THE BIG CARNIVAL (ACE IN THE HOLE) (1951) B/W 111m dir: Billy Wilder

w/Kirk Douglas, Jan Sterling, Robert Arthur, Porter Hall, Frank Cady, Richard Benedict, Ray Teal, Lewis Martin, John Berks, Frances Dominguez

Terrific drama. Grim tale of a big city reporter who capitalizes on a disaster to ride himself back into the big time. Unrelenting in its cynicism, with superb performances.

From The Movie Guide: "A bitter pill, brilliantly done by Billy Wilder. Boozy, but ruthlessly ambitious newspaperman, Douglas, down on his luck and desperate to improve his lot as a result of a mining accident, builds a media circus. Gut-busting performance by a growling Douglas, matched easily by snarling Sterling, who gets the best line: 'I don't pray. Kneeling bags my nylons.' An uneasy classic."

Nominated for an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay (Lesser Samuels, Walter Newman).