“Ace in the Hole” (1951)

Ace in the Hole

Grade: A+

Surprisingly dark and cynical, director/writer/producer Billy Wilder’s Ace in the Hole is a journalism movie like no other, seamlessly blending elements of noir, western, tragedy and psychological thriller to tell the tale of a messianic newspaper man who stumbles upon, or schemes up, the story of a lifetime. Our ruthless reporter, played with fiery authenticity by Kirk Douglas (his best performance?), manufactures a national media frenzy by exploiting a dying man trapped in a collapsed ancient Pueblo cliff dwelling. Tatum (Douglas) preys on the public, and together they prey on the dying man; an endless feedback loop of yellow clickbait sensationalism. Everyone is judged, no one is spared.

Wilder captures everything without cinematic embellishment, ironically serving as the film’s only objective observer. In doing so, his fourth estate takedown is particularly cruel and hard-hitting (unsurprisingly, initial reception among newspaper film critics was extremely negative). It’s a masterpiece in tension-filled storytelling, just as relevant now as when it was released; eerily prescient. In the end, however, Ace in the Hole isn’t only a scathing takedown of the free press; it’s an indictment on human nature itself: how far we can spiral, how morally bankrupt we can become. A complete rejection of the American dream. Fascinating stuff.

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More by Billy Wilder

• Double Indemnity (1944) A+

More by Kirk Doulas

• Young Man With a Horn (1950) B
• Paths of Glory (1957) A