The Sweet Smell of Success (1957)
This story of powerful columnist J.J. Hunsecker (Burt Lancaster) and ruthless press agent Sidney Falco (Tony Curtis, above right) is as juicy as a gossip column — because it revolves around one.
Hunsecker is a powerful columnist covering nightlife around Broadway, who can make or break careers with a few words. But he’s also a controlling older brother who tries to break up little sister Susan (Susan Harrison, above left) and a jazz guitarist, without leaving any fingerprints. Sidney Falco sees a sleazy opportunity and seizes it. He’s a creep, sure, but a smart one, who shows us the ins and outs of a 24-7 media landscape that seems to move even faster than the one today.
This is a completely intoxicating movie, beautifully shot and magnificently acted. It’s one of the greatest movies of the 1950s, but it’s also timeless.
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