with his brother Leo and is introduced to an employee, Doris Lowry.

Leo introduces Joe to Doris Lowry, one of his employees. Doris is holding a wad of cash. Joe tries to convince Leo to join the Combination but Leo is independent.

The cartel members discuss the upcoming July 4 number "fix." Ben Tucker's wife Edna likes to flirt with Joe.

Joe isn't that interested in her and she informs him that she has heard that the police may be wiretapping the office telephones.

Old electronic adding machines are present. Joe starts dating Doris but she is put off by his gangster connections.

They are using the then-popular glass vacuum coffee maker. Later Joe takes a walk around the Wall Street area.

Freddie Bauer, Leo's accountant, has been tapped to be the accountant for the cartel, but he is tired of working for an illegal business. But one doesn't quit this organization. Freddie then informs the police of Leo's bank address resulting in a police raid. Bill Ficco, Ben Tucker's old partner from Prohibition days, has his men visit Freddy and Leo at a small restaurant.

The men kill Freddie and kidnap Leo. Later Doris and Joe, at a restaurant, read about the kidnapping of Leo.

Joe is now unhappy that his ambition and greed has brought this about. Back at the office Tucker and Ficco discuss Leo.

Ficco tells Tucker (while Joe is secretly listening) that Leo died and his boys took the body to a dumping area. Joe pulls out a pistol and a gunfight ensues.

He calls the prosecutor's office and tells them that he will talk to them. Accompanied by Doris, Joe looks for his brother's body which he finds dumped next to a river.

Joe plans to turn himself in to the police and Doris promises to support him.

John Garfield as Joe Morse
Beatrice Pearson as Doris Lowry
Thomas Gomez as Leo Morse
Roy Roberts as Ben Tucker
Marie Windsor as Edna Tucker
Paul Fix as Bill Ficco
Howland Chamberlin as Freddie Bauer
Director: Abraham Polonsky
Writers: Abraham Polonsky, Ira Wolfert, based on Ira Wolfert's novel Tucker's People