Ransom Center Magazine
Books + Manuscripts
Exhibitions + Events
Research + Teaching
Theatre + Performing Arts
Austin Film Festival screens 'Sweet Smell of Success'
October 21, 2010 - Jennifer Tisdale
The Austin Film Festival, in partnership with the Ransom Center and Los Angeles Times' film critic Kenneth Turan, will be screening Sweet Smell of Success (1957) at the Alamo Ritz on Friday, October 22. The Ransom Center holds screenwriter Ernest Lehman's archive, which consists of more than 2,500 items from his personal and professional files. The collection covers Lehman's 40-year career in New York and Hollywood not only as a screenwriter but also as a novelist, short story writer, journalist, producer, and director.
Sweet Smell of Success began as Lehman's novella titled Tell Me About It Tomorrow, focusing on the seedy underworld of gossip columnists. Lehman was set both to write and direct the film, but the process was so stressful that he developed medical problems and had to bow out. Clifford Odets took over screenwriting duties, and Alexander MacKendrick directed. Despite the production difficulties, Sweet Smell of Success is now regarded as one of the best of the film noir genre, with Odets and Lehman sharing screenwriting credit. In 1993 Sweet Smell of Success was added to the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress for being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant."
Below are Lehman's handwritten thoughts in response to director MacKendrick's notes concerning the screenplay as of August 1956. Lehman's two pages provide insight about why he had to leave the Sweet Smell of Success project on doctor's orders and take "a long and work-free vacation." Lehman ends with "I loved Tahiti."
Please click the thumbnails below to view full-size images.
Lehman's handwritten thoughts in response to director MacKendrick's notes concerning the screenplay as of August 1956. Lehman's two pages provide insight about why he had to leave the "Sweet Smell of Success" project on doctor's orders and take "a long and work-free vacation." Lehman ends with "I loved Tahiti."
Filed Under: Film
About Jennifer Tisdale
Tisdale is responsible for identifying, planning, and implementing strategic public affairs activities and programs that range from media relations to social media at the Ransom Center.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C4_kazYMjNM
Celebrate with us in 2023
Photographer Laura Wilson delves into the lives of writers with stunning portraits
A childhood gift inspires a lifelong passion for India and map-collecting
"Dog" by Lawrence Ferlinghetti
A Greek fragment is the first-known New Testament papyrus written on the front side of a scroll
acquisition Alice's Adventures in Wonderland archive archives Art Books Cataloging Conservation Council on Library and Information Resources David Foster Wallace David O. Selznick digitization exhibition Exhibitions Fellows Find Fellowships Film Frank Reaugh Frank Reaugh: Landscapes of Texas and the American West Gabriel Garcia Marquez Gabriel Garcia Marquez archive Gone with the Wind I have seen the Future: Norman Bel Geddes Designs America Lewis Carroll literature Magnum Photos Manuscripts Meet the Staff Nobel Prize Norman Bel Geddes Norman Mailer Performing Arts Photography poetry preservation Publishing Research Robert De Niro Shakespeare theater The King James Bible: Its History and Influence The Making of Gone With The Wind Undergraduate What is Research? World War I
Archives Select Month December 2022 (4) November 2022 (2) August 2022 (1) July 2022 (4) June 2022 (4) May 2022 (5) April 2022 (3) March 2022 (1) February 2022 (3) January 2022 (2) December 2021 (2) November 2021 (1) October 2021 (4) August 2021 (4) July 2021 (1) May 2021 (2) April 2021 (4) March 2021 (6) February 2021 (7) January 2021 (2) December 2020 (6) November 2020 (10) October 2020 (8) September 2020 (1) August 2020 (1) July 2020 (3) June 2020 (6) May 2020 (3) April 2020 (3) March 2020 (2) January 2020 (5) December 2019 (3) November 2019 (1) October 2019 (2) September 2019 (1) August 2019 (1) July 2019 (1) May 2019 (3) April 2019 (7) March 2019 (2) February 2019 (10) January 2019 (9) December 2018 (3) November 2018 (11) October 2018 (3) September 2018 (5) August 2018 (1) July 2018 (2) June 2018 (4) May 2018 (13) April 2018 (10) March 2018 (3) February 2018 (6) January 2018 (10) December 2017 (8) November 2017 (7) October 2017 (8) September 2017 (3) July 2017 (2) June 2017 (4) May 2017 (15) April 2017 (9) March 2017 (11) February 2017 (7) January 2017 (10) December 2016 (10) November 2016 (6) October 2016 (6) September 2016 (17) August 2016 (4) July 2016 (2) June 2016 (6) May 2016 (14) April 2016 (17) March 2016 (9) February 2016 (13) January 2016 (17) December 2015 (7) November 2015 (10) October 2015 (44) September 2015 (11) August 2015 (12) July 2015 (10) June 2015 (10) May 2015 (7) April 2015 (11) March 2015 (15) February 2015 (10) January 2015 (4) December 2014 (5) November 2014 (7) October 2014 (8) September 2014 (10) August 2014 (4) July 2014 (12) June 2014 (10) May 2014 (14) April 2014 (18) March 2014 (14) February 2014 (7) January 2014 (10) December 2013 (7) November 2013 (23) October 2013 (16) September 2013 (6) August 2013 (5) July 2013 (11) June 2013 (7) May 2013 (10) April 2013 (16) March 2013 (9) February 2013 (8) January 2013 (11) December 2012 (11) November 2012 (8) October 2012 (8) September 2012 (10) August 2012 (6) July 2012 (6) June 2012 (10) May 2012 (11) April 2012 (11) March 2012 (20) February 2012 (11) January 2012 (11) December 2011 (5) November 2011 (10) October 2011 (15) September 2011 (14) August 2011 (9) July 2011 (10) June 2011 (8) May 2011 (9) April 2011 (8) March 2011 (11) February 2011 (7) January 2011 (13) December 2010 (7) November 2010 (9) October 2010 (7) September 2010 (13) August 2010 (7) July 2010 (13) June 2010 (9) May 2010 (9) April 2010 (10) March 2010 (13) February 2010 (17) January 2010 (13) December 2009 (6) November 2009 (9) October 2009 (7) September 2009 (13) November 2007 (1) October 2007 (4) September 2007 (3) August 2007 (1) July 2007 (1) June 2007 (1) April 2007 (2) January 2007 (2) December 2006 (2) November 2006 (2) October 2006 (1)
Our monthly newsletter highlights news, exhibitions, and programs.
Ransom Center Magazine is an online and print publication sharing stories and news about the Harry Ransom Center, its collections, and the creative community surrounding it.
Copyright © 2023 Harry Ransom Center
Web Accessibility · Web Privacy