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    Sweet Smell of Success

    • 19571957
    • ApprovedApproved
    • 1h 36min
    IMDb RATING
    8.0/10
    30K
    YOUR RATING
    • Cast & crew
    • User reviews
    • Trivia
    • IMDbPro
    Burt Lancaster, Tony Curtis, Susan Harrison, and Barbara Nichols in Sweet Smell of Success (1957)
    Trailer for the classic drama Sweet Smell of Success, starring Burt Lancaster and Tony Curtis.
    Play trailer3:05
    1 Video
    99+ Photos
    DramaFilm-Noir

    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.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.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.

    IMDb RATING
    8.0/10
    30K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Alexander Mackendrick
    • Writers
      • Clifford Odets(screenplay)
      • Ernest Lehman(screenplay)
      • Alexander Mackendrick(uncredited)
    • Stars
      • Burt Lancaster
      • Tony Curtis
      • Susan Harrison
    Top credits
    • Director
      • Alexander Mackendrick
    • Writers
      • Clifford Odets(screenplay)
      • Ernest Lehman(screenplay)
      • Alexander Mackendrick(uncredited)
    • Stars
      • Burt Lancaster
      • Tony Curtis
      • Susan Harrison
    • See more at IMDbPro
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 171User reviews
    • 136Critic reviews
    • 100Metascore
  • See production, box office & company info
    • Awards
      • 3 wins & 4 nominations total

    Videos1

    Sweet Smell of Success
    Trailer 3:05
    Sweet Smell of Success

    Photos108

    Burt Lancaster and Tony Curtis in Sweet Smell of Success (1957)
    Tony Curtis and Jeff Donnell in Sweet Smell of Success (1957)
    Susan Harrison, Sam Levene, and Martin Milner in Sweet Smell of Success (1957)
    Burt Lancaster in Sweet Smell of Success (1957)
    Burt Lancaster, Tony Curtis, and Susan Harrison in Sweet Smell of Success (1957)
    Tony Curtis and Susan Harrison in Sweet Smell of Success (1957)
    Burt Lancaster and Tony Curtis in Sweet Smell of Success (1957)
    Tony Curtis in Sweet Smell of Success (1957)
    Burt Lancaster and Tony Curtis in Sweet Smell of Success (1957)
    Tony Curtis and Barbara Nichols in Sweet Smell of Success (1957)
    Burt Lancaster, Tony Curtis, and Susan Harrison in Sweet Smell of Success (1957)
    Burt Lancaster and Tony Curtis in Sweet Smell of Success (1957)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Burt Lancaster
    Burt Lancaster
    • J.J. Hunseckeras J.J. Hunsecker
    Tony Curtis
    Tony Curtis
    • Sidney Falcoas Sidney Falco
    Susan Harrison
    Susan Harrison
    • Susan Hunseckeras Susan Hunsecker
    Martin Milner
    Martin Milner
    • Steve Dallasas Steve Dallas
    Jeff Donnell
    Jeff Donnell
    • Sallyas Sally
    Sam Levene
    Sam Levene
    • Frank D' Angeloas Frank D' Angelo
    Joe Frisco
    Joe Frisco
    • Herbie Templeas Herbie Temple
    Barbara Nichols
    Barbara Nichols
    • Ritaas Rita
    Emile Meyer
    Emile Meyer
    • Lt. Harry Kelloas Lt. Harry Kello
    Edith Atwater
    Edith Atwater
    • Maryas Mary
    The Chico Hamilton Quintet
    The Chico Hamilton Quintet
    • The Chico Hamilton Quintetas The Chico Hamilton Quintet
    Jay Adler
    Jay Adler
    • Manny Davisas Manny Davis
    • (uncredited)
    Mary Bayless
    • Bar Patronas Bar Patron
    • (uncredited)
    Nicky Blair
    Nicky Blair
    • Patron at Toots Shor'sas Patron at Toots Shor's
    • (uncredited)
    Nick Borgani
    • Waiteras Waiter
    • (uncredited)
    Ralph Brooks
    • Patron at 21as Patron at 21
    • (uncredited)
    Brad Brown
    • Patron at 21as Patron at 21
    • (uncredited)
    Steve Carruthers
    Steve Carruthers
    • Patron at 21as Patron at 21
    • (uncredited)
    • Director
      • Alexander Mackendrick
    • Writers
      • Clifford Odets(screenplay)
      • Ernest Lehman(screenplay) (novelette)
      • Alexander Mackendrick(uncredited)
    • All cast & crew
    See production, box office, & company info

    Storyline

    Edit
    J.J. Hunsecker, the most powerful newspaper columnist in New York, is determined to prevent his sister from marrying Steve Dallas, a jazz musician. He therefore covertly employs Sidney Falco, a sleazy and unscrupulous press agent, to break up the affair by any means possible. —David Levene <D.S.Levene@durham.ac.uk>
    musicianpress agentnewspaper columnistincestattempted suicide127 more
    • Plot summary
    • Add synopsis
    • Taglines
      • 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!
    • Genres
      • Drama
      • Film-Noir
    • Certificate
      • Approved
    • Parents guide

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      The character of J.J. Hunsecker is based on famed New York columnist Walter Winchell.
    • Goofs
      Right at the start of the movie (2:34) when Sidney peruses J.J. Hunsecker's 'The Eyes of Broadway' column on page 21 of the New York Globe newspaper, it can clearly be seen that several of the paragraphs are repeated. Of the nine paragraphs visible, it can be seen that paragraph 7 is an exact copy of paragraph 2; 8 is a copy of 5, and 9 is a copy of 4.
    • Quotes

      Sidney Falco: The cat's in the bag and the bag's in the river.

    • Crazy credits
      introducing Susan Harrison
    • Connections
      Featured in Mackendrick: The Man Who Walked Away (1986)

    User reviews171

    Review
    Top review
    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.
    helpful•55
    8
    • chconnol
    • Sep 16, 2004

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • July 4, 1957 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Languages
      • English
      • Italian
      • Spanish
    • Also known as
      • Dein Schicksal in meiner Hand
    • Filming locations
      • Brill Building - 1619 Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA
    • Production companies
      • Norma Productions
      • Curtleigh Productions
      • Hecht-Hill-Lancaster Productions
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $3,400,000 (estimated)
    • Gross worldwide
      • $7,704
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      • 1h 36min
    • Color
      • Black and White
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.66 : 1(original ratio)

    Related news

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    Aug 10Trailers from Hell
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    Mar 16Trailers from Hell

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