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With: Kirk Douglas, Jan Sterling, Robert Arthur, Porter Hall, Frank Cady, Richard Benedict, Ray Teal, Lewis Martin, John Berkes, Frances Dominguez, Gene Evans, Frank Jaquet, Harry Harvey, Bob Bumpas, Geraldine Hall, Richard Gaines, Iron Eyes Cody
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Written by: Billy Wilder, Lesser Samuels, Walter Newman
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Directed by: Billy Wilder
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MPAA Rating: NR
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Running Time: 111
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Date: 07/04/1951
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Cave New World
By Jeffrey M. Anderson
One of the most powerfully cynical movies ever made, and one that feels ever more relevant today, Billy Wilder's masterful Ace in the Hole is a hard, fearless look at media manipulation and consumption. Kirk Douglas plays outcast big city newspaper reporter Chuck Tatum, who conjures up a sensation with the story of a man trapped in a cave. Though the man could be rescued in a matter of hours, Tatum drag the story on for days, building its momentum. The trapped man's wife (Jan Sterling) only cares about money, and the crowd that gathers lusts only for showmanship; a song written about the trapped man briefly evokes some sympathy, until the camera pulls back to reveal sheet music being sold for 25 cents each. Wilder's stark, black-and-white cinematography emphasizes hubris and ego, with shadows crossing over faces, and the newsroom's "Tell the Truth" sign hanging over everything. (Also released as The Big Carnival.)
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