Sweet Smell of Success

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Sweet Smell of Success

1957

1h 36m

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

98%

Tomatometer

62 Reviews

91%

Popcornmeter

5,000+ Ratings

New York City newspaper writer J.J. Hunsecker (Burt Lancaster) holds considerable sway over public opinion with his Broadway column, but one thing that he can't control is his younger sister, Susan (Susan Harrison), who is in a relationship with aspiring jazz guitarist Steve Dallas (Marty Milner). Hunsecker strongly disapproves of the romance and recruits publicist Sidney Falco (Tony Curtis) to find a way to split the couple, no matter how ruthless the method.

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Critics Consensus

Sweet Smell of Success boasts a top-notch cast, sharp direction, atmospheric cinematography, and an appropriately jazzy score, making it one of the best noir crime thrillers ever made.

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SMH Staff

Sydney Morning Herald

11/17/2021

Despite some shrill overstatements that remind one that Clifford Odets had a hand in the screenplay, the film is a highly successful product of what might be called the "New York School" of filmmaking.

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Brandon Judell

IndieWire

06/15/2021

That Clifford Odets co-wrote the screenplay explains the film's continued ability to fascinate, but not why it was made into a current musical.

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Mae Tinée

Chicago Tribune

08/10/2020

It's a tough tale about utterly amoral people. I thought the ending rather weak bet for most of the footage the film packs plenty of punch.

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Sean Burns

Crooked Marquee

Nov 24

Lancaster’s crisp elocution was never put to more satisfyingly sinister ends.

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Tony Sloman

Radio Times

09/06/2024

5/5

...t remains a milestone tribute to its canny British director Alexander Mackendrick.

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Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

08/10/2024

3.5/4

Even a three-course meal consisting of lobster bisque, a medium-rare steak, and creme brulee doesn’t come close to matching the exquisite, juicy taste of the dialogue slung around in this riveting drama written by Clifford Odets and Ernest Lehman.

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Martin B

@RT44235356 Apr 13

I know it's classic loaded with great actors doing very well delivering great performances but my Lord it's just so dark. Dirty city, dirty people doing dirty things and the innocent being cruelly manipulated.

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Farah R.

@Farah Feb 25

With stars like Burt Lancaster and Tony Curtis, I expected this noir to be better. Sweet Smell of Success is sadly boring and uninteresting.

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Eghtesadi h

@RT97766894 Nov 17

مرجع معتبر اخبار اقتصادی با تمرکز بر ارائه اطلاعات به‌روز از منابع رسمی کشور. https://eghtesadiha.com

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Terry L C

@RT89337982 Aug 9

We only watched the first hour of the film, before we quit. Nobody loved anybody except Susan Hunsacker and Steve Dallas. Everbody was using everbody else for some gain in a newspaper column.

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Mason M

@RT73597940 07/29/2025

Sweet Smell of Success was a thrilling and entertaining noir that I really enjoyed quite the bit. Both Lancaster and Curtis were incredible in their parts and brought a level of threat to their characters. The film's photography of New York was a real joy to look at. The writing made a very entertaining and twisty plot along with very clever dialogue which was wonderful for my ears to hear. I do love a good noir film, and Sweet Smell of Success didn't disappoint.

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Stephen C

@bob25009 06/08/2025

Success in 1 hour and 36 minutes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Alexander Mackendrick

Director

Burt Lancaster

J.J. Hunsecker

Tony Curtis

Sidney Falco

Martin Milner

Steve Dallas

Barbara Nichols

Rita

Susan Harrison

Susan Hunsecker

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Synopsis

New York City newspaper writer J.J. Hunsecker (Burt Lancaster) holds considerable sway over public opinion with his Broadway column, but one thing that he can't control is his younger sister, Susan (Susan Harrison), who is in a relationship with aspiring jazz guitarist Steve Dallas (Marty Milner). Hunsecker strongly disapproves of the romance and recruits publicist Sidney Falco (Tony Curtis) to find a way to split the couple, no matter how ruthless the method.

Director: Alexander Mackendrick
Producer: James Hill
Screenwriter: Ernest Lehman, Clifford Odets
Distributor: United Artists, MGM/UA Home Entertainment Inc.
Production Co: Norma Productions, Hill-Hecht-Lancaster Productions
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jun 27, 1957, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Apr 29, 2017
Runtime: 1h 36m
Sound Mix: Mono