I don't think I've ever seen such a film about two huge douchebags be so fascinating. Burt Lancaster and Tony Curtis really go for the gold here, a double act of unrepentant selfishness, ego and pure greed.
It's painful to watch Curtis's character Sydney Falco as he just progressively erodes what little is left of his dignity, even pimping out his female friend to a rival columnist of Burt Lancaster's character JJ Hunsaker. Lancaster seems to tower in this film like a petty king, wielding his power like a benevolent dictator, destroying careers at will.
The film is shot mostly at night, this is where these character's exist, they shun daylight preferring to operate in the darkness, the smoky clubs where secrets are kept.
The ending with the sun rising really is one of the most amazing shots in a film ever, it says everything.
It's painful to watch Curtis's character Sydney Falco as he just progressively erodes what little is left of his dignity, even pimping out his female friend to a rival columnist of Burt Lancaster's character JJ Hunsaker. Lancaster seems to tower in this film like a petty king, wielding his power like a benevolent dictator, destroying careers at will.
The film is shot mostly at night, this is where these character's exist, they shun daylight preferring to operate in the darkness, the smoky clubs where secrets are kept.
The ending with the sun rising really is one of the most amazing shots in a film ever, it says everything.
