Ace in the Hole (The Big Carnival)

Ace in the Hole (The Big Carnival) (1951)

  • 86% of critics liked it
    (22 reviews)

  • 91% of users liked it
    (5,436 ratings)

Billy Winder directed and co-wrote this bitterly satiric comedy-drama which turns a jaundiced eye towards both the news media and its consumers. Chuck Tatum (Kirk Douglas) is a talented but short-tempered reporter whose fondness for booze and unwillingness to bow to authority has cost him jobs at… More

Unrated,
Directed By
Written By
Billy Wilder, Walter Newman, Lesser Samuels
Genres
Drama, Comedy
In Theaters
Oct 19, 1951 Wide
Paramount Pictures

Critic Reviews

  • Nathan Lee, Village Voice

    A lurid pulp indictment of exploitation, opportunism, doctored intelligence, torture for profit, insatiable greed, and shady journalism.

  • , Time Out New York

    As a diatribe against all that is worst in human nature, it has moments dipped in pure vitriol.

  • Dave Kehr, Chicago Reader

    This 1951 film, about a cynical reporter who seizes on the plight of a man trapped in a mine shaft to promote his career, is cold, lurid, and fascinating, propelled by the same combination of moral outrage and sneaky admiration.

  • Bosley Crowther, New York Times

    Ace in the Hole is badly weakened by a poorly constructed plot, which depends for its strength upon assumptions that are not only naive but absurd.

  • J. Hoberman, Village Voice

    By no means a great -- or even a particularly good -- movie, but its sustained nastiness shows a stunning disregard for box-office niceties.

Read all 16 critic reviews

See more critic ratings and reviews on Rotten Tomatoes

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Featured Audience Ratings

  • Bruce B


    A Criterion Collection Film, Spime Number #396. Its one of the best I've seen from the collection.. Kirk Douglas plays a excellent part and though filmed in 1951, it shows how people are today. Out for one thing the big green dollar. Worth the rent or the purchase, in one word… More

  • Ken S


    An amazing central performance by Douglas in probably his douche-baggiest role ever. Like most Billy Wilder fair it's totally watchable from beginning to end.

  • familiar s


    I reckon with those who claim this to be one of the great classical movies of all time. It shows how low can certain people stoop just for the sake of fame, mostly followed by money. Having covered nothing interesting for almost a year, Charles Tatum begins to get bored by his job as… More

  • AJ V


    This is my favourite Kirk Douglas movie and my favourite Billy Wilder movie. The story is highly dramatic, suspenseful, and exciting. And the ending is so perfect, I wouldn't have it any other way. I love this movie, it's one of my favourites.

  • Conner R


    This is a good movie, there's no denying that. However, this has its fair share of flaws. Slow paced stories really don't suit Billy Wilder and this proves it. He tries to fit in as much meaningless talk and characters in this to have the desired feel of his other movies… More

Read all 20 featured audience ratings

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Cast

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