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Sweet Smell of Success

"Beware these “Gentlemen” of the press!"

New York City newspaper writer J.J. Hunsecker holds considerable sway over public opinion with his Broadway column, but one thing that he can't control is his younger sister, Susan, who is in a relationship with aspiring jazz guitarist Steve Dallas. Hunsecker strongly disapproves of the romance and recruits publicist Sidney Falco to find a way to split the couple, no matter how ruthless the method.

Top Cast

  • Burt Lancaster

    Burt Lancaster

    J.J. Hunsecker

  • Tony Curtis

    Tony Curtis

    Sidney Falco

  • Susan Harrison

    Susan Harrison

    Susan Hunsecker

  • Martin Milner

    Martin Milner

    Steve Dallas

  • Jeff Donnell

    Jeff Donnell

    Sally

  • Sam Levene

    Sam Levene

    Frank D' Angelo

  • Joe Frisco

    Joe Frisco

    Herbie Temple

  • Barbara Nichols

    Barbara Nichols

    Rita

  • Emile Meyer

    Emile Meyer

    Lt. Harry Kello

Overview

New York City newspaper writer J.J. Hunsecker holds considerable sway over public opinion with his Broadway column, but one thing that he can't control is his younger sister, Susan, who is in a relationship with aspiring jazz guitarist Steve Dallas. Hunsecker strongly disapproves of the romance and recruits publicist Sidney Falco to find a way to split the couple, no matter how ruthless the method.

Rating

7.6 / 10
583 Reviews
1 Popular

1 Reviews

  • Nutshell
    Nutshell
    May 25, 2020

    A better title might be The Sad Stench of Desperation. Was Burt Lancaster ever better than in this riveting late-fifties noir from director Alexander Mackendrick? That's a tough question. But it's a no-brainer that Tony Curtis' performance here is top-level craft at its best (as in The Boston Stangler). The supporting cast also turns in some beautiful work, notably Susan Harrison and Martin Milner. This uncomfortable story breaks many rules and comes out the better for it. The jazzy score is perfect, setting the film's nervous tone and fitting the period like a glove. A totally unique and daring film-noir for the period, and one of my all time favorites.

Trailers & Clips

Recommendations

The Tender Bar

JR is a fatherless boy growing up in the glow of a bar where the bartender, his Uncle Charlie, is the sharpest and most colorful of an assortment of quirky and demonstrative father figures. As the boy’s determined mother struggles to provide her son with opportunities denied to her — and leave the dilapidated home of her outrageous if begrudgingly supportive father — JR begins to gamely, if not always gracefully, pursue his romantic and professional dreams, with one foot persistently placed in Uncle Charlie’s bar.

The Tender Bar

6.6 2021