Sweet Smell of Success: A Review
Directed by Alexander Mackendrick
“I love this dirty town.”
J.J. Hunsecker
Set in the gritty, restless city of Manhattan, Sweet Smell of Success follows the lives of two men – both terribly corrupt and morally deficit. We are introduced to our protagonist, Sidney Falco, amidst the hustle and bustle of New York City. Bathed in black and white, the first five minutes sets the tone for the rest of the film – hurried and duplicitous. Our main man starts off – and continues – as a nasty character. Though, equally as slimy is our second leading man J.J. Hunsecker, a prominent journalist. The up-and-coming career of Falco, a press agent, is halted as he is held at the mercy of Hunsecker for his inability to end a relationship between his 19-year-old sister and a jazz guitarist. Throughout the movie we see the innocence of a few supporting characters, negatively affected by the deceitful behaviors of those around them. The innocent that suffers at the hands of these men are Susan Hunsecker (J.J’s sister), Steve Dallas (Susan’s boyfriend), and Rita – a cigarette girl. Each character faces opposition as a result of being in the world of Falco and Hunsecker.
Sidney Falco, acted by Tony Curtis, is as handsome as cunning. He has the grit of a true New Yorker accurately portrayed a man without morals and one that seeks every available opportunity. Even when you think, maybe he would not stoop that low, please lower your expectations, because he will. J.J. Hunsecker is performed very well by Burt Lancaster as he presented an intimidating man with questionable motives and great power. The supporting cast does a reasonable job with the film as we understand their plight with these two men.
What is so compelling about this film is the story that it produces regarding success. Evidently, ambition coupled with greed is bound to be a disaster. As an audience we may hope for better concerning these characters and their decisions, but they are prisoners to their own desires. In doing so, they have created personal prisons for themselves. The film was truly ahead of its time and is fueled by the seedy atmosphere and equally seedy protagonists to match.
The Island Cinephile 
