I Love This Dirty Town

  |  
Apr 5, 2021
Burt Lancaster as J.J. Hunsecker in The Sweet Smell of Success (1957)

“I love this dirty town.“

I first heard Burt Lancaster utter this iconic line in 1978 at the Regency Theater, a revival house on Broadway and 69th Street.  In the film he was standing across the street from “21” with Tony Curtis watching a drunk get thrown out of a nite club.

In 1978, New York was recovering from bankruptcy and that dialogue encapsulated everything I felt about the city.

The streets were dirty.  The subway was as hot as any sauna I’d ever experienced and crime in the city was mentioned regularly in Johnny Carson’s monologue.  But the Yankees were on top, A Chorus Line and Dancin‘ were on Broadway, and The Temple of Dendur exhibit had just opened at the Metropolitan Museum. Dave’s Luncheonette was on the corner of Broadway and Canal, and served the best Egg Cream in the world.

Two weeks ago I walked from Battery Park City to Chinatown, and it reminded me of similar treks with my grandmother during my youth, when we covered the ground from Little Italy to Times Square and every few blocks I encountered different people, architecture, distinct fashion statements, and diverse cultures that are wholly unique to New York. 

We’ve overcome bad economies, incompetent mayors, crime and many other obstacles, so there’s no reason we can’t do so again.  Dave’s Luncheonette and “21” are gone, but new places will open to replace them. 

I just helped three young guys in their 20’s find a huge three bedroom apartment in Battery Park City, and their enthusiasm was contagious. It reminded me of getting my two bedroom apartment at 400 Riverside Drive in 1978, when I began my own similar adventure.

New York isn’t perfect, but its flaws — especially now — make it all the more special.