In Sweet Smell of Success, Burt Lancaster has the courage and hunger to do what very few A-list movie stars of his era would – play a crooked, conniving, insecure monster with an insatiable appetite for bullying. It’s a marvelous performance, supported by equally compelling writing and directing, to produce one of the defining films of the 1950s.  

I’ve written and spoken to the point of gushing over my man-crush for Robert Mitchum, and Out Of The Past is one of his best, and also perhaps the finest of all film noirs. Definite must-see.

Speaking of man-crushes, here’s another one of mine (and Chris’…and frankly, everyone’s) – Paul Newman in The Long, Hot Summer. Also starring Angela Lansbury and ORSON WELLES PLAYING A SOUTHERNER!!!