Sweet Smell of Success (1957)

Top Ten Performances - Burt Lancaster (15 movies items)

" as J. J. Hunsecker "

Fantastic

“Sweet Smell of Success is a fantastic film that deserves every ounce of praise it's gotten and more. And as much as I did like The Big Knife from two years earlier, with Jack Palance, which also had writing by Clifford Odets, Sweet Smell of Success was a far better and more consistent film.There are so many things that are done so wonderfully in Sweet Smell of Success that it is hard to decide where to start praising it. It is a very accomplished looking film, with atmospheric lighting and elegant-looking costuming and settings. Elmer Bernstein's jazzy music score is both electrifyingly characterful and hauntingly powerful, matching the atmosphere brilliantly and enhancing even more effectively. The story is ceaselessly compelling, with the gritty realism of it being so ahead of its time(i” read more

Film Diary 2022 (114 movies items)

"6.7 "

TCM’s Essentials Vol 2: Another 52 Must See Movies (52 movies items)

"“The abuse that Tony Curtis endures – and that he deserves – is pretty amazing to see. There’s a great scene instead of getting punched, as you think he would be, he gets slapped around, and I think that says so much about his level on the totem pole and J. J. Hunsecker’s kind of strength: ‘I don’t even have to waste a punch, I can just slap.’” - Rose McGowan “At point, people really only knew Lancaster as a hero, so to have him play this despicable, dangerous man was very"

1001 Movies ... my own version (1950's) (90 movies items)

" Notes: I wasn’t sure what to expect from this flick but since it had a solid reputation, I was quite eager to check it out. At least, the title sounded really neat. I have to confess, I had no idea what the whole thing was actually about and the beginning was quite confusing, at least, to me. Furthermore, it took a while to take off. Still, it was definitely worth the wait after all. Indeed, I really enjoyed the realistic approach but, above all, I thought that the 2 characters played by To"

1001 Movies Chosen By Johanlefourbe (1001 movies items)

" Notes: I wasn’t sure what to expect from this flick but since it had a solid reputation, I was quite eager to check it out. At least, the title sounded really neat. I have to confess, I had no idea what the whole thing was actually about and the beginning was quite confusing, at least, to me. Furthermore, it took a while to take off. Still, it was definitely worth the wait after all. Indeed, I really enjoyed the realistic approach but, above all, I thought that the 2 characters played by To"

Favorite Movies of All Time (2015 Edition) (1001 movies items)

"2014: 906 2013: 880 2012: 872 2011: 846 2010: 819 2009: 778 "

Favorite Movies of All Time (2014 Edition) (1000 movies items)

"2013: 880 2012: 872 2011: 846 2010: 819 2009: 778 "

Elokuvat 2020 (530 movies items)

"Haluan korkealle, sinne missä on lauhaa, missä kukaan ei napsauta sormiaan ja sano: hei rapu, kerää biljardipallot."

“Lurid, sleazy and venal, "Sweet Smell of Success" fits the criteria for film noir and then some. Journalism is the source of shady dealings and machinations here, with not a single character within that field shown as being either worthy of praise or beyond reproach. Alexander Mackendrick unveils the New York press elite without averting from their reprehensibility, ensuring that his film pervades cynicism and sardonicism, with every frame exuding rancour, vitriol and scorn for the characters and their indefensible actions. Mackendrick presents us with repellent characters and situations without gangsters, molls or murders, and heightened considerably by James Wong Howe's superbly off-kilter cinematography, this conversion of antediluvian noir themes in a dramatic context yields results. "” read more

Favorite Movies of All Time (2013 Edition) (1000 movies items)

"2012: 872 2011: 846 2010: 819 2009: 778 "

Favorite Movies of All Time (2012 Edition) (1000 movies items)

"2011: 846 2010: 819 2009: 778 "

Favorite Movies of All Time (2011 Edition) (1000 movies items)

"2010: 819 2009: 778 "

Slant’s 100 Best Film Noirs of All Time (100 movies items)

"Contorting words, loyalties, perspectives, and truths is second nature for a high-powered New York City columnist, J.J. Hunsecker (Burt Lancaster), and his publicist lackey, Sidney Falco (Tony Curtis). There are no heroes in Sweet Smell of Success, just victimizers and victims. Often, key characters inhabit both roles simultaneously, with the sleek and sly Sidney fitting this mold perfectly. One second Sidney’s a sweet talker, the next he’s gutting your character from the inside out, and it�"