Network (1976)

Featured Audience Ratings

• Greg S

  
  Once-respected news anchor Howard Beale loses his mind and starts ranting during a live broadcast; since the UBS network is in last place the executives make the controversial decision to keep him on the air, and ratings soar as the news becomes a circus with Beale presiding as the… More
  Once-respected news anchor Howard Beale loses his mind and starts ranting during a live broadcast; since the UBS network is in last place the executives make the controversial decision to keep him on the air, and ratings soar as the news becomes a circus with Beale presiding as the "mad prophet of the airwaves." NETWORK is what all movie satires should aspire to be; the humor is cutting, passionate, purposeful and unforgiving. Paddy Chayefsky's dialogue is grandiose and unashamedly overwritten but brilliant---the film is packed with unforgettable monologues including William Holden dumping Faye Dunaway, Ned Beatty explaining that there are no nations anymore, and Peter Finch's iconic "I'm mad as hell and I'm not going to take it anymore!" rant.

• Josh M

  
  Network is a hilarious yet sad hate letter, a precscient black 'satire' about the evil world of television from 1976. Satire is in parentheses because every last one of its apparently outlandish over the top predictions about the bleak and soul destroying aspects of TV… More
  Network is a hilarious yet sad hate letter, a precscient black 'satire' about the evil world of television from 1976. Satire is in parentheses because every last one of its apparently outlandish over the top predictions about the bleak and soul destroying aspects of TV though ratings grabbing corporate capitalism have come to pass - in spades - 'reality TV' before the term had been coined. I know this because I work in the world of 'reality TV', but all you need to do prove this is turn on your TV set. The star of the film, and creator of a bitter, beautifully structured and frequently poetic script is that screenwriting colussus Paddy Chayefsky. Second most valuable players are the deeply talented and spectacular cast, academy award winners Peter Finch, Faye Dunaway, Beatrice Straight, but upon a recent viewing, William Holden, who is the heart and soul of this film. One of the best ever leading men in Hollywood history for manliness, looks and acting chops, Holden gives an indelible, sad eyed, heartfelt and intelligent performance that haunts you long after screening. He was cheated of an oscar for this one. Thirdly, the wonderful Sidney Lumet (arguably the highest quality and longest spanning list of Hollywood critical classics - over four decades -of any director) directs up to his usual high standards, but this is Chayefsky's film. Yes, Chaefysky's script is preachy and declamitory throughout with very long and discursive speeches spewing his venom about the current (30 years ago) state of TV and corporate American that has only become more dire in subsequent decades. However, these wonderful actors pull off each word with such panache and briliance that you almost don't notice the clunky aspects of the storytelling. I do wonder if a young person (under 25) would even perceive Network as a satire at all, except for a network decision to assassinate its anchorman for ratings. To them, this would just seem like a drama about the way things are, and a realistic one at that. Hmmm. I take that back, even that assination plot doesn't seem that outrageous today. (Osama navy seals takedown, anyone? A ratings hit if there ever was one.)

• Tsubaki S

  
  Resonates even more these days.

• A.D. V

  
  A terminally slow and boring satire of network television. It's got a few funny moments here and there ("Man, give her the f***ing overhead clause") but there's just too much slow moving drama and way too much pseudo-cerebral dialogue to keep me interested.… More
  A terminally slow and boring satire of network television. It's got a few funny moments here and there ("Man, give her the f***ing overhead clause") but there's just too much slow moving drama and way too much pseudo-cerebral dialogue to keep me interested. I'll stick to Broadcast News which isn't exactly the satire critics say it is but it's certainly a MUCH more entertaining look at the TV business.

• Steven C

  
  Sidney Lument's "Network" is one of my top 5 favorite films. You'll be hard-pressed to find anything as good as this. Honestly, this is a brilliant, tour de force, masterpiece featuring one of the best original screenplays ever written (courtesy of the great Paddy… More
  Sidney Lument's "Network" is one of my top 5 favorite films. You'll be hard-pressed to find anything as good as this. Honestly, this is a brilliant, tour de force, masterpiece featuring one of the best original screenplays ever written (courtesy of the great Paddy Chayefsky). Wildly prophetic, scathingly funny and featuring some of the best acting you'll ever come across (Faye Dunaway sends chills down my spine), "Network" is a bon-a-fide classic and a all-time personal favorite.

• Dan S

  
  A flawlessly written deconstruction of the television industry, concerning a raving lunatic of an anchor (Peter Finch) and how the network he works for exploits his obvious insanity for higher profits and excellent ratings. In addition to the fabulous plotting, the thing that really… More
  A flawlessly written deconstruction of the television industry, concerning a raving lunatic of an anchor (Peter Finch) and how the network he works for exploits his obvious insanity for higher profits and excellent ratings. In addition to the fabulous plotting, the thing that really keeps this film intriguing is the stellar dialogue, delivered by magnificent actors at the top of their respected games. Dunaway's performance is the real show-stealer, as a television head whose entire life is ruled by the tube, and as a result it destroys her relationship with a once-committed family man (William Holden), who is starting to realize his career in television was just a big waste itself. Definitely a satire with ferocious bite, and an ending completely out of left field - this movie remains a force throughout its duration.

• Spencer S

  
  Network does not rip images from the televison screen and cram them down your throat. Instead, it shows what happens behind the scenes of the programs we as Americans view every day. Howard Beale (Finch) starts out as a depressed and suicidal newscaster, blatantly rousing his network… More
  Network does not rip images from the televison screen and cram them down your throat. Instead, it shows what happens behind the scenes of the programs we as Americans view every day. Howard Beale (Finch) starts out as a depressed and suicidal newscaster, blatantly rousing his network (UBC) for his last hurrah. This exploitation is at first cause for reprimand, but slowly evolves into a staked claim for a share in ratings. So begings the saga of The Howard Beale show, half political diatribe/ half ranting, raving, soliloquy. Though he is left to range free as long as the audience keeps yelling his catchphrase, when he steps out of line he is chastised by the network head (Beatty) in one of the scariest tirades I've ever come across. Behind the scenes is Diana Christensen (Dunaway), from a generation that can't hold still long enough to stay on one channel, her programming and profiteering of Beale, and the network's lineup for the coming fall, sicken even the strongest stomaches. She is autonomous, without love or direction, she is holstered to William Holden's character for the only comfort and human companionship she can scrounge up. In my own opinion, the Oscars were incorrectly swept in 1976. The loss by Holden is inconceivable, and the historic win of Beatrice Straight, with only five minutes onscreen, is a rebuff of cinematic justice. A rousing commentary, and social invective, this is one of the most original films of the decade.

• Fernando Rafael Q

  
  Network is an engaging look at the cutthroat world of television, with an amazing (if somewhat overwrought) script by Paddy Chayefsky. It's great to see that a film with so much real drama can also have impeccable comic timing. Peter Finch, Robert Duvall, Ned Beatty, Marlene… More
  Network is an engaging look at the cutthroat world of television, with an amazing (if somewhat overwrought) script by Paddy Chayefsky. It's great to see that a film with so much real drama can also have impeccable comic timing. Peter Finch, Robert Duvall, Ned Beatty, Marlene Warfield and especially Faye Dunaway are incredible, despite the fact that it's nearly impossible to identify with any of the characters they portray.

• Michael G

  
  Every other time I've seen Network I've been able to view it with some level of denial and convince myself that things can't possibly be this deranged. Not this time. While last night's viewing was a more enriching one, I was left with an ominous feeling of defeat… More
  Every other time I've seen Network I've been able to view it with some level of denial and convince myself that things can't possibly be this deranged. Not this time. While last night's viewing was a more enriching one, I was left with an ominous feeling of defeat knowing that things were this bad for much longer than I thought, if not always. Not to say that Network is a manifesto for pessimism but the cruelty, the magnificent acting Chayefsky's brilliant writing and the highly questionable and alleged satire are all astonishing and proof that Network was light years ahead of its time.

• Lewis C

  
  "We're not a respectable network. We're a whorehouse network, and we have to take whatever we can get." Network is one of those movies that just grabs you. There's no better way to describe it. It's the rare kind of intelligent movie with a point that… More
  "We're not a respectable network. We're a whorehouse network, and we have to take whatever we can get." Network is one of those movies that just grabs you. There's no better way to describe it. It's the rare kind of intelligent movie with a point that also more than delivers the entertainment value. I don't think it's perfect, however. The story has two main connected threads, and I found the main one far more interesting than the side-plot/love story. I understand how the two aspects reflect each other and converge near the end to reinforce the point of the movie, but that doesn't change the fact that it gave me the feeling that Network was slightly uneven. Still, this movie is worth watching for a variety of reasons, including great performances by Peter Finch and Faye Dunaway, some excellent writing, and its commentary on television that's more relevant today than ever.

• Drew S

  
  I absolutely love Howard Beale. It's primarily because I hate him - how is it that Paddy Chayefsky, in creating this overwhelmingly intelligent and charismatic mad prophet, seemed to have predicted all of the demagogues that populate our airwaves now? He is dangerous because he… More
  I absolutely love Howard Beale. It's primarily because I hate him - how is it that Paddy Chayefsky, in creating this overwhelmingly intelligent and charismatic mad prophet, seemed to have predicted all of the demagogues that populate our airwaves now? He is dangerous because he is visible, and all of the broad doom-mongering he spews preys on the fears of the uneducated viewer, his entreaties to scream out the window and rail against the world a placebo for actually addressing the issues that all us common folk face. He's a Glenn Beck, a Bill O'Reilly, a supposed voice of clarity in the madness that simply cultivates a following through misinformation and subjective truth. Surely he doesn't realize the nonsense he's spewing (though Peter Finch, in his feverishly arrogant, wild-eyed performance, absolutely does) - in the throes of dementia, he feels he's personally ascended to some state of divine revelation, and his associates at the news station make a spectacle of him. There's so much to take in here: the irresponsibility that they all exhibit in knowing that he has a problem but letting him run away with it, the commodification of mental illness as entertainment for the people, the preoccupation of everyone at the station with making a new big hit instead of helping out their coworker. The lack of humanity on display is totally unsettling, and through this character, Network is able to communicate so many different things so efficiently. A through and through sensational movie. It's sickening to see how little our news media has evolved over the years. Critical but not overwhelmingly condemnatory, it's a wonderfully adult movie that happens to take a very firm, eloquent stand.

• ♥Robyn

  
  great cast...Faye Dunaway,William Holden,Peter Finch and Robert Duvall... the story takes place in the news room of UBS-TV, a fictional, last place network...The UBS Evening News, anchored by veteran Howard Beale (Peter Finch) is struggling..In an attempt to reverse its fortunes, UBS… More
  great cast...Faye Dunaway,William Holden,Peter Finch and Robert Duvall... the story takes place in the news room of UBS-TV, a fictional, last place network...The UBS Evening News, anchored by veteran Howard Beale (Peter Finch) is struggling..In an attempt to reverse its fortunes, UBS decides to get rid of Beale and bring in someone new,The night after Beale is told of his firing, he announces on air that not only has his contract been terminated, but that he will kill himself during his final broadcast in one week. "I am going to blow my brains out right here on this program," he states. The network is flooded with calls of shrieking protest. ratings go up !! Networks point is, of course, that ratings drive everything....... As Diana Christensen, Faye Dunaway won an Oscar for her work here. Her character is smart, manipulative, cold, and oh-so-sexy.... The cast, which earned five acting nominations (and won three), is stellar. a good story and script i enjoyed it. .

• AJ V

  
  A fantastic drama about the world of television newscasters. The actors are great, the dialogue is engaging, and there are many memorable, outrageous, emotional scenes. I love this movie, and I highly recommend it.

• xGary X

  
  When a veteran news anchorman has a mental breakdown on screen and becomes an overnight sensation, the network's amoral executives set about exploiting him for much needed ratings. This social satire on the state of the media and its unhealthy influence on the general population… More
  When a veteran news anchorman has a mental breakdown on screen and becomes an overnight sensation, the network's amoral executives set about exploiting him for much needed ratings. This social satire on the state of the media and its unhealthy influence on the general population is regarded as one of the greatest screenplays ever produced and it is still amazingly sharp and insightful even within the context of today. It's technically flawless with superb performances from William Holden, Faye Dunaway, Robert Duvall and Peter Finch, delivering some of the sharpest dialogue ever committed to celluloid. It's strange how relevant it all seems as the same kind of inter-generational technophobic paranoia about the state of mankind that was aimed at television at the time when this film was made can just as easily be applied to the impact the internet has had in recent times. Of course, the population has had another three decades to continue the tranformation into vacuum packed, spoonfed humanoids and so its very dense and wordy approach may be lost on the attention span of the POTC generation; even I must admit that I found it a little self-superior and the soap opera romantic elements felt a bit forced, but it is one of those films a true cinephile has to see for the sheer cinematic skill on display. A classic satire that rings as true today as when it was written.

• Tim S

  
  One of the best films of the 1970's.

• Cindy I

  
  Is Paddy Chayafsky a satirist or a prophet? This 1976 film about extreme TV, based on one of his stories, has nailed what TV is today in the 21st century. The story is as follows: Howard Beale, an old-school news anchor for fictional network UBS, is being fired for bad ratings. He… More
  Is Paddy Chayafsky a satirist or a prophet? This 1976 film about extreme TV, based on one of his stories, has nailed what TV is today in the 21st century. The story is as follows: Howard Beale, an old-school news anchor for fictional network UBS, is being fired for bad ratings. He starts a wave of publicity by first announcing that he is going to kill himself live on-air in a week's time. The ratings go nuts, the next night he goes on a rampage against the system, and the network decides that excess is just what the network needs to get out of the ratings basement. They turn Howard Beale's show into the lovechild of Jerry Springer and the 700 Club,with more ranting by Beale and a TV psychic. Other shows are also suggested...the "Death Hour" that shows executions, car wrecks, etc., and a show based on a video made by a terrorist group robbing a bank. Eventually Beale's ratings start to drop again, and an extreme solution to the problem is put into motion. Performances here are wonderful, with lots of Oscars to go around. Faye Dunaway is the programming exec so obsessed with her job that she even talks TV in the middle of sexual intercourse. William Holden is good as well, although in my opinion his role -- especially his relationship with Dunaway -- wasn't really necessary to the plot of the film. But it's Peter Finch who shines here, as the crazed news anchor Beale. His rant and call to the masses is now a classic movie scene. He's obviously losing his mind, and all the network execs care about is how his behavior affects the ratings. One particularly amusing scene to me is the self-proclaimed Communist woman (who is responsible for getting the terrorist group's show on-air) raising hell about her money and her ratings. The film ends rather abruptly, and it surprised me because I didn't really think it would end the way it did. As I watched this, I had the thought "Change U-B-S to F-O-X and this film is practically a documentary!" For every example of crazy TV idea someone had, I was able to recall a program made in the last few years that meets or surpasses it in sheer bizarreness. Shouldn't we be embarrassed by this fact? What happened to the idea that Edward R. Murrow had that TV could be a teacher? Come on everybody...let's say it together... "I'M MAD AS HELL, AND I'M NOT GOING TO TAKE THIS ANYMORE!!!"

• Anthony L

  
  A masterpiece and one of the best films of the 70's (and ever). The direction, performances and story are all perfect and the script is hilariously subtle and quite relevant to today's sociality. Perfect film making, definitely in my top 100, probably in my top 25! Howard… More
  A masterpiece and one of the best films of the 70's (and ever). The direction, performances and story are all perfect and the script is hilariously subtle and quite relevant to today's sociality. Perfect film making, definitely in my top 100, probably in my top 25! Howard Beale is also one of the best film characters ever written!

• danny d

  
  they just dont make films like this anymore. an absolute genuine masterpiece of filmmaking, the highlight of the already brilliant career of sydney lumet. the acting was stellar, especially the performance of william holden, and the film was flawlessly directed. a perfect… More
  they just dont make films like this anymore. an absolute genuine masterpiece of filmmaking, the highlight of the already brilliant career of sydney lumet. the acting was stellar, especially the performance of william holden, and the film was flawlessly directed. a perfect commentary on the effect of t.v. and big business on the world and a brilliantly crafted film all around makes for one of the best american films in history.

• Chris W

  
  Boasting an excellent and Oscar winning script and featuring superb direction of an all-star cast (with three of the cast members winning oscars for their roles), Network is one of the most biting, venomous, and confrontational satires of all time, and stands out as being still fresh… More
  Boasting an excellent and Oscar winning script and featuring superb direction of an all-star cast (with three of the cast members winning oscars for their roles), Network is one of the most biting, venomous, and confrontational satires of all time, and stands out as being still fresh and relatable and prophetic over 30 years after it's release. Calling this movie ahead of it's time is grossly understating the obvious. It's incredibly scary though just how prophetic this film is though. There are a few slow places, and people do tend to shout maybe a little too much, but those are just slight nitpicks. Other than those, this is an incredible film, and required viewing for everyone alive since in this day and age, it's impossible to go without getting ensnared by the grasp of some form of media.

• Pierluigi P

  
  The cruel and caustic story of Howard Beale, a newscaster who had a breakdown due to the loss of his family, the booze, and all the fallacies he regurgitated to millions of automatous viewers. The ugly truth is Beale's new weapon of choice to bury everything he despises,… More
  The cruel and caustic story of Howard Beale, a newscaster who had a breakdown due to the loss of his family, the booze, and all the fallacies he regurgitated to millions of automatous viewers. The ugly truth is Beale's new weapon of choice to bury everything he despises, including the greedy and corrupt superiors who placed him in his new job and labeled him as "the mad prophet of the airwaves" or "angry media messiah", immoral individuals who own that old brainwashing machine par excellence called television and whose only religion is that of the money and ratings. Fine performances. Outrageous and brilliant screenplay.

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