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IMDb > Ace in the Hole (1951)
Ace in the Hole
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Ace in the Hole (1951) More at IMDbPro »

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Ace in the Hole (1951) -- A frustrated former big-city journalist now stuck working for an Albuquerque newspaper exploits a story about a man trapped in a cave to re-jump start his career, but the situation quickly escalates into an out-of-control circus.

Overview

User Rating:
8.2/10   6,264 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Down 8% in popularity this week. See rank & trends on IMDbPro.
Director:
Billy Wilder
Writers:
Billy Wilder (written by) &
Lesser Samuels (written by) ...
more
Contact:
View company contact information for The Big Carnival on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
29 June 1951 (USA) more
Genre:
Drama | Film-Noir more
Plot:
A frustrated former big-city journalist now stuck working for an Albuquerque newspaper exploits a story about a man trapped in a cave to re-jump start his career, but the situation quickly escalates into an out-of-control circus. full summary | full synopsis
Plot Keywords:
more
Awards:
Nominated for Oscar. Another 2 wins & 2 nominations more
NewsDesk:
Noir City 7—Eddie Muller’s Introductory Remarks to Ace In The Hole
 (From Twitch. 1 February 2009, 11:49 AM, PST)

User Comments:
Evil carnival more

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Kirk Douglas ... Chuck Tatum
Jan Sterling ... Lorraine Minosa
Robert Arthur ... Herbie Cook (as Bob Arthur)
Porter Hall ... Jacob Q. Boot
Frank Cady ... Mr. Federber
Richard Benedict ... Leo Minosa
Ray Teal ... Sheriff Gus Kretzer
Lewis Martin ... McCardle
John Berkes ... Papa Minosa
Frances Dominguez ... Mama Minosa
Gene Evans ... Deputy Sheriff
Frank Jaquet ... Sam Smollett
Harry Harvey ... Dr. Hilton
Bob Bumpas ... Radio Announcer
Geraldine Hall ... Nellie Federber
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Create a character page for: ?

Additional Details

Also Known As:
The Big Carnival (USA) (new title)
The Human Interest Story (USA) (working title)
more
Runtime:
111 min
Country:
USA
Language:
English | Latin
Aspect Ratio:
1.37 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Mono (Western Electric Recording)
Certification:
USA:TV-14 (TV rating) | UK:A (1951) | Finland:K-16 | Iceland:L | USA:Approved

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
Actor Victor Desny brought a lawsuit against this film while the script was being written. He claimed the film was an unauthorized version of the Floyd Collins story. Collins was actually stuck in a cave years earlier, as mentioned in the film. Since Desny owned the rights to the Collins story, he claimed copyright infringement. Desny prevailed, although Wilder appealed. The California Supreme Court ruled in Desny's favor. (Desny v. Wilder, 46 Cal. 2d 715, 299 (Cal. Sup. Ct. 1956).) more
Goofs:
Continuity: When Tatum and Boot are talking in the Minosa's back room, the amount of alcohol Tatum pours in his glass changes. more
Quotes:
[first lines]
Charles Tatum: Hey. Pull up at the corner.
more
Movie Connections:
Referenced in Portrait d'un homme 'à 60% parfait': Billy Wilder (1980) more
Soundtrack:
The Hut-Sut Song more

FAQ

What is the meaning of an "ace in the hole"?
How does the movie end?
A Note Regarding Spoilers
more
29 out of 38 people found the following comment useful:-
Evil carnival, 18 June 2001
10/10
Author: dbdumonteil

Fifty years later,Billy Wilder's tour de force has worn so well it should be considered the finest movie dealing with the media,topping "network" for instance.The world described here is so depressing,so disheartening that it takes drama to new limits.Not only Tatum is evil,but so are the miner's wife and family who take advantage of the situation ,regardless of any morals.So is the faceless crowd ,who has a wild time, near a dying man.You and me,we could be part of this populace,and maybe we've already been!Remember the little South American girl who fell into a pit in the eighties.The fair sequences might have influenced Fellini for "la dolce vita" (hype about a girl who would have seen the Virgin Mary).The soundtrack ,with its relentless thud ,is so oppressive you feel the unfortunate victim's plight within your body and your soul .

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Message Boards

Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for Ace in the Hole (1951)
Recent Posts (updated daily)User
Question about ending *SPOILER!* Hiyuga
Notes on ACE IN THE HOLE JSlack3
Excellent music by Hugo Friedhofer is... jbklingel
Location can it be seen from Amtrak Mysteryfan645
Question for those with the Criterion DVD ImOkayLarry
Really a Film-Noir? NJCHoBITSlvr
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