Rating: 
Summary: Movie is in the wrong aspect ratio !
Review: I saw a newly restored print of "The Sweet Smell of Success" (1957) at the Chauvel Cinemas in Sydney on the weekend. The new print was very good and no scratches present.My biggest gripe about this DVD (I don't own a copy and won't) is that the aspect ratio is completely wrong. This film was shot in 1.85 and not 1.66 which means you're losing a lot of the picture. I advise people to think carefully about how much of the picture they want to see as there is quite a bit of difference between a widescreen ratio of 1.85 and 1.66. Also, I'm hoping the newly restored print version I saw on the weekend might surface on a new DVD edition and be in the right screen ratio. Newcastleboy
Rating: 
Summary: Amazing
Review: I was stunned when I watched this film, and it's been a while since that's happened. The script, the acting, the cinematography are all dazzling. Why this isn't mentioned in the same breath as "The Third Man" is unforgivable. Even the score is wonderful. Also, the film demands a second viewing because there is far to much to take in. Watching it I was reminded of "Citizen Kane," "Sunset Boulevard," "The Third Man," and maybe a little Godard (maybe the look of "Alphaville"?). The film really feels like it exists in a time and place, oozing atmosphere. The only downside to the film and dvd is that some of the scenes were not restored quite as well as others, but this is an excusable oversight, considering the shimmering quality of the rest of the film and one can only hope for a special edition or criterion release in the future with commentary by a film critic or two.
Rating:
Summary: Amazing
Review: I was stunned when I watched this film, and it's been a while since that's happened. The script, the acting, the cinematography are all dazzling. Why this isn't mentioned in the same breath as "The Third Man" is unforgivable. Even the score is wonderful. Also, the film demands a second viewing because there is far to much to take in. Watching it I was reminded of "Citizen Kane," "Sunset Boulevard," "The Third Man," and maybe a little Godard (maybe the look of "Alphaville"?). The film really feels like it exists in a time and place, oozing atmosphere. The only downside to the film and dvd is that some of the scenes were not restored quite as well as others, but this is an excusable oversight, considering the shimmering quality of the rest of the film and one can only hope for a special edition or criterion release in the future with commentary by a film critic or two.
Rating: 
Summary: a grossly overpraised dud
Review: I'd heard a lot of positive things about this picture for a long time from people whose opinions I value, and as a consequence I looked forward to finally seeing "Sweet Smell of Success" for quite some time. It does have nice cinematography, and an engaging jazz score by Elmer Bernstein, but otherwise it was quite a dissapointment. You will see reviews referring to the supposedly tart, witty dialogue, both here and professionally-- but don't believe them. Burt Lancaster tells Tony Curtis "I wouldn't wanna take a bite out of you, you're a cookie full of arsenic." a girl that Curtis pressures to have sex with an associate for his benefit tells him, "I'm not a bowl of fruit; you can't just peel me like an orange any time you like." And so on. After a certain point the cleverness, as opposed to the wit, of the writing reaches a level of oversaturation, and the constantly metaphorical dialogue becomes irritatingly arch, the mark of the writers showing off. Lehman and Odets probably could've used collaborators that would rein in their excesses rather than magnify them. Odets is much better in "Rocket to the Moon", which is more sentimental than witty, and Lehman's wit is better for being restrained in "North by Northwest." A friend of mine once told me that he disliked "American Beauty" because by attacking the American suburbs for being far less wholesome than they may wish to seem it was "shooting fish in a barrel", taking smug potshots at subject matter that's ripe for criticism. I haven't made up my mind what I think of that critique of AB, but I see "Sweet Smell of Success" in much the same way-- it takes snide, sophomoric easy shots at publicity peddlers-- what, are we supposed to be shocked to see people in that millieu portrayed as back-stabbing and venal?
Rating:
Summary: Ugly behavior never looked better or smarter
Review: I'm not surpised that this film bombed when it came out. Even by today's standards, it's dark and nasty. There's never been a tougher, less sentimental examination of the show biz underbelly. Tony Curtis has never been better than he is here, Lancaster is very good even though he's an unusual choice for the Winchell character, and the script is flawless. The classic line about Curtis's character being a "cookie full of arsenic" is a damn good description of this brilliantly nasty film.
Rating:
Summary: Ugly behavior never looked better or smarter
Review: I'm not surpised that this film bombed when it came out. Evenby today's standards, it's dark and nasty. There's never been atougher, less sentimental examination of the show biz underbelly. Tony Curtis has never been better than he is here, Lancaster is very good even though he's an unusual choice for the Winchell character, and the script is flawless. The classic line about Curtis's character being a "cookie full of arsenic" is a damn good description of this brilliantly nasty film.
Rating:
Summary: Brilliant film... lame DVD
Review: In typical MGM fashion, their presentation of this DVD is dissapointing -- I guess if it's not Bond it's not worth putting any effort in to. While it was nice to see them release a bunch of long-overdue titles on DVD recently (Something Wild, Salvador), this really should have been given more care (considering it's place and high regard). I can't imagine what Criterion would have done with this... Anyway, on with the review. In brief -- J. J. Hunsecker, a megalomaniac New York gossip columnist enlists Sidney Falco, his press agent to break up a romance between his kid sister Susie and a jazz musician, ("I know how to handle Susie, you just handle the boy... preferably tonight"). There's not much that hasn't already been said about the film itself. Crisp dialogue ("Don't be a two-time loser Sidney, the penalty could be severe"), wonderful cinematography, superb acting, especially from the great Larry Dobkin as Leo Bartha, "Never mind my bilious private life - I print a decent, respectable column!", terrific New York locations, memorable music and of course the extraordinarily beautiful Susan Harrison (as Susie Hunsecker) all add up to an unforgettable experience. The transfer to DVD is unremarkable. I couldn't detect any noticeable improvements over previous VHS versions or TV showings, although the picture quality may be a tad crisper. The opening titles look cleaner and overall picture quality is fairly sharp. As it always was, the sound is rather flat. Listening through my stereo with headphones made some of the dialogue easier to understand and noisy street sounds seemed more alive. The print doesn't seem to have been given any special treatment and various scratches still appear. Disrepancies between the shooting script and the film are still evident -- when Sidney's put-upon secretary asks, "...why is Mr Hunsecker trying to squeeze your livelihood away? What do you stand this kind of treatment for?" - Sidney begins his reply with his his back to us in a voice that's decidedly different, "Hunsecker is the golden ladder to the places I wanna get!". It cuts back to Sidney facing us, proudly finishing his answer in his own voice, "Way up high Sam, where it's always balmy!". No real extras are provided here, save for an enjoyable trailer. Ironically, the sound on the trailer is much richer and fuller than the movie -- the dialogue really comes across. How nice it would have been though to include a wealth of extras -- shooting script, production stills, remastered sound, commentary (Tony Curtis and Ernest Lehman and Susan Harrison would have made ideal candidates) and who knows what else. As it is, despite the lack of extras and no real quality upgrade, the film stands out on it's own. If you own it video, you probably won't need it on DVD but anyone who finds themselves quoting lines at random and enacting scenes in their spare time (or is that just me?) will certainly enjoy zipping back and forth between scenes. If buying for the first time, it is of course, without question, highly recommended.
Rating:
Summary: The pen is deadlier than the sword
Review: J.J. Hunsecker (Burt Lancaster) writes a newspaper column that 42 million people read. He deals mainly with two kinds of persons: those who would give anything to be mentioned in his column (would-be stars and washed-up vaudevillians) and those who would give anything not to be mentioned in his column (politicians with secrets). He is absolutely merciless, but he has a weak spot: His nineteen years old sister Susie (Susan Harrison). He has her sexy Photo on his desk, when he invites her to embrace him he sounds like the spider talking to the fly, and when he sees her asleep in her bed he tears himself away from her and gasps for breath out of fear he might be doing what he knows he is capable to do... Sidney Falco (Tony Curtis) is J.J's press agent and his little dog. He considers J.J. as his ladder for success. He has even a conscience, but at the end he always obeys his master's orders. Susie has a boy-friend: Steve (Martin Milner), a talented young jazz musician that any mother in law would welcome. But not J.J. He orders Sidney to separate them. Sidney's plan is very simple: he brings another newspaper columnist to write a slanderous article about Steve. First he tries blackmail, then pimping: he drives his own girlfried, a young mother, to prostitution. The article is published. Steve is denounced as marijuana-smoker and communist, and he is fired. But he and Susie understand very well who is behind this article. Sidney suggests that J.J. should use his influence to help Steve get his job back - what better way to look good in the eyes of his sister? But Steve has committed a deadly sin: He confronted J.J. In Public. J.J. wants his revenge. And this time he goes too far... Atmospheric and brilliantly acted. Burt Lancaster reminds me of a giant snake: one does not argue with him. He would listen unmoved, then suddenly repeat a word. Any word. His antagonist loses the thread, feels ashamed, becomes inconsistent...Lancaster-Hunsecker can make even intelligent people feel dumb by sheer trickery. It you tend to look down on Tony Curtis because of the tons of trashy films he made, prepare yourself for a jaw-dropping experience. That he was not nominated for an oscar is beyond me.
Rating:
Summary: Absolute Power Corrupts.
Review: Lancaster is pure power, pure evil, razor sharp, and hard as nails. Tony Curtis plays a worm better than anyone. These two powers balance on the screen and make for one of the best movies I have ever sceen. Pay attention. It goes by fast and the dialog is 70 miles an hour. No slow spots and NO heroes in this. This example of the Dark Cinema "Film De Noire" is cutting edge view of the nature of people with power that use it for their own desires. No body gets out unscathed. The only good person in the whole movie is someone you'll recognize from Adam-12 TV fame. Our favorit blond TV cop plays a hip jazz playing guitarist. He will be the only person you like and as is true in all good Noire films he looses out in the end as well. This is not a happy movie, it is a good one.
Rating: 
Summary: 'Conjugate me a verb'
Review: MY RATING-7.3 I've seen this some days ago, and i must say at first i wasn't very interested in those quick and cynical dialogues between Tony Curtis and Burt Lancaster, but then I realised the story was deliciously evil and I kept myself stick to the screen.
What a screenplay! It was made by North By Northwest's Ernest Lehman and it gives us an accurate view of corruption and use of blackmail in the press. Curtis is excellent as the 'cookie full of arsenic' as well as Lancaster in an ususual 'villain' role as the obsessive caring brother and reputed press writer. My favorite line between the two is when Curtis says 'No, J.J not even by a full column--' and then stops.
Attention also to the excelent cinematography b/w that films the city as well as the nice jazzy score by Elmer Bernstein.
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