WheneverI see a media frenzy—like, say, when a pop superstar suffers an untimely death—I'm reminded of Ace in the Hole. Also known asThe Big Carnival, it's Billy Wilder's disdainful look at American journalism. Kirk Douglas stars as an opportunistic reporter stuck in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Determined to get back to New York City, opportunity comes a knocking when our man, sent to cover a rattlesnake roundup, stumbles upon a curio collector (Richard Benedict) trapped in a mine. Could this be the big story that goes national, the "circulation builder" he's dreamed about? Maybe. But not if they dig the guy out too quickly, that's for sure. See where we're going? More appreciated now then when first released in 1951 ("Americans expected a cocktail and felt I was giving them a shot of vinegar instead"), there's a lot to admire here, although the final scene doesn't ring true. With biting dialog, pitch-black cynicism, and a memorable performance by Jan Sterling as the victim's bleach-blond wife, who isn't exactly heartbroken. One of Billy Wilder's best. Black and white photography by Charles Lang.
One of the most scathing indictments of American culture ever produced by a Hollywood filmmaker, Academy Award-winner Billy Wilder s Ace in the Hole i...More at Buy.com
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