Sweet Smell of Success Burt Lancaster Tony Curtis

directed by Alexander Mackendrick
USA 1957

Mackendrick's deliciously dark take on the malicious underbelly of Broadway PR, and the grubby columns which fuel the human need for gossip, remains one of the sharpest and corrosively perceptive films to emerge from Hollywood.

The film revolves around fawning press agent on the make Sidney Falco (Curtis) and newspaper columnist JJ Hunsecker, a man with the power to make or break a career. When Hunsecker's sister Susan (Harrison) becomes involved in a relationship with clean-cut jazz musician Steve Dallas (Milner), the over-protective, faintly incestuous Hunsecker makes clear his disapproval. He assigns the compliant Falco the task of ending the affair. Eager to curry favour, Falco complies, rustling up a false drugs charge that has disastrous consequences for all.

For his American debut, Ealing director Mackendrick upped the ante on the palpable darkness that had informed his gently anti-social comedies such as "The Lady Killers". His work dared to expose the rotten core at the heart of Broadway and the American entertainment press industry.

Excerpt from Jason Wood's review at located BBC HERE.

Posters

Theatrical Release: 27 June 1957

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DVD Comparison:

MGM - Region 1 - NTSC vs. MGM - Region 2 - PAL

Big thanks to Gregory Meshman and Ole Kofoed for the Screen Caps!

(MGM - Region 1 - NTSC - LEFT vs. MGM - Region 2 - PAL - RIGHT)

DVD Box Covers
Distribution	MGM Region 1 - NTSC	MGM Region 2 - PAL
Runtime	1:36:15	1:32:30 (4% PAL speedup)
Video	1.62:1 Original Aspect Ratio Average Bitrate: 5.48 mb/s NTSC 720x480 29.97 f/s	1.63:1 Original Aspect Ratio Average Bitrate: 5.33 mb/s PAL 720x576 25.00 f/s
	NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes.
Bitrate: MGM
Bitrate: MGM
Audio	English Dolby Digital 2.0, French Dolby Digital 2.0 (Dub)	English Dolby Digital 2.0. Dubs: French/Italian/German/Spanish Dolby Digital 2.0
Subtitles	French, Spanish, None	English, Danish, Dutch, French, German, Italian, Norwegian, Spanish, Swedish or None
Features	Release Information: Studio: MGM Aspect Ratio: Widescreen letterboxed - 1.62:1 Edition Details: • Theatrical Trailer (3:06) DVD Release Date: June 19, 2001 Keepcase Chapters 16	Release Information: Studio: MGM Aspect Ratio: Widescreen letterboxed - 1.63:1 Edition Details: • Theatrical Trailer (2:59) DVD Release Date: April 15, 2002 Keepcase Chapters 16

Comments

The only discernable difference I can see is that the NTSC is minutely sharper. Both have decent shadow detail and the same trailer as an extra. the PAL edition has more subtitle and DUB options, which, if they are important to you. Otherwise go for the NTSC with no PAL speedup or consider the least expensive edition for where you live.

- Gary Tooze

DVD Menus
(MGM - Region 1 - NTSC - LEFT vs. MGM - Region 2 - PAL - RIGHT)

Screen Captures

(MGM - Region 1 - NTSC - TOP vs. MGM - Region 2 - PAL - BOTTOM)
Subtitle sample (not exact frames)

(MGM - Region 1 - NTSC - TOP vs. MGM - Region 2 - PAL - BOTTOM)

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Report Card:

Image:	NTSC
Sound:	PAL (for extra DUBs)
Extras:	-
Menu:	-