Sweet Smell of Success (1957)

Director:

Alexander Mackendrick

Writers:

Clifford Odets (screenplay) and
Ernest Lehman (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

27 June 1957 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Film-Noir

Tagline:

They know him - and they shiver - the big names of Broadway, Hollywood and Capitol Hill. They know J.J.- the world-famed columnist whose gossip is gospel to sixty million readers! They know the venom that flickers in those eyes behind the glasses - and they fawn - like Sid Falco, the kid who wanted "in" so much, he'd sell out his own girl to stand up there with J.J., sucking in the sweet smell of success! This is J.J.'s story - but not the way he would have liked it told!

Plot:

Powerful but unethical Broadway columnist J.J. Hunsecker coerces unscrupulous press agent Sidney Falco into breaking up his sister's romance with a jazz musician.

Plot Keywords:

Musician | Press Agent | Jazz | Newspaper Columnist | Power

Awards:

Nominated for BAFTA Film Award. Another 2 wins & 2 nominations

Cast

Burt Lancaster	...	J.J. Hunsecker
Tony Curtis	...	Sidney Falco
Susan Harrison	...	Susan Hunsecker
Martin Milner	...	Steve Dallas (as Marty Milner)
Jeff Donnell	...	Sally
Sam Levene	...	Frank D' Angelo
Joe Frisco	...	Herbie Temple
Barbara Nichols	...	Rita
Emile Meyer	...	Lt. Harry Kello
Edith Atwater	...	Mary
The Chico Hamilton Quintet	...	Themselves
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Nick Adams	...	Customer at hot-dog stand (uncredited)
Jay Adler	...	Manny Davis (uncredited)
Nicky Blair	...	Patron at Toots Shor's (uncredited)
Ralph Brooks	...	Patron at 21 (uncredited)
Robert Carson	...	Lou - Headwaiter at Toots Shor's (uncredited)
Lewis Charles	...	Al Evans (uncredited)
Buddy Clark	...	Bassist in Chico Hamilton Quintet (uncredited)
Joe Di Reda	...	Patron at Toots Shor's (uncredited)
Lawrence Dobkin	...	Leo Bartha (uncredited)
John Fiedler	...	Counterman at Hot Dog Stand (uncredited)
William Forrest	...	Sen. Harvey Walker (uncredited)
Joseph Forte	...	Waiter at Toots Shor's (uncredited)
Robert Fuller	...	Minor Role (uncredited)
Joe Gray	...	Patron at 21 Club (uncredited)
Chico Hamilton	...	Himself - Chico Hamilton Quintet (uncredited)
James Hill	...	Man Outside Theatre (uncredited)
Paul Horn	...	Himself - Chico Hamilton Quintet (uncredited)
Charles Jordan	...	Man at Hot Dog Stand (uncredited)
Fred Katz	...	Himself - Chico Hamilton Quintet (uncredited)
Mike Lally	...	Patron at Toots Shor's (uncredited)
Joseph Leon	...	Joe Robard (uncredited)
Thomas Martin	...	Waiter at 21 (uncredited)
Forbes Murray	...	Patron at Toots Shor's (uncredited)
William H. O'Brien	...	Waiter at 21 (uncredited)
Clifford Odets	...	Man Outside Theatre (uncredited)
Bill Raisch	...	Patron at Toots Shor's (uncredited)
Jane Ross	...	Minor Role (uncredited)
Autumn Russell	...	Linda James (uncredited)
Charles Sherlock	...	Bartender at Toots Shor's (uncredited)
Carson Smith	...	Himself (uncredited)
Queenie Smith	...	Mildred Tam (uncredited)
Bert Stevens	...	Patron at 21 (uncredited)
Arthur Tovey	...	Nightclub Patron (uncredited)
Lurene Tuttle	...	Loretta Bartha (uncredited)
Harry Tyler	...	Coffee Shop Counter Man (uncredited)
Philip Van Zandt	...	Radio Program Director (uncredited)
David White	...	Otis Elwell (uncredited)
H.M. Wynant	...	Patron at Toots Shor's (uncredited)

Directed by
Alexander Mackendrick

Writing credits
Clifford Odets		(screenplay) and
Ernest Lehman		(screenplay)
Ernest Lehman		(novella)
Alexander Mackendrick		uncredited

Produced by
James Hill	....	producer
Tony Curtis	....	executive producer (uncredited)
Harold Hecht	....	executive producer (uncredited)
Burt Lancaster	....	executive producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
Elmer Bernstein

Cinematography by
James Wong Howe		(photographed by)

Art Direction by
Edward Carrere

Set Decoration by
Edward G. Boyle		(as Edward Boyle)

Costume Design by
Mary Grant

Makeup Department
Robert J. Schiffer	....	makeup artist (as Robert Schiffer)

Production Management
Richard McWhorter	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Richard Maybery	....	assistant director

Sound Department
Robert G. Carlisle	....	sound effects editor (as Robert Carlisle)
Jack Solomon	....	sound recordist

Editorial Department
Alan Crosland Jr.	....	editorial supervisor

Music Department
Elmer Bernstein	....	conductor
Lloyd Young	....	music editor
John Pisano	....	musician: guitar dubbing, Martin Milner (uncredited)

Other crew
Harold Hecht	....	presenter (as Hecht)
James Hill	....	presenter (as Hill)
Burt Lancaster	....	presenter (as Lancaster)
Thom Conroy	....	dialogue director (uncredited)
Michael Hyatt	....	film restoration (uncredited)
Ruth McCrough Miller	....	production assistant (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Norma Productions (as Norma-Curtleigh Productions)
• Curtleigh Productions (as Norma-Curtleigh Productions)
• Hill-Hecht-Lancaster Productions (uncredited)

Distributors

• United Artists (1957) (USA) (theatrical)
• United Artists (1958) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• Nova Film (1958) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• MGM/UA Home Video (1988) (USA) (VHS) (included in the "Hooray for Hollywood" series)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (1998) (USA) (DVD)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (1998) (USA) (VHS)
• Chapel Distribution (2000) (Australia) (theatrical) (new 35mm print - re-issue)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2001) (USA) (DVD)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2001) (USA) (VHS)
• Criterion Collection, The (2011) (USA) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Blue Dolphin Film Distribution (????) (UK) (theatrical)

Other Companies

• Solters & Digney  publicity (uncredited)
• Sunset Digital Studios  DVD transfer
• Turner Entertainment  VHS package design

Also Known As:

Runtime:

96 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

USA:TV-PG | West Germany:16 (f) | UK:A (original rating) | Netherlands:16 (original rating) (1958) | Australia:PG | Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15 | UK:PG | USA:Approved (PCA #18585)

Filming Locations:

200 Fifth Ave. at 23rd St., Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Norma Productions

Trivia:

Gossip columnist Elwell (David White) is also a character in "Playhouse 90: The Comedian (#1.20)" (1957). Both productions are from material by Ernest Lehman.

Goofs:

Continuity: In opening sequence, when Sidney buys a newspaper, then lays it out on luncheonette counter to read it, configuration of stories and graphics on page don't match newspaper seen in closeup.

Quotes:

Sidney Falco:Do you believe in capital punishment, Senator?
Sen. Harvey Walker:[amused] Why?
Sidney Falco:[pointing to the phone] A man has just been sentenced to death.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Maltin on Movies: Battle: Los Angeles (#1.28)" (2011)

Oh, Those GREAT NY Scenes!

Another poster "stole" the one line summary I wanted to use: "Match me, Sidney." Damn. It's one of the best lines in the movie. Oh, well.

"Sweet Smell of Success" is a great, wildly entertaining movie. It reminds me of "Dangerous Liasons" in both it's subject ("bad" people making life worse for more decent folk) and how swiftly and imaginatively directed it is. It's juicy from beginning to end. Burt Lancaster is once again terrific as J.J. Hunsecker, Walter Winchell-esque writer of a "society" column which is more of a tool of destruction for those who cross his path.

But it's Tony Curtis who holds the movie together. Always scheming and plotting and never letting a decent human emotion take precedence over his drive to succeed at any cost. He's Marvelous and was never again to achieve what he did here.

But there's a third star to this production and it's New York City itself. The on location photography is stunning. What is amazing is that at the time the movie was made (1957) on location filming was just becoming "in vogue". For a film like this, it HAD to filmed on location or else it's power would be substantially diluted. I work in Manhattan near where a lot of this film was made (J.J. lives in the Brill Building which is on Broadway between 49th and 50th Streets, right around the corner from me). To see what the neighborhood looked like over 40 years ago is amazing. Surprisingly, it's the astonishing on site photography that prevents the film from really feeling dated. Also, the themes in the film are timeless as well.

"Sweet Smell of Success" is a classic from top to bottom.