Before he became one of the most versatile film writer-directors of all time, Billy Wilder was a journalist in Berlin. He changed career paths when he fell in love with screenwriting, and worked on a handful of films in Germany before the rise of the Nazi party forced him to make his way to Hollywood. As far as I’ve read, Wilder enjoyed his time writing for tabloids, so Ace in the Hole feels like it comes out of nowhere.

Chuck Tatum (Kirk Douglas) is a reporter who has been kicked out of every major publication due to his temper and has therefore been reduced to begging for a job with a small newspaper in Albuquerque. A hit story falls into his lap when he and his photographer stop for gas at a station in the middle of nowhere. There, they find out that a man named Leo Minosa, who actually owns and operates the gas station with his wife Lorraine, is trapped in a collapsed cliff dwelling. Tatum does everything in his power to extend the rescue mission so he has a week’s worth of news stories. As people hear about the incident, they come in droves to the cliff dwelling to see the rescue mission unfold, and the whole area becomes a big carnival. However, through time and faulty method, it becomes clear that Leo isn’t making it out of the cliff dwelling and Tatum finally realizes he went too far for a scoop, but it’s too late.

It’s funny to me, reading reviews from the time of the film’s release, how indignant film critics were about the idea of a lack of journalistic integrity. Reviews were scathing and a lot of them focused on how unbelievable the idea that a journalist would have put an innocent man’s life on the line for the sake of a good story was. Since then, critics have reevaluated the film as another gem in the crown of an illustrious career, and rightfully so. Ace in the Hole is more poignant than ever in an age of clickbait headlines and “fake news”. It’s also the most cynical work of a man who was notorious for cynicism. Wilder’s firing on all cylinders, which was clearly too much for critics and audiences of the day. The film didn’t make back it’s budget until it was rentable in the Blockbuster Video age, and was considered a flop in the middle of a strong run of movies, sandwiched between Sunset Boulevard and Stalag 17.

I’m glad it’s getting more respect as time goes on. It’s not my favorite Wilder film, but I love the anger behind it. And maybe I’m on the internet too much, but the plot doesn’t seem too farfetched. Honestly, the most unbelievable part of the movie is that Tatum is the only journalist trying to exploit the situation. Ace in the Hole may not be for everyone. Remember, Tatum is a violent man, but don’t worry, he isn’t unscathed by the end.

Bonus Review: A Face in the Crowd

If you’re looking to make a night of cynical features, look no further than A Face in the Crowd. Andy Griffith’s film debut is a far cry from what would be his well-known Mayberry Sheriff persona…well, maybe not that far a cry. Andy Griffith plays Larry “Lonesome” Rhodes, a drifter who comes to a town in Arkansas and gets picked up for a radio station. His folksy demeanor takes the area by storm and he becomes a sensation, growing in wealth and power, but behind the scenes, he’s a vicious, vile man who thinks his followers are morons who will believe anything he says. Sound like anyone you know?

A Face in the Crowd is another cynical film that was ahead of its time, under-appreciated at the time of its release, but is hopefully being discovered by more people as time goes on. The only hang up is whether or not you’ve watched The Andy Griffith Show. If you’ve seen the show, you’re going to fall into two camps: either you can’t see wholesome Andy in such a venomous role or you appreciate the true range he possesses as an actor. If you’re in the former camp, you probably won’t like this movie. Just fair warning.