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Ace in the Hole (1951)

Ace in the Hole cover art
Average rating: 79%
2162019
4.0
from 117 members
 
Starring: Kirk Douglas, Jan Sterling
Director: Billy Wilder
Run time: 111 mins
Certificate: TBC
Genres: Drama
Released: unknown

Brief synopsis of Ace in the Hole

When a man is trapped alive in a mine collapse, a self-interested reporter and the townspeople cynically create what we now call a "media circus".

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Critics Reviews

Rating of 3 stars out of 5 Halliwell's Film Guide

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.

Time Out

Wilder ran into charges of bad taste with this acid tale of reporter Chuck Tatum (Douglas), resentfully stagnating in a... Read more on www.timeout.com

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Members Reviews

Reviews Voted Most Helpful

Rated - 5 starsGREAT FILM, BUT ...

BIGGERTHANLIFE from UK [Highly rated reviewer] , 08/02/2007

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 on a pristine digital edition of this neglected gem, you're going to be very disappointed ... sorry!

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Rated - 4 starsSurpassingly nasty

Savage from London, England [Highly rated reviewer] , 29/09/2007

Although Billy Wilder is probably best remembered for his comedies ('Some like it hot'; 'The apartment', etc), he also had a knack for serious films as well. This may be the most corruscating and unpleasant hundred minutes he ever made. The story of a down-on-his-luck reporter (career-best Kirk Douglas) determined to do anything to get himself back on top again is like living with a bag of disease-ridden rattlesnakes, but it's mighty effective for all that: genuine car-crash stuff, from which it's impossible to take one's eyes. If it has one fault, it is only that Wilder takes such delight in rubbing our noses in the cynicism and duplicity of the media, that he forgets to provide any shading. Otherwise, this is one film you won't forget.

At the time of writing (September 07) this had just been released by Criterion on an excellent Region 1 disc, so it should be out here soon.

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