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Which is better: Sweet Smell of Success or The Big Knife?

posted 18 years ago by AlanSquier
4 replies | jump to latest

In The Big Knife, rough-hewn matinee idol Jack Palance gets the twice-over from venal studio boss Rod Steiger, spineless agent Everett Sloane, damaged spouse Ida Lupino, and everyone else in his orbit. Hollywood is obviously the setting.

In Sweet Smell of Success, Burt Lancaster soars in a thinly-veiled portrait of powerful Broadway columnist Walter Winchell, with Tony Curtis in perhaps his finest performance as two-faced, sycophantic press agent Sidney Falco. And of course, the setting is New York City.

The themes are related and Clifford Odets wrote both. But it's New York City vs Hollywood for the settings.

Which one's the better noir?

I killed him for money and for a woman. I didn't get the money... and I didn't get the woman.

[–] 18 years ago

[deleted]

[–] richsass 17 years ago

Sweet Smell of Success. Great background music (Chico Hamilton), fantastic dialogue, outstanding acting. One of my all time favorites. Big Knife was a better than average flick.

[–] toshguy 13 years ago

I prefer Sweet Smell of Success, mostly because of the direction. MacKendrick's touch is elegant, subtle and understated, never calling the viewer's attention to the fact that there is a man behind the camera, thus allwoing the story to unfold seamlessly. On the other hand, Aldrich's approach in The Big Knife is very heavy-handed and scattered, hindering the flow of the movie and making the overall experience of viewing it garbled. For instance, the closing scene with the box-out shot really unnerved me and hindered the impact of the message to sink in with me. I can't deny that Sweet Smell's ending is rather abrupt, but it's nowhere as jarring as the aforementioned one. I've gotten the impression that Aldrich tried to make himself the star of his earlier movies by cramming his overweening directorial style up the viewers' throats. He did eventually tone himself down, though, and deliverd considerably more refined direction in such films as Flight of the Phoenix.

In summing up, I look upon Sweet Smell of Success as a true classic and an exquisite movie. I rewatch it every so often and keep noticing new subtleties every time. I regard The Big Knife more as a curio that is, nevertheless, also worth repeated viewings.

I'm here, Mr. Man, I can not tell no lie and I'll be right here till the day I die

[–] archip57 13 years ago

Interestingly BOTH Original Stories were written by Clifford Odets.

THE BIG KNIFE has lots of meat on its bones and Charlie (Palance), gives a riveting performance as does his long-suffering wife, Ida Lupino and Rod Steiger at his screaming, snarling best...plus "Smiley Coy" his murdering henchman played brilliantly by Wendell Cory...and don't forget Jean Hagan as the blonde vixen who lusts for Palance...even though they are both married to others!

Yet The Big Knife works better as a STAGE PLAY. (Most of the action is in Charlie's home.)

THE SWEET SMELL OF SUCCESS is more able to "open up" as a FILM...(with the gritty Manhattan streets and locales as its supporting role very VISUALLY!) "I love this stinkin' town" says JJ at one point after leaving his main watering hole at "21" or "The Stork Club"....(where he has his own private phone brought to his private table to take his calls by the Matre 'D!)

So by default...(as far as FILMS vs. PLAYS go...), SSOS wins as the better FILM.

TBK wins as better STAGE PLAY.

In my humble opinion.

"If this were a movie, you'd be on the ground", Palance to Steiger whom he almost punches out.

"Why are you happy Sidney, when I'm not"?

"Imagination is stronger then knowledge, because knowledge is limited". Albert Einstein