Ace in the Hole 1951

Dave Kehr, Chicago Reader: This 1951 film, about a cynical reporter who seizes on the plight of a man trapped in a mine shaft to promote his career, is cold, lurid, and fascinating, propelled by the same combination of moral outrage and sneaky admiration. Read more

Bosley Crowther, New York Times: Ace in the Hole is badly weakened by a poorly constructed plot, which depends for its strength upon assumptions that are not only naive but absurd. Read more

Ruthe Stein, San Francisco Chronicle: Ace in the Hole is a revelation, as timely now as when it was made. Read more

Time Out: As a diatribe against all that is worst in human nature, it has moments dipped in pure vitriol. Read more

Geoff Andrew, Time Out: Read more

Variety: Read more

Nathan Lee, Village Voice: A lurid pulp indictment of exploitation, opportunism, doctored intelligence, torture for profit, insatiable greed, and shady journalism. Read more

J. Hoberman, Village Voice: By no means a great -- or even a particularly good -- movie, but its sustained nastiness shows a stunning disregard for box-office niceties. Read more