The ACME Eagle Hand Soap Radio Hour (209)

Before our feature presentation, ACME would like to start the evening with another Looney Tunes Bugs Bunny cartoon, the 1954 Lumber Jack-Rabbit (released in 3-D), directed by Chuck Jones.



Chuck Jones left Warner Brothers for four months over the production of this cartoon, which he felt was unsatisfactory. He went to Disney for those months, and worked on Sleeping Beauty, but eventually realized that, although he thought Walt Disney was an excellent producer, the company was not right for him. A famous meeting occurred when Disney told Jones "We can work out something for you" and Jones responded "Well, you have one job here that I want, and that's yours!" to which Disney said "I'm sorry, it's filled." It was the only time Jones left the company in a career that lasted over 25 years, until Jones was "let go" with the animation department in 1962.


Before the start of our feature presentation, ACME Eagle Hand Soap would like you to share with a talk with everybody's favorite dirty uncle from 2019 -



I know John has been quoted as saying he doesn't really miss making films but I hope he can get back to it soon.


We've picked another entry from the excellent reference book, 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die by Steven Jay Schneider for today's feature. Today's choice is Billy Wilder's nearly forgotten 1951 very cynical film noir follow up to his very dark film noir Sunset Boulevard, Ace in the Hole (AKA The Big Carnival) starring Kirk Douglas and Jan Sterling. Not surprisingly for Wilder, at the time of the film's release, critics found the film, too dark and cold. Billy Wilder was known to tell of a (possibly apocryphal) incident that occurred not long after the film’s release and its scathing reviews. Wilder witnessed a car accident in which a man was run over right in front of him. As Wilder got out of his car to check on the victim, a newspaper cameraman took a picture of the scene. Wilder told the cameraman to call an ambulance, but he replied, “I’ve got to get to the Los Angeles Times. I’ve got a picture that I’ve got to deliver.” Wilder said, “You put that in a movie, the critics think you’re exaggerating.” So we would like you to relax (quick, find the most comfortable seat on the sofa,) get a snack (perhaps, some tamales,) and a beverage (a shot of whiskey,) and join The ACME Eagle Hand Soap Radio Hour in watching this very dark film, Ace in the Hole.



Paramount Studios, without Billy Wilder's permission, changed the film's title to The Big Carnival in an effort to increase the box office take of the film. It didn't work. On top of that, Wilder's next picture, Stalag 17, was a hit and he expected a share of the picture's profits. The studio's accountants told him that since this picture lost money, the money it lost would be subtracted from the profits of Stalag 17. Billy Wilder later admitted that it had a negative impact on his career...while also citing it as one of the best films he ever made.



Demand Euphoria!