success sweet smell success american film noir drama film released directed stars screenplay written designed film costumes film tells story powerful newspaper columnist portrayed lancaster based uses connections ruin sister relationship man despite poorly received preview screening success greatly improved stature years highly acclaimed film critics particularly cinematography screenplay film selected preservation culturally historically aesthetically significant success musical created plot manhattan press agent unable gain mentions clients influential nationally syndicated newspaper column late failure good promise break romance younger sister susan musician coming jazz guitarist losing money clients given chance bullying intimidating schemes plant false rumor rival column dallas smoking communist encourages rescue dallas reputation certain boyfriend reject favor end looking bad susan plan works way dallas resist insulting methods forced choose susan breaks dallas order protect brother enraged dallas insults brief confrontation decides ruin boy advice wants marijuana planted musician arrested corrupt police dirty trick wants promises long vacation powerful column turn absence nightclub slips marijuana cigarettes pocket coat belonging dallas outside club summoned apartment find susan attempt suicide grabs brother walks encouraged susan silence accuses trying assault susan begins beating physically weaker pleads came apartment request prompting tell called susan stops realizes susan placed order bring men blows climactic confrontation reveals susan brother ordered destroy dallas reputation relationship makes come tries flee caught times square brutal cop susan bags packed acknowledges brother attempted suicide considering death living walks saying dallas tells hates looks sister apartment walks daylight cast hamilton production faced potential unemployment sale bbc director began entertaining offers hollywood rejected potential contracts grant signed independent production company offer adapt play devil disciple project collapsed pre production asked released commitment refused asked start work project adapting success film story originally appeared issue cosmopolitan renamed tell tomorrow editor magazine want word smell publication based experiences working assistant prominent new_york press agent columnist hollywood reporter subsequently speak year half wrote column hollywood reporter good screenwriter week paramount called inviting los_angeles talks went forge notable career hollywood writing executive suite north northwest west story king afraid pre production time hill lancaster acquired success position adapt produce direct film scouting locations told distributor having second thoughts going time director offered film initially director reservations trying film dialogue heavy screenplay worked weeks cinematic script neared completion ill resign picture took offered replacement suggested playwright reputation left wing hero named names house american activities committee assumed need weeks polish script took months director recalled started shooting final script reconstructed thing stem stern plot largely intact biography quoted success effect structure single sequence order rebuild situations relationships complex greater tension dramatic energy process took time start date production delayed accompany production manhattan continued shot returning city going hollywood obsessed kinds rituals worked furious pace pages going straight shot day said cut script floor actors cutting lines making spare time fight role universal studio contracted worried ruin career tired pretty boy roles wanting prove act curtis got way originally considered role wanted cast felt closely resembled basis character makes distinction interview inspiration version character differs character film version wanted role box office appeal successful pairing curtis signed contract lancaster film company played role drafted army begin film allowed new_york_city shooting movie notes sweet smell said characteristic aspects new_york particularly area 42nd street 57th street energy crowded argued essential story characters driven aspects ambition greed took multiple photographs city fixed points taped pictures series stuck wall studied got hollywood drummer briefly appear film wrote score movie ultimately rejected favor principal photography shot film late scared entire time hill lancaster reputation firing directors reason filmmaker extensive rehearsals scene shot found shooting script page hours written lancaster presence proved intimidating numerous individuals involved production point approached direct film declined fear lancaster composer found lancaster difficult work later recalling scary dangerous guy short fuse decided use lancaster work character asking lancaster wear glasses felt gave presence scholarly thin layer lenses preventing lancaster focusing eyes giving blank gaze intentionally filmed scenes low angle wide lens overhead lighting directly lancaster frames cast shadows face shooting location new_york_city added shot busiest areas crowds young fans occasionally breaking police barriers remembered started shooting times square rush hour high powered actors camera crane police help rest didn script knew going musical score soundtrack film score composed arranged conducted picture featured jazz themes performed soundtrack albums released label allmusic noted soundtrack motion picture success combines orchestral music versatile modern jazz including numbers performed film club scenes provide moody backdrop cynical drama intersect key points use common theme tune goodbye baby employs richly big band nocturnal urban blues score music hard edged gritty sound associated big city life 1950s hamilton studio highly sophisticated film score guardian called soundtrack sonic equivalent mixed manhattan seven cool cues drummer adventurous band orchestral track listing personnel reaction preview screening success poorly received fans expecting play typical nice guy roles instead presented remembered seeing audience members crossing arms legs screen disgust fans thrilled idol finding film static film box office failure blamed producing partner hill night preview said know wrecked company going lose million dollars picture hill recalled lancaster blamed remembers confrontation threatened party preview said didn leave better picture ought beat said ahead use money sweet smell success premiered new_york times square june critical reaction favorable time said movie raised considerable dramatic heights intense acting direction superb camera work dialogue included film best lists film reputation improved time new_york magazine calling best new_york movies captured better film know atmosphere times square big city journalism success holds percent fresh rating based reviews rotten tomatoes rating based reviews metacritic direction actors staging scenes times extraordinary recent years critics praised film dialogue courtesy high toned street vernacular real new_yorker spoken real new_yorker wishes wrote new_york_times wrote main incentive movie witty dialogue hear screen anymore age special effects legacy selected preservation culturally historically aesthetically significant success musical created years heroes villains list american_film_institute afi named number movie villains time filmmaker paid tribute success film character wandering saying lines film episode contract homage film playing gossip columnist clearly based appearance attitude characters episode quoting film lines times lists american_film_institute recognition years movies 10th anniversary edition years heroes villains villain home media success released dvd region blu ray region february release includes new audio commentary featuring film scholar man walked away documentary featuring interviews director actor producer cinematographer documentary film director photography featuring lighting howe new video interview film critic historian gossip power culture celebrity legendary columnist inspiration character new video interview filmmaker instructor mentor booklet featuring essay critic notes film short stories introducing characters screenwriter excerpt book film making introduced book editor
Sweet Smell of Success