Independent Films, Film Profiles

Ace in the Hole (film)
by Billy_Wilder

Ace in the Hole is a 1951 American drama film. It marked a series of firsts for auteur Billy Wilder: it was the first time he was involved in a project as a writer, producer, and director; his first film following his breakup with long-time writing partner Charles Brackett, with whom he had collaborated on The Lost Weekend and Sunset Boulevard, among others; and his first film to be a critical and commercial failure.The film is a cynical examination of the seedy relationship between the media and the news it reports and the manner in which it reports it. Without consulting Wilder, Paramount Pictures executive Y. Frank Freeman changed the title to The Big Carnival just prior to its release. Early television broadcasts retained that title, but when aired by Turner Classic Movies - and released on DVD by The Criterion Collection in July 2007 - it reverted to Ace in the Hole.Chuck Tatum is a fiercely ambitious, self-centered, wisecracking, down-on-his-luck reporter who worked his way west to New Mexico from New York City, along the way being fired from eleven newspapers for slander, adultery, and heavy drinking, among other charges. Although for the past year he's been writing for the Albuquerque Sun-Bulletin, a paper of little consequence, he remains unhumbled.While unhappily on assignment covering a rattlesnake hunt, he learns about Leo Minosa, a local man who has become trapped in a cave collapse while trying to excavate ancient Indian artifacts. Sensing a golden opportunity, Tatum manipulates the rescue effort, getting the unscrupulous sheriff to pressure the engineer charged with the rescue into using a much slower method, so that Tatum can prolong his stay on the front pages of newspapers nationwide.Lorraine, the victim's trashy wife, plots with the reporter, after the struggling Minosa business, a combination trading post/restaurant, experiences a financial windfall, thanks to the influx of tourists anxious to witness the rescue first-hand. Herbie Cook, the newspaper's young photographer, slowly loses his idealism as he envisions himself selling his pictures to Look or Life.Slowly, thousands of others flock to the town, and the rescue site literally becomes a carnival, with rides, entertainment, and games of chance. Eventually, the party atmosphere dissolves when tragedy strikes. When Tatum learns that Leo Minosa is fading fast, he belatedly tries to get the engineer to switch back to the quicker procedure, but it is no longer possible. Minosa dies, leaving Tatum guilt-ridden.