"Maybe I left my sense of humor in my other suit."
"Sweet Smell of Success" is a classic offering a scathing critique of the cutthroat world of show business and journalism. Set in the gritty underbelly of New York City, the film paints a portrait of moral decay and the lengths people will go to for fame and influence, and frankly just to hurt people.
J.J. Hunsecker (Burt Lancaster ) is a powerful show biz columnist with the ability to make or break careers. He's a manipulative, amoral and cynical figure who uses his influence to control the lives of others.
Sidney Falco (Tony Curtis) is an ambitious press agent desperate to climb the social ladder. He becomes entangled in Hunsecker's web of manipulation, willing to do anything to gain the columnist's favor.
Burt Lancaster is underappreciated today. He spent the rising star portion of his career do typical leading man work. Later he leveraged his fame to do more interesting, edgy roles in films that tended toward art house rather than box office. Lancaster's later filmography is populated with sociopaths salted with criminality, desperation, petty cruelty and general madness. He seems like an actor that would have been more at home in today's films than those of the 1950s. "Sweet Smell of Success" sets up the Hunsecker character extremely well. We hate him long before he appears on scene, and when he does, Lancaster does not disappoint.
Tony Curtis on the other hand, was always the archetypal handsome leading man. He was well known and loved by the time "Sweet Smell of Success" came out, but he had been doing mostly good natured comedy and conventional drama. "Sweet Smell of Success" showcases his range as an ethically fluid man driven by raw ambition. Viewers definitely saw an unfamiliar side to both leading actors in this film.
The sharp and rapid fire dialogue is the star of "Sweet Smell of Success". The writing is outstanding. What I wouldn't give to be able to talk like that... The hip, jazzy soundtrack further informs the atmosphere. The actual story is remarkably simple. It's the actors', cinematography and overall tone that carry the show.
* A cynical view of the entertainment industry
* Morally flawed characters
* Corrupt police
* Witty banter
* Dark and gritty
"You're dead, son. Get yourself buried."
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