loading loading...

The Sweet Smell Of Success Details

1957 Certificate PG
  • Rated:
  • 70
  • from 2476 members

Director Alexander Mackendrick breaks away from black comedy (THE LADYKILLERS) and goes for full-fledged noir in this spectacular hard-boiled tale of greed, corruption, and brutality. In the flashing neon nighttime of NYC, grasping press agent Sidney Falco (Tony Curtis) trawls the city's toniest nightspots--21,the Elysian--.. Read more

Starring Burt Lancaster, Tony Curtis, Susan Harrison, Martin Milner
Director Alexander Mackendrick
Genres Drama

Sign up The Sweet Smell Of Success DVD

Buy From: £4.93

loading loading...

The Sweet Smell Of Success cover art

The Sweet Smell Of Success

Director Alexander Mackendrick breaks away from black comedy (THE LADYKILLERS) and goes for full-fledged noir in this spectacular hard-boiled tale of greed, corruption, and brutality. In the flashing neon nighttime of NYC, grasping press agent Sidney Falco (Tony Curtis) trawls the city's toniest nightspots--21,the Elysian--searching for the king of celebrity columnists, J.J. Hunsecker (Burt Lancaster). Falco is on the outs with Hunsecker because he hasn't successfully broken up the romance between Hunsecker's sister, Susie (Susan Harrison), and straitlaced jazz guitarist Steve Dallas (Martin Milner). The all-powerful Hunsecker is punishing Falco's failure by not printing any of the publicist's items. Desperate to make a living, Falco reveals a dirty plan to separate weak-willed Susie from her beau. While disgusted by Falco's slimy trade, the threatening, malicious columnist is determined to keep Susie for himself, so he agrees. In this jazzily scored, seamy nocturnal world, everyone is expendable as Hunsecker pushes for his twisted desires and Falco grasps for success. With their machine-gun dialogue and despicable behavior, Hunsecker and Falco are as dangerous as gangsters. The person who comes out on top when the sun rises, however, is a true surprise.

Starring Burt Lancaster, Tony Curtis, Susan Harrison, Martin Milner, Sam Levene, Barbara Nichols
Director Alexander Mackendrick
Studio MGM ENTERTAINMENT
Run time DVD: 1 hr 32 mins
Certificate Certificate PG
Genres Drama
Language DVD: English
Released DVD: 15 Apr 2002
Production year: 1957
Format DVD

  • Critics' reviews (3) of The Sweet Smell Of Success

    View all
  • 5 stars out of 5

    Not a box-office success in its day, this mordant satire has rightly picked up admirers over the years, and is at long last recognised for the classic that it is. It contains key career highs for Burt Lancaster, as vicious Broadway columnist JJ Hunsecker, and Tony Curtis, as Sidney Falco, the hustling press agent totally under Hunsecker's all-powerful thumb. Lancaster's relationship with his sister Susan Harrison is particularly perverse and provides the plot thrust for the Faustian pact, which is still relevant in an era of dubious media ethics. Diamond-hard photography from the great James Wong Howe and a sizzling Clifford Odets screenplay contribute immeasurably to this film's brutal quality, and it remains a milestone tribute to its canny British director Alexander Mackendrick. It also contains one of the classic lines of cinema dialogue: “Match me, Sidney”.

    • Radio Times
    • Posted 29 Jan 2006
  • 4 stars out of 4

    Moody, brilliant, Wellesian melodrama put together with great artificial style; the plot matters less than the photographic detail and the skilful manipulation of decadent characters, bigger than life-size.

    • Halliwell's Film Guide
    • Posted 02 Mar 2006

  • Most helpful member's review of The Sweet Smell Of Success

    View all
  • 7 out of 7 people found this review helpful

    Rated - 5 stars

    Sweet Smell of Cynicism

    Alexander Mackendrick may be best known in this country for Ealing Comedies, but this, his first foray into Hollywood, is surely his Greatest Achievement. The sly wit shown in The Ladykillers is let off the leash and the result is an astonishing (typically English?)broadside on ambition-at-all-cost American Culture. Tony Curtis is perfect as a sleazeball press agent, but top marks surely to Burt Lancaster, chilling and hateful as the (incestous?) newspaper columnist JJ Hunsecker. A lot of the film is shot on location and only Woody Allen's Manhatten has made New York look so damn alluring (albeit in a very different way.) Fantastic Bernstein score to boot. Absolute Bloody Classic.

      • Ewen Robertson from London, England
      • Posted 28 Sep 2004 18:37

  • Most recent members' review of The Sweet Smell Of Success

    View all
  • 2 out of 2 people found this review helpful

    Rated - 4 stars

    Theatrical but worth the trip

    Echoes of 'Citizen Kane' in the portrayal of a tyrant who wields great power but who is ultimately flawed. Yes, it isn't pacey, but who needs speed for speed's sake? This is an intelligent and gripping film with weighty characters - the slippery Curtis contrasts well with the slow-moving but threatening Lancaster. Better than O.K

      • A customer from Birmingham
      • Posted 14 Mar 2005 17:17

  • More like this

    View all
    Showing 1 to 4 of 20

    loading

Find cinemas


Rating breakdown

2,476 Member ratings
  • 100
449
  • 90
312
  • 80
498
  • 70
407
  • 60
326
  • 50
174
  • 40
111
  • 30
82
  • 20
80
  • 10
37

Related user collection

Buy from the LOVEFiLM shop

    • The Sweet Smell Of Success

    • The Sweet Smell Of Success
    • DVD: £4.93
      Free Delivery
    • RRP £15.79 (you save: 69%)
      • Director Alexander Mackendrick breaks away from black comedy (THE LADYKILLERS) and goes for full-fledged noir in this spectacular hard-boiled tale of greed, corruption, and brutality. In the flashing ...