The third film version of the hit play about an editor trying to stop his ace reporter leaving his job by bribing him with a hot story. A later version, 'Switching Channels', updated the plot to the world of satellite television - with disastrous results. Here it's Walter Matthau and Jack Lemmon verbally sparring their way to another hit. Matthau relishes every one-liner thrown his way, especially when it comes to uttering outrageous headline suggestions - 'Sheriff B Hartmann - Stooge of Stalin or Simply Stupid? '. This was director Billy Wilder's second stab at the world of journalism - he was a former journalist - on film. But his earlier 'Ace in the Hole', with Kirk Douglas as an amoral reporter willing to manipulate the news to get a big scoop, was a far blacker effort. TRIVIA: On a plane showing the film, comedienne Carol Burnett got up, went to the stewards' microphone afterwards and apologised to passengers for her (admittedly overwrought) performance.

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