Sweet Smell of Success (1957)

98% of critics liked it
(45 reviews)
90% of users liked it
(5,960 ratings)

Ernest Lehman drew upon his experiences as a Broadway press agent to write the devastating a clef short story "Tell Me About Tomorrow." This in turn was adapted by Lehman and Clifford Odets into the sharp-edged, penetrating feature film Sweet Smell of Success. Burt Lancaster stars as J. J.… More Ernest Lehman drew upon his experiences as a Broadway press agent to write the devastating a clef short story "Tell Me About Tomorrow." This in turn was adapted by Lehman and Clifford Odets into the sharp-edged, penetrating feature film Sweet Smell of Success. Burt Lancaster stars as J. J. Hunsecker, a Walter Winchell-style columnist who wields his power like a club, steamrolling friends and enemies alike. Tony Curtis co-stars as Sidney Falco, a sycophantic press agent who'd sell his grandmother to get an item into Hunsecker's popular newspaper column. Hunsecker enlists Falco's aid in ruining the reputation of jazz guitarist Steve Dallas (Martin Milner), who has had the temerity to court Hunsecker's sister Susan (Susan Harrison). Falco contrives to plant marijuana on Dallas, then summons corrupt, sadistic NYPD officer Harry Kello (Emile Meyer), who owes Hunsecker several favors, to arrest the innocent singer. The real Walter Winchell, no longer as powerful as he'd been in the 1940s but still a man to be reckoned with, went after Ernest Lehman with both barrels upon the release of Sweet Smell of Success. Winchell was not so much offended by the unflattering portrait of himself as by the dredging up of an unpleasant domestic incident from his past. While Success was not a success at the box office, it is now regarded as a model of street-smart cinematic cynicism. The electric performances of the stars are matched by the taut direction of Alex MacKendrick, the driving jazz score of Elmer Bernstein, and the evocative nocturnal camerawork of James Wong Howe. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: Unrated, 1 hr. 36 min.
Directed By: Alexander Mackendrick
Written By: Clifford Odets, Ernest Lehman
Genres: Drama, Classics

In Theaters: Jun 27, 1957 Wide
On DVD: Jun 19, 2001
Studio: United Artists

Critic Reviews

, TIME Magazine
Sweet Smell, which could have been offal, is raised to considerable dramatic heights by intense acting, taut direction (by Alexander Mackendrick), [and] superb camera work (by James Wong Howe).
Dave Kehr, Chicago Reader
Mackendrick's nighthawk landscape is compellingly, poetically bleak.
Variety Staff, Variety
James Hill's production, locationed in Manhattan, captures the feel of Broadway and environs after dark.
Chris Vognar, Dallas Morning News
A lean, mean amorality tale that still goes down like a cookie laced with arsenic.
Andrew Sarris, New York Observer
The main incentive to see this movie is its witty, pungent and idiomatic dialogue, such as you never hear on the screen anymore in this age of special-effects illiteracy.
A.O. Scott, New York Times
Its pleasures are almost obscenely abundant.
Wesley Lovell, Oscar Guy
A meandering drama about the lure of success and the ignominious aggression of defeat.
Matthew Sorrento, Film Threat
It all begins with the title. The irony aside, its lightness and alliteration suggest the last breaths of one of the film's victims.
Sean Axmaker, Parallax View
... one of the most lacerating and vicious visions of the predatory urban world in the American cinema...
Glenn Heath Jr., Slant Magazine
Hyperbole doesn't come close to describing the importance and beauty of Criterion's essential Blu-ray release of Alexander Mackendrick's Sweet Smell of Success, a must-own for every film lover.
, Film4
A masterpiece.
Philip French, Observer [UK]
The film is a masterpiece, intelligent Hollywood cinema at its best.
Urban Cinefile Critics, Urban Cinefile
Masterful direction and cinematography are shown off in this restored version, with Bernstein's apt jazzy score nailing all the right notes.
Steve Crum, Video-Reviewmaster.com
Engaging, at times vicious drama w/Lancaster as acidic gossip monger, Curtis fine as wimpy sidekick.
Colin Kennedy, Empire Magazine
With some of the sharpest dialogue ever cut in Hollywood, only on the most superficial level is this a movie about gossip and publicity. We're talking show business. We're talking America. We're talking cast-iron classic.
, Time Out
The screen was rarely so dark or cruel.
Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews
A cruelly cynical take on the seamy side of New York City's swinging nightclub life.

Read all 17 critic reviews

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Featured Audience Ratings

Tim S

The word tense doesn't even begin to describe Alexander Mackendrick's psychologically unsettling masterpiece Sweet Smell of Success. Carrying perhaps the best performances of both Burt Lancaster's and Tony Curtis' careers, the film is a brilliant take on the real… More
The word tense doesn't even begin to describe Alexander Mackendrick's psychologically unsettling masterpiece Sweet Smell of Success. Carrying perhaps the best performances of both Burt Lancaster's and Tony Curtis' careers, the film is a brilliant take on the real life persona of Walter Winchell, but also, a personal journey for its two leads. At the end of the film, Lancaster's character loses his only living thread to humanity and Sidney Falco, as played by Curtis, loses in his fight to get ahead and pays for all of his wrongdoings. It's such a fantastic work from beginning to end. You can cut the tension in the story with a knife. I sat with a sick feeling in my stomach the entire time and was relieved at the end. Few films have ever done that to me.
jay n

About as hard edged as a movie can be. As a look at a group of venal people it can't be beat but this is a very loathsome group so spending any time with them could never be described as a pleasant experience. Burt and Tony both give outstanding performances, the whole cast is… More
About as hard edged as a movie can be. As a look at a group of venal people it can't be beat but this is a very loathsome group so spending any time with them could never be described as a pleasant experience. Burt and Tony both give outstanding performances, the whole cast is very fine, but the wonderful Barbara Nichols stands out in her brief scenes as a sad sweet girl who has been treated badly by life, one of the few people in the picture who engenders any sympathy.
xGary X

This pitch black hearted noir was something of a flop on its release, and it's not difficult to see why. Not through lack of quality, but rather the fact that its unrelenting cynicism and bleak outlook is certainly not for the faint hearted. Tony Curtis turns in easily his best… More
This pitch black hearted noir was something of a flop on its release, and it's not difficult to see why. Not through lack of quality, but rather the fact that its unrelenting cynicism and bleak outlook is certainly not for the faint hearted. Tony Curtis turns in easily his best performance as Sidney Falco, an obsequious press agent who is perfectly willing to sell his soul to get on top, and Burt Lancaster is similarly superb, brilliantly cast against type as a cold-hearted tyrant (even describing an attack on his character as an attack on his country, the cry of despots throughout the ages) who controls all around him through contemptible manipulation. The core of the film is the creepily ambiguous relationship between he and his sister; at one point he refers to her "apron strings", an allusion to motherhood, but he also keeps a portrait on his desk as one would a spouse or lover... It is unusual in that instead of fists and bullets, all the damage is done through words and insinuations; the razor sharp dialogue is amongst the best ever written for the screen, and the magnificent photography represents the city streets as blackly as the protagonists' hearts. The package is completed by a soundtrack of fantastic contemporary jazz and the overall result is one of the pinnacles of film noir.
Jennifer X

The codependency of JJ and Falco is one for the books, that slimy, gritty animalistic relationship of prey and predator, agent and sellout - almost homoerotic at times. I haven't been wowed by a film in a such a long time when one creeps up on you you really can't forget it.
Reid V

A fairly straightforward but well acted film about the dark side of those crazed by the "sweet smell of success." In an attempt to secure a name for himself, Sidney Falco (Tony Curtis) is willing to go to any length. When prodigious columnist J.J. Hunsecker (Burt Lancaster)… More
A fairly straightforward but well acted film about the dark side of those crazed by the "sweet smell of success." In an attempt to secure a name for himself, Sidney Falco (Tony Curtis) is willing to go to any length. When prodigious columnist J.J. Hunsecker (Burt Lancaster) promises Falco notoriety in exchange for slandering his sister's lover, the two weave a web of lies, betrayal, and heartache, which amass a significant amount of collateral damage. Both lead by the "theology of making a fast buck" these two men use the careers of quality men as stepping stones in order to gain ground. Lancaster is fantastic as he always is and Curtis succeeds in portraying a morally fickle man caught in the grips of greed. Yet, where the film falls flat for me is the lack of presence by Mackendrick. While I do admire directors who are more austere when it comes to making a film, I still want to feel their presence. There was nothing in this film that made me want to really seek out Mackendrick's other work because it seemed as though anybody could have directed the film. Maybe he trusted the acting and story so much that he felt he could just roll without putting too much focus on the style. I don't really know. In the end, It is a bleak and well acted film about the suspension of morality in pursuit of personal gain
Michael G

Sweet Smell of Success is proof that nastiness can be beautiful. The direction and cinematography are breathtaking and every bit as gritty as the darkest film noir. The script is razor sharp sleaze and the performances are outstanding. Burt Lancaster and Tony Curtis perpetually raise… More
Sweet Smell of Success is proof that nastiness can be beautiful. The direction and cinematography are breathtaking and every bit as gritty as the darkest film noir. The script is razor sharp sleaze and the performances are outstanding. Burt Lancaster and Tony Curtis perpetually raise the ante on each other to the point where its almost unbearable. The Sweet Smell of Success is the kind of movie that gets better every time you see it and is exactly what Lancaster's character calls Curtis' character--a cookie full of arsenic.
AJ V

This is a good drama, the actors are good and the story is good. I liked it.
Stella D

bernard schwartz proves he's more than just a pretty face in this acid masterpiece. lancaster's character, j.j. hunsecker, was based on all powerful new york gossip columnist walter winchell. famously razor-sharp dialogue largely by black-listed playwright clifford odets… More
bernard schwartz proves he's more than just a pretty face in this acid masterpiece. lancaster's character, j.j. hunsecker, was based on all powerful new york gossip columnist walter winchell. famously razor-sharp dialogue largely by black-listed playwright clifford odets and marvelous direction on location by alexander mackendrick. rip, tony curtis, last of hollywood's matinee idols
Pierluigi P

I've known in my life and seen in movies real sons of bitches who, as someone wisely says here, live by the philosophy of making a quick buck everyday without knowing nor caring about how their decisions would affect others. Burt Lancaster and Tony Curtis both play that kind of… More
I've known in my life and seen in movies real sons of bitches who, as someone wisely says here, live by the philosophy of making a quick buck everyday without knowing nor caring about how their decisions would affect others. Burt Lancaster and Tony Curtis both play that kind of immoral and selfish weasel with absolute perfection. two hustlers, one at the top of the food chain and the other one intending to fit in those shoes someday. They can't get enough of spreading all their malice over some very few honest citizens that inhabit their corrupt domains. stylishly directed and photographed. Written with tremendous perspicacity and wit. The pen is mightier than the sword, indeed.
Randy T

Tony Curtis shines as a sleazy press agent "immersed in the theology of making a fast buck" while Burt Lancaster is a powerful New York columnist who uses Curtis to sabotage the romance between his sister and a jazz musician. Of course, things don't go exactly as… More
Tony Curtis shines as a sleazy press agent "immersed in the theology of making a fast buck" while Burt Lancaster is a powerful New York columnist who uses Curtis to sabotage the romance between his sister and a jazz musician. Of course, things don't go exactly as planned (do they ever?). Sweet Smell of Success exposes the underbelly of New York's social scene and the high price of publicity. Great noir fare.
Ken S

Great Noir that doesn't involve guns or P.I.'s. An emotional an mental battle of the wits.
Danny R

An engrossing classic American noir that concerns a ruthless, sadistic, all-powerful gossip columnist named J.J. Hunsecker, brilliantly played by Burt Lancaster in one of his finest performances and his unscrupulous press agent Sidney Falco, masterfully played by Tony Curtis in a… More
An engrossing classic American noir that concerns a ruthless, sadistic, all-powerful gossip columnist named J.J. Hunsecker, brilliantly played by Burt Lancaster in one of his finest performances and his unscrupulous press agent Sidney Falco, masterfully played by Tony Curtis in a performance that showed him to be a first-rate actor and just not another handsome Hollywood face, his slick, opportunistic Sidney Falco who would do anything to curry favor with Hunsecker, it is a memorable characterization by Curtis that is the backbone of this gripping drama of big-city corruption. Another standout performance is by Susan Harrison who superbly plays Hunsecker's tormented teenaged sister Susan, whom he harbors incestuous feelings for, a bristling and compelling screenplay by Clifford Odets and Ernest Lehman from the novelette by Ernest Lehman that has vivid and hard-boiled dialogue with lines like, "i'd hate to take a bite out of you," Hunsecker tells Tony Curtis's poisonous press agent Sidney Falco, "you're a cookie filled with arsenic. Soulful supporting performances by Martin Milner, Sam Levene, Barbara Nichols, Jeff Donnell, Joseph Leon and Edith Atwaier, taut direction by Alexander Mackendrick and a superb jazz score by Elmer Bernstein, exquisite black & white cinematography by James Wong Howe that perfectly captures the New York City nightlife of the late 1950s.This film has been selected for preservation by the National Film Registry and the American Film Institute has selected Burt Lancaster's character J.J. Hunsecker as No.35, on its list of the top 50 villains in cinematic history. Highly Recommended.
Alec B

Lancaster is at his most sinister and Curtis is at his most scrappy. You add to that snappy writing coupled with a dark, noir atmosphere and you've got one great tale of dirty dealings and nasty gossip in the big city.
Chris B

Why can't all films be made like they once were. The screenplay, acting, and cinematography are all top-notch and really elevate this classic to must see status. The New York night scenes are amazing and really lend an amazingly atmospheric feel to the film. Sharp dialog and… More
Why can't all films be made like they once were. The screenplay, acting, and cinematography are all top-notch and really elevate this classic to must see status. The New York night scenes are amazing and really lend an amazingly atmospheric feel to the film. Sharp dialog and even sharper schemes in the making, Sweet Smell of Success is amazing to behold. Highly Recommended!
Lesley N

Burt Lacaster and Tony Curtis play two slimey sleaseballs in the world of New Your publishing both trying to separate true love for their own nefarious desires. Sharp rat-a-tat dialog keeps it moving, but the sheer unlikeableness of all the characters (including the swoony girl )… More
Burt Lacaster and Tony Curtis play two slimey sleaseballs in the world of New Your publishing both trying to separate true love for their own nefarious desires. Sharp rat-a-tat dialog keeps it moving, but the sheer unlikeableness of all the characters (including the swoony girl ) makes it hard work at times.
Jared H

Pretty good stuff. Tony Curtis is one smooth talker.
David S

Along with 'Kiss me Deadly' this is one of the bleakest films to come out of this period of Hollywood. If it wasn't for the great performances of Lancaster and Curtis (when they're on screen together the scenes sizzle) and the jazzy script it would be a bit… More
Along with 'Kiss me Deadly' this is one of the bleakest films to come out of this period of Hollywood. If it wasn't for the great performances of Lancaster and Curtis (when they're on screen together the scenes sizzle) and the jazzy script it would be a bit unrelenting. As it is you can't help but admire the balls of everyone involved to produce this film. Lancaster is one of the great screen villains and you'd almost sympaphise with Curtis if his character wasn't so slimy. Stars today wouldn't have the nerve to play such repelent characters. Thank god for these two legends!
Henrik S

I must admit, the first 15 minutes of the film were completely lost on me and I had no idea what was going on. Of course, I relished in seeing Curtis and Lancaster on the screen but the storyline took quite a while to get me hooked. Maybe it is the unfamiliarity regarding the workings… More
I must admit, the first 15 minutes of the film were completely lost on me and I had no idea what was going on. Of course, I relished in seeing Curtis and Lancaster on the screen but the storyline took quite a while to get me hooked. Maybe it is the unfamiliarity regarding the workings of press agents and columnist back in 50ies America, but once the film gets going and the tension between the characters starts to bubble away, the film is very enjoyable. I understand that Burt Lancaster's character has to be portrayed as otherworldly powerful in order to make his possible downfall a more exciting prospect but I still though the performance was wooden and I take my Lancaster in the wild west or as pirate over the one in the suit any day. Tony Curtis on the other hand makes good use of his slick charms and he is perfect for the role of the double crossing and winding snake. The movie is quite raunchy and suggestive in times, no making halt before women being forced into sex or marijuana, the film is in the spirit of such enigmatic filmmakers such as Scorsese or Francis-Ford Coppola. Take that and the inherent charm of classic Hollywood, the big city lights, pompous musical clues and a suspenseful dance of light and shadows and you have yourself a winner.
Brian R

J.J. Hunsecker, a powerful New York newspaper columnist, is dead set against his sister's marrying a jazz musician. Sidney Falco, a sleazy PR man, will do anything to get publicity for his clients, and he sees Hunsecker's situation as an opportunity to win the writer's… More
J.J. Hunsecker, a powerful New York newspaper columnist, is dead set against his sister's marrying a jazz musician. Sidney Falco, a sleazy PR man, will do anything to get publicity for his clients, and he sees Hunsecker's situation as an opportunity to win the writer's favor. So, he sets out to break up the affair anyway he can. This is a great movie. I especially admire the blunt tough dialogue, the city of manhattan, the great camera movements, and the performances of Tony Curtis and Burt Lancaster who looks like the rapper DRAKE. SSOS paved the wave for films like Oliver Stone's "Wall Street" and it's sequel. Corruption is a strong theme in this film how two men admire taking advantage of others to suit their needs. The best performance imo is by Martin Milner who is in love with JJ sister and a man who isn't afraid to stand up for himself. Alexander Mackendrick has made one hell of a picture.