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Ace in the Hole

Ace in the Hole

7,8 /10 (762 Votes)
1951 EN 112 min

Overview

An arrogant reporter exploits a story about a man trapped in a cave to revitalize his career.

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Release date

29/06/1951

Votes

762

Popularity

3.3

Rough, tough Chuck Tatum, who battered his way to the top... trampling everything in his path - men, women and morals !

Genres

Status

Released

Language

EN

Runtime

112 min

Budget

$1,821,052

Revenue

$1,300,000

Kirk Douglas

Kirk Douglas

Charles Tatum

Jan Sterling

Jan Sterling

Lorraine

Robert Arthur

Robert Arthur

Herbie Cook

Porter Hall

Porter Hall

Jacob Q. Boot

Frank Cady

Frank Cady

Mr. Federber

Richard Benedict

Richard Benedict

Leo Minosa

Ray Teal

Ray Teal

Sheriff

Lewis Martin

Lewis Martin

McCardle

John Berkes

John Berkes

Papa Minosa

No photo

Frances Dominguez

Mama Minosa

Gene Evans

Gene Evans

Deputy Sheriff

No photo

Frank Jaquet

Smollett

Harry Harvey

Harry Harvey

Dr. Hilton

No photo

Bob Bumpas

Radio Announcer

No photo

Geraldine Hall

Mrs. Federber

Richard Gaines

Richard Gaines

Nagel

No photo

Oscar Belinda

Barker (uncredited)

No photo

Martin Bendleton

Barker (uncredited)

No photo

Basil Chester

Indian (uncredited)

No photo

Ken Christy

Jessop (uncredited)

No photo

Stewart Kirk Clawson

Federber Boy (uncredited)

Iron Eyes Cody

Iron Eyes Cody

Indian Copy Boy (uncredited)

No photo

Francisco Day

Photographer (uncredited)

Lester Dorr

Lester Dorr

Father Diego (uncredited)

Claire Du Brey

Claire Du Brey

Spinster (uncredited)

Edith Evanson

Edith Evanson

Miss Deverich (uncredited)

William Fawcett

William Fawcett

Sad-Faced Man (uncredited)

No photo

John Stuart Fulton

Boy (uncredited)

No photo

Joe Gray

Minor Role (uncredited)

No photo

Charles Griffin

Mr. Wendel (uncredited)

No photo

Larry Hogan

Television Announcer (uncredited)

No photo

Frank Keith

Fireman (uncredited)

Bob Kortman

Bob Kortman

Digger (uncredited)

No photo

Martha Maryman

Woman (uncredited)

No photo

Stanley McKay

Reporter (uncredited)

No photo

Joe J. Merrill

Digger (uncredited)

No photo

Paul D. Merrill

Federber Boy (uncredited)

Lee Miller

Lee Miller

Mover (uncredited)

Ralph Moody

Ralph Moody

Kusac - Miner (uncredited)

Bert Moorhouse

Bert Moorhouse

Josh Morgan (uncredited)

William H. O'Brien

William H. O'Brien

Customer at Minosa's (uncredited)

No photo

Frank Andrew Parker

Reporter (uncredited)

No photo

Martin Pendleton

Barker (uncredited)

No photo

William N. Peters

Photographer (uncredited)

Timothy Carey

Timothy Carey

Construction Worker (uncredited)

Bill Ramsey

Bill Ramsey

Vocalist (uncredited)

No photo

Jack Roberts

Newspaperman (uncredited)

No photo

Bill Sheehan

Man (uncredited)

No photo

Bert Stevens

Reporter (uncredited)

No photo

John 'Bub' Sweeney

Reporter (uncredited)

No photo

Rythem Wranglers

Band (uncredited)

Original Soundtrack

Loading soundtrack videos…

John Chard

John Chard

2020-02-09

⭐ 9

It's a good story today. Tomorrow, they'll wrap a fish in it. Ace in the Hole is directed by Billy Wilder and Wilder co-writes the screenplay with Lesser Samuels, Walter Newman and Victor Desny. It stars Kirk Douglas, Jan Sterling, Bob Arthur, Porter Hall and Richard Benedict. Music is by Hugo Friedhofer and cinematography by Charles Lang Jr. Chuck Tatum (Douglas) is a one time big-city journalist who is now stuck working for an out of the way Albuquerque newspaper. When on his way to another mundane reporting job he happens upon the chance to exploit a story about a man trapped in a c…

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B

badelf

2026-05-11

⭐ 7

Billy Wilder's Ace in the Hole remains a masterclass in cynicism, even if the world it depicts has shifted beyond recognition. Kirk Douglas delivers one of his finest performances as Chuck Tatum, a disgraced reporter who transforms a man's entrapment in a collapsed cliff dwelling into a calculated media spectacle. Wilder's direction is sharp, controlled, ruthless; the film moves with the precision of a man tightening a noose. What's aged less gracefully is the premise itself. In an era where AI generates content and the few remaining journalists on the ground lack the luxury of time Tatum expl…

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