A cave collapse in New Mexico traps a man, and all eyes turn toward the tragedy, including those of Charles "Chuck" Tatum (Kirk Douglas), a washed-up newspaper reporter who sees the incident as a ticket back to his former days at the top of the journalism heap. As the media circus begins to swirl around the trapped man's plight,.. Read more
| Starring | Kirk Douglas, Jan Sterling, Porter Hall, Frank Cady |
|---|---|
| Director | Billy Wilder |
| Genres | Drama |
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A cave collapse in New Mexico traps a man, and all eyes turn toward the tragedy, including those of Charles "Chuck" Tatum (Kirk Douglas), a washed-up newspaper reporter who sees the incident as a ticket back to his former days at the top of the journalism heap. As the media circus begins to swirl around the trapped man's plight, Tatum takes command of the situation, embellishing the unfolding drama and prolonging the rescue effort - while feeding stories to the nation's reporters clamoring to cover the event. He's become the self-anointed mastermind behind what soon becomes a national media sensation - and he's desperately determined to milk it for all it is worth. Celebrated director Billy Wilder (Sunset Boulevard, Stalag 17, The Apartment) mixes gritty cynicism with a superb cast - Douglas, Jan Sterling (The High and the Mighty), Robert Arthur (Just For You), Frank Cady (The Bad Seed) - in this powerful, fascinating study of the dark side of the human soul.
| Starring | Kirk Douglas, Jan Sterling, Porter Hall, Frank Cady, Richard Benedict, Ray Teal, Lewis Martin, John Berkes, Frances Dominguez, Robert Arthur |
|---|---|
| Director | Billy Wilder |
| Run time | DVD: 1 hr 51 mins |
| Certificate | |
| Genres | Drama |
| Language | DVD: English |
| Released | Production year: 1951 To Rent: DVD: not available |
An incisive, compelling melodrama taking a sour look at the American scene; one of its director's masterworks, in which he was in a serious mood, exposing the sensationalism of the tabloid press.
- 9
- 0
GREAT FILM, BUT ...
This is one of the high points of the career of the inimitable Billy Wilder. Sadly it is NOT on DVD, so if you've come here hoping to finally get your hands... read more »
[Highly rated reviewer]
- 1
- 0
The circus is not over
Wilder's dark tale of a cynical newspaper man (Kirk Douglas) creating a media circus around a human tragedy is dated in many respects but has not lost its ... read more »
- 2
- 0
aces high!
a film that reflects on todays celeb culture that shows just how fickle the rubbernecking public can turn a human tragedy into a three ring circus for their own... read more »
- 3
- 0
Surpassingly nasty
Although Billy Wilder is probably best remembered for his comedies ('Some like it hot'; 'The apartment', etc), he also had a knack for serious ... read more »
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