to the rescue site, the financial windfall leads her to go along with Tatum's scheme. After filing an initial report on the accident, Tatum persuades local sheriff Gus Kretzer to give him exclusive access to Leo in return for reportage that will guarantee Kretzer's reelection. Kretzer and Tatum convince construction contractor Smollett to drill from above rather than shoring up the walls, extending the rescue from 12 hours to a week to keep the story going. As the days pass, the rescue site becomes an all-day carnival and Tatum starts drinking again. Cook loses his idealism and dreams of selling pictures to high-profile papers. Tatum quits the Sun-Bulletin, persuading Cook to quit with him, and Tatum talks Nagel, his former boss in New York, into hiring him to report exclusively from the scene for $1,000 a day plus his old job back. Five days into the event, Leo develops pneumonia and is given 12 hours to live. Tatum sends a news flash: Leo will be rescued in 12 hours. However, Smollett tells him that shoring up the walls is now impossible due to the drilling. In a hypoxemic daze, Leo tells Tatum there is a fifth-year anniversary present for Lorraine in their bedroom. Tatum forces a reluctant Lorraine to open the gift, a fur stole, and Tatum makes her wear it. She protests, and Tatum begins to choke her with the stole. She stabs Tatum with the pair of scissors, and Tatum drives away. Tatum takes the local priest to Leo to administer his last rites, and Leo dies. Tatum announces to the crowd that Leo died, proclaiming, "the circus is over." The other reporters send off the story to their newspapers ahead of Tatum. The carnival and crowd pack up to leave, and Lorraine is among them looking for a ride. Stumbling into his room and ridiculed by the other reporters, Cook tells Tatum that Nagel has fired him for letting other newspapers break the story of Leo's death. Tatum calls Nagel and tries to confess to killing Leo and purposely delaying the rescue, but Nagel hangs up on him without hearing his confession. Tatum and Cook drive back to the Sun-Bulletin offices, where Tatum tries to get back his position there. He collapses from his wound and dies. Cast Kirk Douglas as Charles "Chuck" Tatum Jan Sterling as Lorraine Minosa Robert Arthur as Herbie Cook Porter Hall as