Ace in the Hole

Billy Wilder is awesome, even if Some Like it Hot is overrated. This isn't exactly a "lost masterpiece," as it has been billed, but it's not the runt of the litter either. Actually feels a little stage-y to me, what with the speeches (and self-conscious lines like "Is this another one of your long playing records, Chuck? Let's hear the other side."), relatively few key locales, and the melodramatic final scene. But there's some good performances, and a compelling if familiar story, not to mention a few flashes of the ol' Wilder wit, especially in the first half. (watched 8/22/07)