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Sweet Smell of Success (re-release)
MGM Distribution

Sweet Smell of Success (re-release) reviews
Critic Score
Metascore: 100 Metascore out of 100
User Score  
9.5 out of 10
based on 5 reviews
Read critic reviews
How did we calculate this?
based on 4 votes
Read user comments
Rate this movie

MPAA RATING: Not Rated

Starring Burt Lancaster, Tony Curtis, Susan Harrison, Martin Milner, and Sam Levene

A 35mm print re-release of Alexander Mackendrick's 1957 film-noir tale of greed and corruption in New York City.


GENRE(S): Drama  
WRITTEN BY: Clifford Odets
Ernest Lehman (also novel)
 
DIRECTED BY: Alexander Mackendrick  
RELEASE DATE: DVD: June 19, 2001 
Video: January 4, 2000 
Theatrical: March 15, 2002 
RUNNING TIME: 96 minutes, B/W 
ORIGIN: USA 

What The Critics Said

All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...

100
Portland Oregonian Kim Morgan
Can a film so expertly capture the odious and bitter that it becomes deliciously, disgustingly beautiful? Yes, if that film is 1957's Sweet Smell of Success.
Read Full Review
100
The New York Times Dana Stevens
Its pleasures are almost obscenely abundant.
Read Full Review
100
Christian Science Monitor David Sterritt
Everyone raves about this 1957 film -- and everyone's right.
Read Full Review
100
TV Guide Staff (not credited)
Captures the sleazy allure of Manhattan like no other film.
Read Full Review
80
Variety Staff (Not Credited)
It's a no-holds-barred account of the sadistic fourth estater played cunningly by Burt Lancaster.
Read Full Review

What Our Users Said

Vote Now!The average user rating for this movie is 9.5 (out of 10) based on 4 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

John B. gave it a10:
A script that crackles. Burt and Tony at the top of their game. Tension, menace and pitch-black humour. And Susan Harrison. What's not to like?

Kevin E. gave it a10:
A terrificly smart film, superbly written, exquisitely acted, just about perfect in every way. I rented it because it is referred to in a book I'm reading as a major, defining cultural icon of 1957, capturing the dawn of a new, darker and larger ego, and meanness of that day; and the promotion of celebrity for it's own sake - a forerunner of all that is exasperating about current pop culture. So it's got all that going on in addition to being a good story well told.

Dan C. gave it a 10:
JJ Hunsecker is one of the greatest on screen villains ever! Tony Curtis and Burt Lancaster deserved Oscar noms (the academy foolishly ignored them).

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