 A preview screening of Sweet Smell of Success was poorly received , as Tony Curtis fans were expecting him to play one of his typical nice guy roles and instead were presented with the scheming Sidney Falco . Mackendrick remembered seeing audience members " curling up , crossing their arms and legs , recoiling from the screen in disgust " . Burt Lancaster 's fans were not thrilled with their idol either , " finding the film too static and talky " . The film was a box office failure , and Hecht blamed his producing partner Hill . " The night of the preview , Harold said to me , ' You know you 've wrecked our company ? We 're going to lose over a million dollars on this picture , ' " Hill recalled . However , Lancaster blamed Lehman , who remembers a confrontation they had : " Burt threatened me at a party after the preview . He said , ' You didn 't have to leave – you could have made this a much better picture . I ought to beat you up . ' I said , ' Go ahead – I could use the money . ' " 
