Go savour the 'Sweet Smell of Success!'

I think I am watching way too much TV as evidenced by my frequent reviewing of old movies. At least the tinge of nostalgia is still there in the blog.
This 1957 movie was just a mediocre movie when it was released but over time, like wine, aged gracefully and is placed in the archives of American movies as national treasure.

Tony Curtis & Burt Lancaster

A good half an hour into the movie, you would be lost as if you had just joined in an ongoing conversation and trying very hard to figure out what everyone is talking about. Then it will unfold piece by piece. It is a drama revealing the dirty insincere world of powerful newspaper owner, his sister with her love of her life and a publicity agent who doubles as one who does his dirty work. J.J. Hunsecker (Burt Lancaster) is a ruthless newspaper man who literally squeezes everyone in town by their throat. Sidney Falco (Tony Curtis), the suave raccoon-eyed versatile hunk, is a down trodden, publicity agent who fell in bad times after failing to fulfill his obligation with Hunsecker of masterminding of nipping of his sister's love in the bud. Hunsecker thought that his sister's love interest was not up to mark. Outcast Sidney finds it difficult to make ends meet. After desperately seeking Hunsecker's meeting, he is given a second chance to rectify his earlier faux paus. Sidney plans a devious plan to tarnish Hunsecker's sister Susan's musician boyfriend image in a rival newspaper column. Susan leaves her true love and attempts suicide. Sidney somehow lands there in the nick of time. Thinking that his sister is assaulted by Sidney, a scuffle ensues between Hunsecker and Sidney. The truth is rattled out. Susan leaves her brother for the love of her life.
Tony Curtis, even though is the supporting actor, is given a meatier role and is seen in most frames. This black and white movie set in the glitzy nightclub life of Club 21 New York with the background of 'loud' jazz music. There is no gunpowder violence but is compensated by its extensive use of incisive powerful dialogues.

"I would hate to take a bite out of you. You are a cookie full of arsenic!"

"Mr Hunsecker, you have got more twists than a barrel of pretzels!"

"If looks could kill, I would be dead."

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