Few other genres describe the 1950’s cinema landscape better than film noir. The tales of crime, murder and lust are ones for the ages. Still generating decent interest although very few attempts to capture the same style and mood in modern cinema. There are notable examples of the genre at its height, but 1957’s highlight without a doubt was Sweet Smell of Success. Based on Ernest Lehman’s short novella and directed by Alexander Mackendrick, Sweet Smell of Success is a deliciously dark tale of morally corrupt people in Manhattan.
Tony Curtis, known for light and comedic roles, stars as an unlucky press agent Sydney Falco, who gets involved in the personal vendetta of one newspaper columnist J.J. Hunsecker, played by Burt Lancaster. The film explores the changing morals of Falco as he gets sucked deeper and deeper into the world of corruption, lies and a few dames.
Sweet Smell of Success really asks how far would you be willing to go for personal gain? How many people would you destroy? What kind of a man your actions make you?
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Curtis is compelling in the lead role. The film marked the actor’s first dramatic role, and originally audiences didn’t respond to this favourably and the film was considered a flop at the time. Fans were especially disappointed to see a nice guy like Curtis play someone so sleazy and antagonistic. The film has thankfully since found fame and glory and Curtis is exemplary in playing an unlikable character, who is still engaging and interesting. It’s an impressive task to pull off, most actions by Falco are despicable, yet you still yearn for him to change his ways and find a way out of this mess.
Lancaster is equally impressive here. Hunsecker is an awful character, one you feel no compassion towards, but Lancaster and Curtis’ double act is a fascinating dynamic. They’re constantly trying to find ways to one-up each other, narratively, but also within the scenes through dialogue and physical performances. Neither is a good guy by any means, but the power play here makes Sweet Smell of Success an intriguing watch. Lancaster’s Hunsecker was based off the real-life columnist, Walter Winchell, bringing another layer of realism into the film.
The film also captures New York City beautifully. A city that is so often portrayed as romantic is wet, cold and uninviting here, reflecting the characters and journalism as a whole. Hunsecker’s column is a weapon wielded liberally by Hunsecker to gain power and maintain a steady control over agents like Falco. It’s not too different from how tabloids operate these days, although we’d all like to think journalism is in a much better place.
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If there’s anything to blame Sweet Smell of Success of for, it might be its tendency to rely on dialogue a lot. Although, when it’s this well written and performed, it’s hard to be bothered by it, but Sweet Smell of Success is so visually arresting, and perhaps some scenes might have benefitted from a little silence.
It may not have enough action or fast-paced set pieces we’re now used to, but it offers plenty of twisted thrills and more than enough interesting ethics questions. In an age where everything is a struggle and a battle, Sweet Smell Of Success feels timely and accurate, almost reflective of our own times.
As far as film noirs go, it doesn’t get much better than Sweet Smell of Success. It has everything you might want from such a film; devilishly engaging characters, a twisted narrative and an interesting commentary on the morals of journalism as suited for modern times as it was for back then.
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