Director's Series: Billy Wilder's ACE IN THE HOLE (1951)

It’s always a bit startling when one sees a film from over 50 years ago and realizes that the message/warnings of t

he film are just as pertinent/important today as it was back in the day. Which leads to this old chestnut:

“Those that do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it.”

Such is the case with the 1951 film, ACE IN HOLE, written and directed by Billy Wilder and starring Kirk Douglas as a cynical newspaper reporter who will stop at nothing - including manipulating facts and people - to get “the big story”.

Set in rural Mexico ACE IN THE HOLE tells the tale of journeyman newspaperman Chuck Tatum (Douglas) who’s looking to move back into the big time. When he comes across a man trapped in a mine cave-in, he uses the story - and manipulates those around him and the circumstances surrounding his rescue - to get what he wants…a BIG STORY.

It’s a cautionary tale of not believing everything you see/read/hear in the media. One has to ask oneself when one is being fed a story from the media - “What Does This Reporter/News Source Want Out of this Story”? (Besides high engagement).

The moral of this story is just as important today as it was way back in 1951.

Douglas, as one would expect, is exceptional as the cynical reporter who cares only for himself, his story and what this story can do for him. He brings his innate charm to the role - and that is important for Tatum needs to use his charm to lure people into the web he is weaving, promising everyone that “something” that they want if they just “go along” with the story.

Sound familiar?

The rest of the cast is rounded out with character actors from 1940’s/50’s Hollywood. Jan Sterling (the wife of the man who is trapped in the mine), Ray Teal (a sheriff that is vital to Tatum’s scheme of controlling the scene), Robert Arthur (Tatum’s young protege), Lewis Martin (a publisher with a BIG New York Paper) and Frank Cady (who you might know as Sam Drucker in the Pettycoat Junction/Green Acres/Beverly Hillbillies comedies of the 1960’s) are all in on the scheme that Tatum weaves…whether they know it or not and they all bring their “A” game to their characters…thanks to Wilder.

A Director/Writer at the top of his game…Wilder had complete carte blanche on this film (based on his previous success with Sunset Boulevard) so he held nothing back in this dark film with his most cynical character yet (and that is saying something) and with no character with any kind of redeeming value (save for the man trapped in the well…and, perhaps, for a publisher of a small New Mexico newspaper who is the only one that says NO to Tatum). He skewers the media constantly, haranguing the “vultures” that are only after a story…and disregard the human element, unless they can use the human element to help elevate the story.

And this is the good and the bad of this film, for it is SO dark and SO cynical that one has a tough time rooting for ANYONE. It probably could have used a strong producer to help reign Wilder in just a little bit, and he might have had a masterpiece on his hands.

Instead, he has a VERY GOOD, dark, cynical film with a strong warning about the power of the media.

Letter Grade: B

7 stars (out of 10) and you can take that to theBank(ofMarquis)