Sweet Smell of Success is a 1957 American film noir drama film directed by Alexander Mackendrick, starring Burt Lancaster, Tony Curtis, Susan Harrison, and Martin Milner, and written by Clifford Odets, Ernest Lehman, and Mackendrick from the novelette by Lehman. The shadowy noir cinematography filmed on location in New York City was shot by James Wong Howe. The picture was produced by James Hill of Hecht-Hill-Lancaster Productions and released by United Artists. The supporting cast features Sam Levene, Barbara Nichols, Joe Frisco, Edith Atwater, David White and Emile Meyer. The musical score was arranged and conducted by Elmer Bernstein and the film also features jazz performances by the Chico Hamilton Quintet. Mary Grant designed the costumes.

Plot

Sidney Falco is a morally bankrupt Manhattan press agent, and a frustrated fringe player. Sidney promises his clients positive publicity in the fashionable newspaper column run by influential media kingpin J.J. Hunsecker. But Hunsecker is overly protective of his younger sister Susan, and asks Sidney to derail her romance with up-and-coming jazz guitarist Steve Dallas. When Sidney fails to do so (in fact the pair become engaged) he finds himself frozen out of Hunsecker's column.