Movie One Hundred Thirty Two
Network centers around the decisions of a TV network after a news anchor threatens to kill himself live on the air and the ratings spike.
After learning that his career as a news anchor will be coming to an end due to poor ratings, Howard Beale (Peter Finch) goes on the air and announces that he will kill himself live on the air. The network executives freak out, but eventually agree to let Beale get one more carefully scripted time on the air before being fired. Beale uses this time to rant about the state of the world and calls his life bullshit. Once the ratings see a noted spike, the executives, spurred by Diana Christensen (Faye Dunaway), decide to not only keep Beale on the air, but to highlight his now public meltdown.
It’s amazing how poignant and true to life Network is, even nearly 40 years later. I feel that the only satire that does everything better is Dr. Strangelove, which is saying a lot considering the amazingly high regard I hold that film. Since Network, we have been inundated with “reality” television and an increasing movement in a very similar brand of shock television that is cultivated in Network. While we haven’t reached the levels of mania depicted in this stunning Lumet film, it is not that far-fetched today.
While Network is a film that has a dark sense of humor, mostly due to the writing of Paddy Chayefsky, at times it is also very serious. I suppose that part of the humor is the absurdity happening, but also because it wants to be so ridiculous that there is an underlying humor there. Even when discussing alongside Dr. Strangelove, there really are no other films quite like Network. Sidney Lumet has directed yet another wonderful film that is absurd and thought-provoking. I’m not sure if I would recommend Network to everyone, but I’m sure almost everyone watching will have a slightly different takeaway from it.
I give it 4 “I’m mad as hell and I can’t take it anymore”s out of 5.
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Very good review. Network features some of the best writing and acting I’ve ever seen!
Definitely – I couldn’t figure out a way to even mention some of the other main characters without having the summary paragraph be enormous and meandering.
This is one of my favorite films of all time (5 out of 5 for me) and it may be the only film satire that ranks up with Dr. Strangelove. And seeing modern-day television these days, Network is more relevant than ever. Good review.
I think it is shocking how relevant both films (Network and Strangelove) still are today. Thanks!
part of the “magic” of that film is also allowing him to be in the position to possibly do it.
It’s an odd tale of milking the cash cow but also hoping the cash cow blows its brains out.
haven’t seen that in a long time. i’m working more on older films i should have seen instead of new releases. last week i watched “mr. smith goes to washington.” this week will be “funny girl” and a newer movie “good night and good luck.”
All excellent films. Good Night and Good Luck is easily my favorite of George Clooney’s career.
really? ok, that makes me more excited about it. did you like “oh brother, where art thou?”
Loved it, but more because of John Goodman
and john turturro never hurts.
Absolutely not
I loved the seduction played out in this film. Holden says to Dunaway’s cougar – I don’t do anything on the first date. She says, We’ll see….
I also recall liking what Robert Duvall did with his role as a senior network suit. Great stuff indeed by Lumet.
Thanks for this fine review and for bringing this superb filom to mind once again.
My pleasure – Thanks for taking the time to comment!
Duvall is one of my favorite actors and I think he excels in his role and he is still overshadowed by the other great performances.
Great review. I’d love to see this soon.
I hope you get a chance to! I look forward to reading your thoughts, I’m not sure how you’ll feel about it but I think you’ll appreciate it.
Thanks. I’m about to review Letters from Iwo Jima. Just saw it. I bet you can guess just what I thought of it. 🙂
Nice review. I need to see this one not only because Sydney directed it, but Robert Duvall is in it. He’s one of our greatest living actors.
He truly is. As I said in a previous comment, his great work in this goes toe-to-toe with the other performances, so that is really saying something for the film as a whole.
This film has always eluded me Andy. Im a big fan of Lumet and it’s been on my list for ages. Can’t seem to get a hold of it. Great review man.
Hope you get a chance to catch it! It’s on Netflix Instant here in the US so it may wind up on there in the UK.
This movie is surprisingly relevant today in many aspects. It’s actually rather scary that television has become the reality that this movie presented as satire.
Very scary indeed
LOVE Network. If there’s any drawback or knock on it… it’s a little “overwritten”. There’s so many speeches and monologues that you can almost tell it’s scripted.
But I love it. Its so prescient… it almost has more to say today than it did in 76 LOL
I would agree with that totally.
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I can’t think of another movie that has predicted what our entertainment was so precisely then Network. it is a timeless movie. Great post
Thanks! Yeah, it is eerie to watch ~40 years later and see the state of entertainment now.
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