Sweet Smell of Success 1957

There are a few films from my childhood that have stayed with me throughout the years. The Little Fugitive, Night of The  Hunter, Psycho and Sweet Smell Of Success are all films I saw when I was very young. I can’t imagine why when I was ten years old I wanted to see Sweet Smell of Success, but I did and off I went with my uncle Natie to the Loew’s State to see the film. I don’t remember if I liked it or not, but I probably did. It was real (just outside the theatre the actual locations where the movie was shot were vividly there). Also the strangeness of the characters and the language that they spoke must have appealed to me. And of course the film starred two virile youngish beautiful male movie stars, and no doubt the combo of 1957 Lancaster and Curtis beckoned me. I’ve seen the film many times since then, and the new restored transfer from Criterion is stunning. The film’s dynamic plot is told in the first few minutes of the movie by Sidney Falcon acted by Tony Curtis, a good-looking but sleazy Broadway hustler who likes to think of himself as a press agent.. His nemesis is the well known gossip columnist who resides over his small kingdom, (most notably 21) with a fierce anger and hostility to one and all. J.J. Hunsecker (based on Walter Winchell) and is played by a very fine Burt Lancaster, who gives it a good try at playing down his attractiveness. In fact both Curtis and Lancaster are terrific and give memorable and lasting performances, which are among their best. The film rides on the attempts of Lancaster to manipulate Curtis into doing dirty deeds for him for a price. Lancaster usually wins but with some severe consequences. Curtis is also a big time taker and he’s willing to put up with an amazing amount of shit to get ahead. He’s derided and ridiculed and even physically hurt through the film but that doesn’t stop him. During the film Falco is called pretty, a poodle and is constantly referred to as less than a man. Lancaster who is sexless but seething and has an unhealthy relationship with his mink and meek beautiful sister played by Susan Harrison who came and went with this film. Harrison is in love with a Jazz Guitarist play by Martin Milner who gives what I think is the film’s weakest performance. This relationship is the crux of the film that moves it towards near tragedy.  As I said Curtis plays a big taker but he was also a manipulator and this can be seen in the famous “What I’m I a bowl of fruit scene between the great Barbara Nichols, Curtis and David White as Otis Ellwell another creepy columnist and arch rival of Lancaster’s. Nichols as the cigarette girl who is herself a bruised piece of fruit is superb giving a wonderful performance that only lasts  two scenes but was worthy of an Oscar. The film spills over with the great and biting words by Clifford Odets and Ernest Lehman whose novelette they based the screenplay on. Many of the lines are classics and in fact Barry Levinson has one of his diner guys constantly quotes lines from the movie. Quite a tribute. Needless to say the direction by Alexander Mackendrick is great. Mackendrick who made a few of those quirky and funny Ealing studio comedies in the late 40’s and 50’s which usually starred Alec Guiness. But here in this gritty American film does Mackendrick make his mark. This is his unexpected masterwork. A film that originally came and went quickly it’s now considered to be a great film by many critics, directors and people who love movies.  The city that the movie takes place in does not exist anymore, nothing stands where it once stood, and so what is probably the best film ever shot in New York City also serves as a mini documentary of what a part of New York City once was like.  You sometimes have to look fast but it’s there with the beautiful cinematography by the great James Wong Howe. The supporting cast is very good with excellent performances by Jeff Donnell (a stand out as Falco’s harried but loyal secretary) ,Sam Levene, Emile Meyer, Lawrence Dobkin, Lurene Tuttle  and Queenie Smith one of my favorite bit character actress in a tiny spot. Music is by Elmer Bernstein. The best film of 1957.