The Sweet Smell of Success

Made in 1957, The Sweet Smell of Success is one of the greatest American films to ever come out of the Hollywood studio system.

The story is set in the glamorous world of Manhattan in the 1950s when powerful gossip columnists, tabloid newspapers, and publicity-hungry press agents vied for attention and fame in such legendary midtown night clubs as “21.” Burt Lancaster plays J.J. Hunsecker, an arrogant, powerful New York columnist who controls and manipulates people to suit his whims; a man who can make or crush careers and personal lives with the stroke of his pen. and desperately nipping at J.J.’s heels is Sidney Falco, played by Tony Curtis. A groveling press agent, Sidney scratches out his meagre living by getting PR about the showbiz people he represents into the papers.  If Sidney has a conscience, it’s news to him. He will lie, bully, scam, do anything to weasel his way into J.J.’s good graces, no matter who gets hurt in the process.

What a venomous, predatory couple J.J. and Sidney make. The fact that Lancaster and Curtis agreed to portray such dark, venal characters at the height of their heroic movie star fame makes The Sweet Smell of Success all the more fascinating to watch.

As the film opens, Sidney has been exiled out of J.J.’s orbit because the devious press agent has failed to deliver on a promise to secretly break up a budding romance between J.J.’s sister Susan and her jazz musician boyfriend—a promise that J.J. said he would reward by giving Sidney more influence in his columns.

In a wicked narrative twist, J.J. has an almost incestuous obsession with keeping his sister to himself, away from other men. So Sidney doubles down on his efforts to kill the romance and keep her brother’s role in the scheme a secret—anything to help Sidney reach the golden ticket of success that’s just out of his reach.

Masterfully directed by Alexander Mackendrik, with shimmering night photography by James Wong Howe, and a moody jazz score by Elmer Bernstein, Sweet Smell is a feverish noir classic.

“The cat’s in the bag and the bag’s in the river.”

Cut it’s the screenplay by Clifford Odets and Ernest Lehman that truly sizzles. The movie’s acid-drenched dialogue is endlessly quotable. When telling Sidney to light his cigarette for him, J.J.  coldly says: “Match me, Sidney.” When J.J. asks Sidney if he successfully planted some evidence intended to get Susan’s boyfriend in trouble, Sidney smirks with sinister glee and says, “The cat’s in the bag and the bag’s in the river.” And in admiration of Sidney’s wicked cunning, J.J. remarks: “I’d hate to take a bite out of you.  You’re a cookie full of arsenic.”

I give The Sweet Smell of Success a tasty four out of four arsenic-laced cookies.