Um, wow. I still find no evidence anywhere on the web that it’s ever been released. Could I talk you into snagging me one, and I’ll send you dough? It’s an obscure experimental film so I’d be flummoxed if that’s the same film at WalMart, but stranger things have happened so I’d be willing to gamble on it.
Also, anyone who caught this on TCM: what did Osborne say as introduction? My TiFaux cut off the first 15 min, so I missed that plus 10 min of the movie. I’m curious if he had anything to say other than a generic introduction. Thanks!
Lissener, I sincerely apologize, that was an attempt at humour, and I forgot to add the smiley to indicate that. I just found that movie title so intriguing.
I am also impressed that you have possibly done things against the law to see an obscure film. Please don’t pit me for the bad joke!
Osborne did not comment on the obscurity or the lawsuit over the film, he just commented that it was not popular when released, they changed the name when re-released and still bombed, and other general comments that you would already know.
I’ve received my disc in the mail from a generous Doper; thanks very much for the save, it’s much, much appreciated.
So I put the disc in my player, and Robert Osborne says–among other things–that this showing is “a TCM premiere.”
So–
–I guess I shoulda responded initially with the ole “cite?”
Where did you track down this info, Walloon?
What, don’t you keep and memorize old TV Guides?
No; only Juggs.
I just got around to watching my DVRed copy tonight. I think he’s dead: he had been stabbed hours earlier.
But I’m wondering if we’re supposed to think that he wrote up the story of how he killed Minosa for Boot to publish. Or that the kid photographer took it down. Or that Boot is a good enough journalist to know what happened and print the “true” story.
Or that the true story never gets told. The cynical, depressing ending.
I was really struck by how relevant to issues of journalism today the movie was. I imagine that there are many small towns in America that would understand this story: Columbine, Tallmansville, WV (location of the Sago Mine disaster last year), etc. Even if there weren’t literal circuses, I’m sure that people in those places could tell stories about restaurants, motels, and stores that were sorry to see all those media trucks leave.
Yeah, I thought of Columbine too when I saw this the first time. I think the “cynicism” that *was * considered over the top in its day is kids’ stuff today. It’s like watching Network and realizing that the TV shows in that movie are supposed to be like scifi inconceivable, when today such programming makes up, what, 40% of the TV schedule.
Kirk was definitely dead at the end- remember this is 1951, and since he was responsible for the guy’s death, he must die too. Although if you look at it that way, you see that the whole scene where he gets stabbed doesn’t fit with the rest of the film, and exists solely as a reason for him dying at the end.
I only recently watched “Town Without Pity”, recorded the same evening I believe, where Kirk Douglas plays another “Dastardly Bastard as Protagonist”. He’s really good at that. 
Good film, too.
Ace in the Hole is getting the Criterion treatment come July. Which is great, since I frakking lost the disc I burned for Lis :smack:
Yeah, I get their emails. Meant to post something here, but then, um, I didn’t. Thanks for the catch, Annie!
It’s here! It’s here! The Criterion disc of* Ace in the Hole *just showed up! Woohoo!
Awesome! With essays by one of my favorite critics, Molly Haskell, and one of my favorite directors, Guy Madden.
Bringing this up for a bump. Ace in the Hole will be shown this coming Sunday, August 26, at 10:15 PM Eastern Time on TCM .
So, set your TiVo’s, VCR’s, or just plan to watch. If you miss it, it will be on again on September 27, and again on November 7.
Or if Lissener wants to drag her can up to Vancouver, it’s on the big screen at Pacific Cinematheque this weekend.
Cool. It’s been renting since it came out a couple weeks ago. Apparently there was an item on NPR about it.
lissener is a gal?
:smack:
Actually, ???
“Ace in the Hole” was a good watch, I’m glad I caught it, thanks for the heads-up.
I especially enjoyed the deeply non-grieving potential widow. Never has the downside of buying life insurance been so brilliantly exposed.
I did find myself wishing that someone other than Kirk Douglas had played the lead. I thought Kirk did a lot of scenery-chewing, but the big problem was Kirk’s looks. He was just too fucking improbably handsome to play a loser desperate to grab an opportunity to make it big in journalism. The role needed someone a little more ordinary looking, who could more convincingly portray vulnerability, a person who is deeply aware that he could wind up writing stringer stories in Bugfuck, Arkansas if he doesn’t make this break work for him. Kirk never seems that vulnerable in the role, even
when things go very, very wrong for him and his ace in the hole.
I think I would have preferred Fred MacMurray in the role.
But still, a good watch, nice and cynical and savvy, if heavy-handed in places. You gotta remember, the Code was still around in those days. I’m suprised the Merry Widow wasn’t run over by a bus as she left town.