Sweet Smell of Success
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Movie Reviews of Sweet Smell of Success
Movie Review: Fine transfer of an enjoyable film.
Summary: 4 Stars
This film is not, in my opinion, truly great, but it certainly is very good, and offers rewarding viewing particularly in this fine (and inexpensive) DVD format.Tony Curtis gives one of his best performances as the slippery press agent Sidney Falco, while Burt Lancaster is even finer as the ogre-like columnist who can destroy careers and even lives if the mood takes him.
The acerbic script has long been famous, with good reason. With such good performances it also enjoys the rare combination of being clever *and* credible which is not always the case, for example with Woody Allen. Occasionally a line doesn't quite come off but for the most part the dialogue really does crackle with electricity. Occasionally certain scenes do outstay their welcome but overall the pace of the film is well handled.
Editing and cinematography are excellent: this film has always had the reputation of showing 1950s New York nightlife with great flair.
For a 96 minute film it starts relatively leisurely but the pace soon picks up on Lancaster's appearance. His beetle-browed character tries to involve Curtis in his attempts to destroy a jazz musician who has dared to begin a relationship with his 19 year old sister.
The DVD transfer is very good: excellent black and white contrast, no shimmering of any kind. The image is nigh on flawless, except for a very thin line which runs down the left hand side of the screen for the first few minutes and then reappears for a short while later on. Little should be made of this, as the line is barely more than a hair's thickness and will in no way interfere with your enjoyment of this film.
The audio is excellent mono which handles the dialogue and the modern jazz score very well. Recommended.
Movie Review: "You're a cookie filled with arsenic."
Summary: 4 Stars
Sweet Smell of Success is not only an example of a quintessential film noir, it is also a quintessential movie about New York City. As J.J. Hunsecker puts it so well, "I love this dirty town." This is a tough, gritty, uncompromising film with dialogue that crackles and pops (in some respects, David Mamet's Glengarry Glen Ross is a homage to this movie) with intensity as the various characters trade barbs with each other.The film belongs to Tony Curtis and Burt Lancaster. Both were huge stars at the time and cast themselves against type in this movie. Naturally, the film tanked when it was released but it has since become a much admired and imitated film (Oliver Stone has said that a lot of his movie, Wall Street, was inspired by Sweet Smell). Curtis is note perfect as a slimy agent who'll do anything to get his clients promoted and climb the social ladder. This puts him at odds with the most powerful columnist in the city--J.J. Hunsecker, played by Lancaster. J.J. can kill careers with a few words and it is this power that makes him such a dangerous person.
The film also features stunning black and white cinematography that is moody and atmospheric. New York City has never looked so dark and foreboding. The camerawork is rich and textured and it is fascinating to see a New York City that just doesn't exist anymore. Watching this film is like stepping into a time machine.
The DVD is a bit of letdown. The transfer could be better. I noticed scratches and dirt on the print. And the lack of extras is unexcusable. C'mon, a retrospective documentary with film historians and Tony Curtis (who is still alive) would've been nice. The studio really dropped the ball in that respect. A classic like this one deserves more respect.
Movie Review: The Real Price of Success
Summary: 4 Stars
Apparently screenwriters when characterizing Broadway theater critics refuse to touch them with anything less than a cattle prod. At least that has been my recent film review experience after watching All About Eve and its totally cynical critic Addison played superbly by George Saunders. Here we are confronted with the weasel Broadway critic and man about town J.J played by Burt Lancaster ably assisted by press flak Sydney Falco played to a grovelling tee by Tony Curtis.
The story line is a little thin, mainly concerning J.J.'s overweening concern that his very much younger sister does not wind up with some ne'er do well. The tricks, manipulations, and down right skullduggery hatched up by this pair seem all to real to a modern audience who know that fame is fleeting and one better grab it by the neck, fast. More than a few bargains with the devil have been made fot that elusive commodity. The tricks played in this film set in 1950's Broadway, however, seem almost like kids stuff compared to the vicious action today. That, my friends, was something of a `golden age' of gentile skullduggery by comparison.
A note on Tony Curtis who on the face of it seems to have been billed as something of a `pretty' boy. But then you think about the performance here and in Spartacus and in Some Like It Hot and one, including this reviewer, is compelled to start changing one's opinion of the depth of Mr. Curtis's talent.
Movie Review: Fantastic film. Mediocre DVD.
Summary: 4 Stars
I cannot add much to what has already been said about the amazing screenplay and acting in this film. The dialog is incredibly snappy and memorable, and the acting is first-rate.However, MGM/UA's DVD release is dissapointing. An otherwise clear print is marred in many places by long stretches of vertical scratches, and the sound is just so-so. But most troubling is the lack of any decent extras for this landmark film. Had these deficiences been addressed, I would have readily rated the film at 5 stars.
Movie Review: MGM Let Down
Summary: 4 Stars
I love this excellent Film Noir. This transfer is fairly good. But the HUGE disappointment by MGM is that they released a film with such a great screenplay with no English Subtitles. Talk about cheap. I hope this review shames them into putting a little more effort into the DVD production of such a high quality classic film like this or Kiss Me Deadly in the future.