Burt Lancaster plays a newspaper columnist who is based on Walter Winchell. Winchell was a powerful, vindictive dude, and Lancaster is deliciously evil here, going after the man his sister loves, because he can. Tony Curtis co-stars as a man doing Lancaster’s bidding to advance his own career. The film is based on Ernest Lehman’s novel, and the screenplay was co-written by Clifford Odets. The script is a strong point, as are Lancaster and Curtis’s performances. Enjoy the great jazz score, and get lost in the sleazy world of press agents and corrupt columnists.

Sweet Smell of Success

Shelly Brisbin with David J. Loehr, Randy Dotinga, Nathan Alderman and Philip Michaels

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The Movie: review/commentary on a single classic film

The Self-Referential LTS

Next time, we’ll watch

Kiss Me Kate (1953)

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