ACE IN THE HOLE

I had a very good memory of this 1951 Billy Wilder film. which speaks to its dramatic power. 

The story was ‘inspired’, if that’s the right word for such a dark tale, by a couple of real life incidents, where journalists exploited people’s misfortunes in order to make a better story.

The film is dominated by Kirk Douglas as Chuck Tatum, a washed-up reporter.  In a nice touch our first sight of him is in his broken-down car being towed into Albuquerque, symbolising how much he has fallen.  In the past he has worked for big newspapers across the country but he is now forced to virtually beg to get taken on at the local Sun-Bulletin.  The reasons why Chuck has been kicked out by all those other editors seem to be manifold, ranging from a drink problem to playing fast and loose with the truth.

Fast forward a year and Chuck is getting mighty frustrated at the trivial nature of the news reports he has to work on, life in and around Albuquerque being unexciting to say the least. 

But fate takes a hand by gifting him a plum opportunity when he is on a typically humdrum assignment out in the wilds of New Mexico and he happens to hear of an unfortunate guy, Leo, who is trapped in a nearby collapsed cave dwelling.

Leo was there searching for native artifacts which he can sell in his nearby gas station which is located in the back of beyond, and doesn't make a load of money.

Chuck being first on the scene is able to strike up a relationship of sorts with Leo, and then with the help of the corrupt local sheriff, he acts ruthlessly to make sure he has sole access to Leo, so that he can exploit the event to its maximum potential. 

Soon people from near and far are drawn to the scene, and Chuck realises he can leverage his position to get back into the big-time.

But this is where the film takes a very dark turn.  

Chuck needs Leo to be trapped for several days, so with the help of said sheriff, Chuck ensures that a very inefficient method is used to rescue Leo, so preventing Leo being rescued in a matter of hours. 

Leo's wife Lorraine is fed up with her marriage and with her life helping run the gas station.  

Far from being the grief-stricken wife Chuck is portraying her as in his frequent news bulletins, she at one point packs her suitcase and makes to leave.  

She only changes her mind when she realises that the public interest in Leo's plight represents a golden money-making opportunity before she needs to skedaddle.  

An alternative title for the film was 'The Big Carnival' which is a good description of the atmosphere near to the cliffs.

Masses of sightseers turn up to camp there, so keen are they to witness the moment when Leo is finally rescued.  

Very quickly all sorts of entertainment arrives to cater for the public's needs, including a ferris wheel.  

There is of course something rather distasteful about the juxtaposition of all this hullabaloo outside the cliffs, and poor Leo's declining physical and mental health inside.  

But a lack of sentimentality is one of Wilder's qualities and it's hard to argue that the scenario he creates here isn't realistic.

In the third act things rapidly turn sour.  Leo has developed pneumonia and will die unless quickly got to a hospital, but unfortunately the rescue method that should have been used in the first place is no longer viable. 

Chuck realising that in effect he has killed Leo as a result of his ruthless ambition goes a little haywire.  In trying to get Lorraine to wear a cheap stole, an anniversary gift from Leo, he starts to strangle her with it, and in self-defence she stabs him with some scissors.

Rather than get his wound attended to, Chuck arranges for Leo to receive last rites from a local priest. 

He then informs the disappointed crowd that Leo is dead and that the "the circus is over", before trying to confess what he has done to an editor of a New York paper.  But the editor has no interest in whatever line Chuck is now trying to spin.

Finally Chuck goes back to the offices of the Sun-Bulletin, where he collapses and dies. 

It's a powerful and memorable film, anchored by a stellar performance by a well-cast Douglas.  It also benefits from being shot on location so that it has a very strong sense of place.

However, I didn't enjoy this rewatch as much as I had hoped.  

I have my misanthropic tendencies but even I found Wilder's scathing and uncompromising view of human nature here tough going.  

The only people who seem to genuinely care about Leo are his parents, but these are extremely minor characters who make very little impact.

Lorraine seems to be completely devoid of any redeeming qualities whatsoever.  

Chuck himself is more complicated.  He displays a cynical contempt for the public which the film seems to endorse, and he behaves terribly in the way he exploits Leo for personal gain, but at least eventually he does recognise the wrong he has done, even if it is too little, too late, both for Leo and I suspect for many viewers.

So a superior film for sure, but one which falls short of being an unalloyed pleasure.