Since the uncompromising and decadent film is essentially an engrossing character study of unscrupulous, unattractive men in he artificial world of media power, phenomenal performances are derived from the two domineering and repugnant male leads - Burt Lancaster and Tony Curtis (in a breakthrough role with his greatest career performance).It has also led to a tense confrontation, and perhaps a constitutional crisis, with Senate investigators and the special Watergate prosecutor." And a number of incongruous dialogue sequences and extraneous minor characters appear without any real reason except to provide a fascinating journey along the way.).They were posing as the Smiths - a newlywed couple, to an unctuous bellhop, in order to do a Sunday Magazine report to "expose a honeymoon racket.