Sweet Smell of Success (1957)

The phrase, 'they don’t make them like that anymore', would be more than fitting, when talking about the dark, seedy masterpiece, that is 'sweet smell of success'. It could also be used when talking about Burt Lancaster. Here he uses, that towering,persona that set him to stardom, whilst still playing against type, as J.J Hunsecker, a gossip columnist who is so powerful that press agents,like sidney Falco-sleazily played by Tony Curtis-will push aside any morals, and let nothing get in their way, to do him favours. In this case the favour being, to ruin,in any way possible, the relationship between, Hunseckers younger sister, and an up- and- coming musician, who, in the controlling eyes of Hunsecker, is not worthy of her. what becomes quickly apparent, is that, no-one will ever be worthy of Hunseckers sister, due to an overly obsessive fascination.

The backdrop for the film, is the vibrant, neon lighted streets of New york, crisply shot in black and white and mostly at night by the great James Wong Howe, and is almost like a character in its self, with every social scene crowded, with cars and passers by, that just adds to the moody atmosphere that surrounds the film and to compliment it,there is a wild jazz score, that runs through,like a beating heart, which brings to mind, this years, Birdman, also set in new york.

Tony Curtis performance,is as good as,if not better than Lancaster. He play sidney Falco, Henseckers dog, a crawler,of all kinds,that has not one inch of pride, but better than the two performances is the screenplay, with sharp,memorable dialogue such as 'id hate to take a bite out of you, your a cookie, full of arsenic.'. It is this that makes- accompanied with the superb direction by Alexander Mackendrick-the tale lowlifes oddly sympathetic.

Sweet smell of success is truly a certified classic, and deserves its masterpiece status. a rare film, that should be treasured. a film about real life that is in fact a 'cookie full of arsenic'- bitter on the inside, but yet so damn enjoyable.