Sweet Smell of Success is a
1957 American film noir made by Hill-Hecht-Lancaster Productions and released by
United Artists. It was directed by
Alexander Mackendrick and stars
Burt Lancaster,
Tony Curtis,
Susan Harrison and
Martin Milner. The
screenplay was by
Clifford Odets,
Ernest Lehman and Alexander Mackendrick from the novelette by Lehman. The film tells the story of a powerful newspaper columnist named J.J. Hunsecker who uses his connections to ruin his sister's relationship with a man he deems inappropriate.
Despite a poorly received preview screening,
Sweet Smell of Success earned a positive critical response that has only improved over the years. In 1993, the film was selected for preservation in the United States
National Film Registry by the
Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".
Sweet Smell of Success: The Musical was created by
Marvin Hamlisch,
Craig Carnelia and
John Guare in
2002. In 2003, the AFI named J.J. Hunsecker, based on famed New York
columnist Walter Winchell, number 35 of the top 50 movie villains of all time.
Plot
Press agent Sidney Falco (Tony Curtis) has been unable to get his clients a mention in J.J. Hunsecker's (Burt Lancaster) influential newspaper column because he has been unable to make good on his promise to break up the romance between Hunsecker's younger sister Susan (Susan Harrison) and Steve Dallas (Martin Milner), an up-and-coming
jazz guitarist.
Falco decides to spread false rumors that Dallas is a dope-smoking
Communist in a rival column, then to encourage Hunsecker to rescue Dallas's reputation and make Dallas choose between his integrity and owing something to Hunsecker, for whom he has no respect. The plan works, in a way; Dallas insults Hunsecker, and Susan breaks up with Dallas in order to protect him from her brother. Hunsecker, however, deciding to leave nothing to chance, and against Falco's advice, orders Falco to plant
reefers on the musician and have him arrested and roughed up by Harry Kello (Emile Meyer), a corrupt police officer.
