This fall, the media is a top-trending topic (surprising in a season when we’ve lost Jon Stewart’s acerbic touch): Ted Cruz won applause for attacking the media, Spotlight accolades for celebrating them. For the second year in a row, news-centered movies have garnered Oscar buzz; this year, it’s the biopic about a Pulitzer-winning investigative reporting team; last year, it was the scathing Nightcrawler, which satirized junk TV news with its sadly accurate refrain: “if it bleeds, it leads.”
Maybe these movies and headlines are why Ace in the Hole (1951) sprung to my mind when film bloggers Sister Celluloid and Movies Silently asked for posts on gateway films to lure the classic-movie-hesitant. Surely, the film that coined the term “circus” to capture a media-driven extravaganza should be viewed by both news cynics and fans.
Before Network and Absence of Malice unsettled notions of the media’s integrity, and long before Jake Gyllenhaal creeped viewers out with his road to tabloid success, Billy Wilder asked: How far would a reporter go to get a story? His dark answer might have hurt box offices returns in his day, but in ours, Kirk Douglas’ turn as the ruthless, immoral newspaperman is mesmerizing.
If you avoid old movies because you consider them cheesy or overly optimistic, Ace in the Hole is quite a cure. Here’s the scenario: Down-on-his-luck reporter Chuck Tatum (Kirk Douglas) happens into a small town in New Mexico, where a foolish hunter of Indian burial site treasures, Leo (Richard Benedict), has become trapped under a mountain, blocked by rocks that will cave in on him if he moves. Inspired by a similar scenario that earned writer William Burke Miller a Pulitzer, Tatum decides he’ll be the victim’s sole contact, and bilk the accident for all it’s worth. When his cub reporter companion questions Tatum’s wish for a prolonged rescue, Tatum snaps, “I don’t make things happen. All I do is write about it.”
Of course, Tatum immediately proves the lie of his words, sweet talking an engineer and sheriff into the long route to Leo. A rescue that should only take hours stretches for days, with hyped-up tourists and aspiring entrepreneurs and newspaper staffs quick to follow. Eventually, a carnival even arrives.
The only potential obstacle to all this hoopla–Leo’s wife–is not exactly distraught.
How’s this for spousal support: Lorraine (Jan Sterling) figures with Leo stuck, she can take off on him without interference; when Tatum attacks her betrayal, she throws his motives back at him: “Honey, you like those rocks just as much as I do.” Since Tatum needs the lovely, worried wife for his stories, he convinces her to stay—by pointing out all the money the media vultures will bring with them, and by seducing her now and then.
Tatum fully enjoys the maelstrom he’s created. He has become the hero who takes the dangerous trek to give Leo comfort daily. He even enjoys Leo’s friendship–with no real guilt. Tatum is so shameless he even agrees to the “honor” of Leo’s father loaning him his own room, even if it means dodging Leo’s silent mother, who spends the entire film praying. But when the trapped man’s health starts to decline, with hours still to reach him, the reporter’s long-dormant conscience starts to emerge. The question, of course, is whether it’s too late.
The role of Tatum is ideal for Douglas, who is never better than when he plays a character like this: oily, smart, cynical, smug, self-assured, and sexy. Despite Tatum’s cruelty, it’s hard not to root for an anti-hero so lacking in illusions, especially about himself.
When Lorraine quotes his writing to him, praising its eloquence, Tatum snaps back, “Tomorrow this will be yesterday’s paper, and they’ll wrap a fish in it.”
Lorraine’s right, of course: This film boasts some of writer/director Wilder’s (and his coworkers’) finest lines. Although not his most celebrated film, it’s clearly one of the master’s best. Any media lover/hater is a fool to miss it.
This post is part of the “Try It, You’ll Like It!” Blogathon, hosted by Sister Celluloid and Movies Silently. For more movies that might bring non-classic-film lovers into the fold, click here!
I asked the family what movie for newbies they would choose and the hubby rattled off a list of Wilder movies. Your selection of “Ace in the Hole” (or “The Big Carnival” as I first knew it) would certainly be an eye-opener to the uninitiated. It would hit them smack between the eyes. Excellent!
Thanks, Patricia! You’re so right. It felt like a physical shock the first time I saw it. I can’t imagine what that would be like if I had thought of old movies as all sentimental!! (as some sadly do)
That’s fascinating that this film coined the term “circus’ in relation to a crazy media event. I always thought this didn’t sound as interesting as Wilder’s other films, but you make it sound much more exciting than I supposed.
Such a good film, and if you’re a Douglas fan, you’ll love it.
Great choice for the blogathon! Like you said, this is a must for media watchers because it’s more timely now than when it was first released.
I also agree re: Kirk Douglas’ performance. His amoral charisma is riveting.
Yes, it doesn’t seem like Wilder anticipated its reception at all. Douglas when he’s at his best is so shockingly charismatic, isn’t he? I would have loved to see him onstage–
You’ve certainly tempted me! I’m surprised I don’t know this film. Deadline USA is another good media film.
I haven’t seen that one! Thank you for the rec. I love news movies of all kinds. I don’t think its multiple names (The Big Carnival) help when it comes to its popularity, but it’s hard to understand why a film so relevant today isn’t more accessible…Luckily, it’s on Amazon Watch Instantly now.
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Thank you so much for joining in! It’s amazing how a well-timed punch to the gut (cinematic, of course) will open people’s eyes about the versatility and power of classic film.
Thank you! I’m having such a good time reading all of the entries.
There is not a time that I think about media and newspaper / TV news coverage that I don’t remember Ace in the Hole. It’s a poignant, raw, bitter and incredibly modern movie. And I agree that the current successes in the film world have a lot to do with this incredible movie.
Don’t forget to read my contribution to the blogathon! 🙂
Kisses!
Le
http://www.criticaretro.blogspot.com
Beautifully put, Le, and so true. Yes, I will! I’m a little behind since I’m in the last week of class, but I will definitely catch up this weekend:)
Excellent choice. This is one of those movies I find painful to watch, but in a good way.
It’s true. It’s not easy, but you can’t look away…
What a great choice Leah. “Ace in the Hole” is no namby pamby fluff musical. If some newbie wants to see an old “black ‘n white” that feels relevant to their experience today, a media that is craven and out for a story they can promote, what better vehicle than Kirk Douglas, the media circus, a victim’s wife is out to use this tragedy for her own gain. I enjoyed reading your well-written take on the film.
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Thank you. No, it certainly isn’t! It’s on my list of movies to sway my sister into classic film. Wish me luck:)
Please check out my January blogathon…you might be interested: https://cinemavensessaysfromthecouch.wordpress.com/2015/11/23/blogathon-announcement-part-deux/
Definitely am! Just wrote you:)