Also know as "The Ace in the Hole" I first saw this movie at a drive in movie theater with my parents in the early 1950's. It left a big impression on me and every time there is a "trapped in a mine" type news story I think of it. In fact, every time the news media hypes a disaster news story I think of it.
The basic plot is Kirk Douglas is a down on his luck New York City news reporter who is stuck working for a small newspaper in Albuquerque, New Mexico who learns of a man trapped in a old mine. He turns the story into a big media carnival in an attempt to get back to the "Big City". He intentionally prolongs the rescue attempt to be able to make it into a longer news story that will catch the nation's attention. He has a carnival set up with hot dog stands and rides to entertain the thousands of people who arrive to observe the rescue attempt. The movie make a great statement about the media and about peoples fascination with disaster whether they are natural or man made. Billy Wilder Directed the move. It's available on DVD from Netflix.
Click on the title for a link to IMDB.
