| Other author/creator | Wilder, Billy, 1906-2002 producer, director, screenwriter, interviewee. |
| Other author/creator | Samuels, Lesser. |
| Other author/creator | Newman, Walter. |
| Other author/creator | Douglas, Kirk, 1916-2020 actor, interviewee. |
| Other author/creator | Sterling, Jan, 1923-2004, actor. |
| Other author/creator | Arthur, Robert, 1925-2008 actor. |
| Other author/creator | Hall, Porter, 1888-1953 actor. |
| Other author/creator | Cady, Frank, 1915-2012, actor. |
| Other author/creator | Benedict, Richard, 1916-1984 actor. |
| Other author/creator | Teal, Ray, 1902-1976, actor. |
| Other author/creator | Jaquet, Frank, 1885-1958 actor. |
| Other author/creator | Lang, Charles B. |
| Other author/creator | Friedhofer, Hugo. |
| Other author/creator | Sinyard, Neil commentator. |
| Other author/creator | Ciment, Michel, 1938- interviewer. |
| Included Work | Haskell, Molly Noir in broad daylight. |
| Included Work | Maddin, Guy, 1956- Chin up for mother. |
| Other author/creator | Paramount Pictures Corporation. |
| Other author/creator | Criterion Collection (Firm) |
| Variant title |
Title on disc label and container: Billy Wilder's Ace in the hole |
| Series |
The Criterion collection ; 396
Criterion collection (DVD videodiscs) ; 396. ^A506835
|
| Contents |
Disc 1: the film: Arrival in Albuquerque -- "Where's my desk?" -- Life sentence -- "Good news is no news" -- Human interest -- Leo -- "Forget the rattlesnakes" -- Lorraine wants out -- Mr. and Mrs. America -- "Everybody likes a break" -- Ace in the hole -- Twenty minutes -- New community -- Gentlemen of the press -- From the top -- Leo suffers as the carnival arrives -- Accusations from Boot -- Rounding third -- Song for Leo -- Turn for the worse -- Out of options -- Present -- Last rites -- Circus is over -- Tatum special -- "For nothing" -- Color bars Special features: Commentary by Neil Sinyard [optional audio feature]; Theatrical trailer (2 min.). |
| Abstract |
The Ace in the Hole, in this case, is Leo Minosa, trapped in a cliff dwelling near Albuquerque, N.M. The publicity from his situation could build a winning hand for several people: Chuck Tatum, manipulative veteran newsman; Lorraine, his bored wife who dreams of city lights; Sheriff Gus Kretzer, boosting his re-election campaign; and young Herbie, a reporter who wants to make the big leagues. In 1951, there was no 24-hour cable news, and the Albuquerque paper was not on the Internet. The modern media age, however, was dawning. A veritable carnival sets up at the rescue scene, which may be one of the sources of the term "media circus." |
| General note | Originally produced as an American motion picture in 1951. |
| General note | Disc 2: the supplements: "Portrait of a '60% perfect man': Billy Wilder" [featurette] (60 min.); Billy Wilder at the American Film Institute [featurette] (24 min.); Kirk Douglas interview [featurette] (14 min.); Walter Newman interview [audio only feature] (10 min.); Spike Lee afterword [featurette] (6 min.); Stills gallery; Insert (a facsimile newspaper) includes essays "Noir in broad daylight" by Molly Haskell and "Chin up for Mother" by Guy Maddin. |
| Credits | Director of photography, Charles B. Lang, Jr.; edited by Arthur Schmidt ; music score by Hugo Friedhofer ; art direction, Hal Pereira and Earl Hedrick ; costumes, Edith Head. |
| Cast |
Kirk Douglas, Jan Sterling, Bob Arthur, Porter Hall, Frank Cady, Richard Benedict, Ray Teal, Frank Jaquet. |
| Technical details | DVD. |
| Language | In English with optional subtitles in English. |
| Awards note | Winner, International Award: Billy Wilder, 1951 Venice Film Festival; Best Actress Award: Jan Sterling, 1951 National Board of Review. |
| Other title | Portrait of a 60% perfect man. |
| ISBN | 1934121681 |
| ISBN | 9781934121689 |
| UPC |
715515024723 |
| Publisher number | CC1705D Criterion Collection. |
