Ace In The Hole (Billy Wilder, 1951)
There almost seems to be a Scorsese effect forming with Wilder, where I can basically break him into early era Wilder, with Ace In The Hole marking the end, and a later era starting with Stalag. Like Scorsese, the latter era is far more appealing and consistent to me.
I get what Wilder is doing here as a thematic point. You've got the newspaper man bending those around him to his will in order to promote his own career. It is all the bonds between public officials, private individuals and media that serve their own interests rather than the interests of truth or public interest. But the story is so dull and mundane that it really doesn't do much for me as a cinematic venture.
2/5