Tuesday, November 05, 2019
Ace in the Hole
- Commentary: I didn't know anything about this film when I first checked it out for viewing. I was on a binge, at the time, of watching movies that were made the year I was born and this was one of them. I barely remember any of the other movies I found (not a lot; our county library system is a bit short of 1951 films, even though there were plenty made, according to this list, 1,744, to be exact). This was not the only 1951 movie Kirk Douglas made, and it's not the only 1951 movie I own, but it's a doozy.
If you think the late 1960's through the early-to-mid 1970's had the bead on socially relevant movies, watch this one. The behavior depicted (brilliantly, in my estimation) in this film is so ubiquitous, now-a-days, not only by individual journalists (of which there are many Chuck Tatums) but by entire media corporations, that many don't even realize there is a problem ... until, that is, they watch this 68 year old movie. If you entertain, even a little bit, a healthy skepticism of today's media, you should treat yourself to this movie.
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Kirk Douglas Chuck Tatum Jan Sterling Kirk Douglas Kirk Douglas Herbie Cook Porter Hall Jacob Q. Boot Frank Cady Mr. Federber Richard Benedict Leo Minosa Ray Teal Sheriff Kretzer Lewis Martin McCardle John Berkes Papa Minosa Frances Dominguez Mama Minosa Gene Evans Deputy Sheriff Frank Jaquet Sam Smollett Harry Harvey Sr. Dr. Hilton Bob Bumpas Radio Announcer Richard Gaines Nagel Bert Moorhouse Josh Morgan
One of Roger Ebert's Great Movies.
Here's the link to the Wikipedia write-up for this film.
Release Date: 1951
Directed by Billy Wilder.
Labels: birth-year, Criterion1, drama2, film-noir1, journalism, kirk-douglas, melodramaB, political1, psychological1, suspense1
