The Sweet Smell of Success. is a masterpiece, that tells the story of two of the most unsavory, but radically different characters to even appear on screen. I am always impressed with the depth of character development in movies from this era, a facet, that most modern movie makers seem to ignore.
Burt Lancaster plays JJ Hunseker, an unscrupulous media mogul, a role far distant from the tough romantic, he portrays, in most of his other movies. Tony Curtis plays ethically compromised Sydney Flaco, where he too portrays, a character outside of his characteristic, pretty boy roles.
JJ Hunsecker(a character based on Walter Wittchell, a gossip column writer) is an arrogant, rude and powerful media magnate who runs a nationally syndicated newspaper. Politicians and others in the spotlight, ear him as any criticism from JJ, could tarnish an image, and end a political career.
Press agent Sydney Falco, is his unethical subservient sycophant who allows himself to be humiliated and treated as if he is JJ’s pet monkey. Falco tolerates this treatment, not because he worships his boss, but sees Hunsecker as a giant step towards a bright future. Sydney has no qualms about using his mistress (a young Marilyn Monroe) to catch powerful men in compromising positions and then using this to blackmail them.
JJ, who is in the habit of berating Falco and openly chastising him for his seeming incompetence, uses him as a glorified errand boy. JJ has neither feelings nor empathy for anyone, except his young teenage sister Susan. Having denied Falco to be featured on JJ’s editorial page for months, JJ entrusts him to break up a relationship between his, JJs sister and a Jazz musician Steve Dallas.
Ever the yes-man, Falco accepts the assignment, first attempting to convince Susan to leave Dallas, and when this attempt fails, formulates a vicious plan that involves blackmailing a columnist. Falco entraps the columnist in a compromising situation using his own mistress and when this plan also falls through, uses the same modus operendi on a another columnist.
While even this scheme does not have the intended impact, Falco falsely implicates Dallas by planting marijuana in Dallas’s coat. This act would unleash revelations that would impact everyone involved and then backfire on Falco in the most unexpected way.
This is one of the most original plots ever created. The stellar performances from Lancaster and Curtis would make this movie a classic and deemed for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.”
This is a movie that must not be missed and is available in the public domain. The dialogs are crisp (See the quotes below) and the screenplay is extraordinary. The movie’s ominous message is that losing your soul and dignity does not win you the world. Falco may see success, and even smell it. He will never own it.
Cast: Burt Lancaster, Tony Curtis, Susan Harrison, Martin Milner, Marylin Monroe
There is one question left to address. Does this film fit into the genre of Film Noir?
Many critics have listed SSS as one of the top noir films, Doubtless, it many elements of Noir, the smoking, drinking low key lightning. Veteran critic Roger Ebert said that one aspect of film noir is that the movie, “at no time tricks you into thinking there will be a happy ending. This movie fits the bill. There is the atmosphere of pessimism throughout the movie, which again is a characteristic of noir
The viewer realizes that things will not(and should not) end well for either of the disdainful characters. However SSS does not have private eyes or “Femme Fatals”, both staples of noir movies. On balance, however, I would say that the film does meet the criteria to be classified as Film Noir.
Quotes from the movie
Here are some great quotes in the movie:
Dallas: The next time you want information, don’t scratch for it like a dog. Ask for it like a man.
JJ: Mr. Falco, let it be said at once, is a man of 40 faces, not one ,none too pretty, and all deceptive. You see that grin? That’s the, eh, that’s the Charming Street Urchin face. It’s part of his helpless act: he throws himself upon your mercy. He’s got a half-dozen faces for the ladies. But the one I like, the really cute one, is the quick, dependable chap. Nothing he won’t do for you in a pinch ,so he says. Mr. Falco, whom I did not invite to sit at this table tonight, is a hungry press agent, and fully up to all the tricks of his very slimy trade.
JJ:I love this dirty town.
JJ: Don’t remove the gangplank, Sidney. You may want to get back onboard.
Dallas: This coat is your brother. I’ve always hated this coat.
Bay Area Bloke 