Network (1976)
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A television network's attempt to capitalize on a news anchor's public mental breakdown spirals into a chaotic media frenzy.
The story
In 1975, Howard Beale, a veteran news anchor for the Union Broadcasting System, is informed that his time on air is limited due to declining ratings. In a desperate move, he announces his intention to commit suicide on air. This outburst unexpectedly causes his ratings to skyrocket, prompting the network's executives to pivot from trying to fire him to finding ways to exploit his erratic behavior for profit. As the network's leadership maneuvers to capitalize on his 'mad prophet' persona, the line between news and entertainment blurs, creating a volatile situation for the staff and the audience alike.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
After his public breakdown, Howard Beale becomes a sensation, leading to the creation of 'The Howard Beale Show.' While the show becomes a massive success, the internal dynamics of the network shift as executives like Diana Christensen and Frank Hackett push the broadcast into the entertainment division. Amidst this, a deal is struck with a terrorist group, the Ecumenical Liberation Army, to provide content for a new reality show. Meanwhile, a corporate merger involving a Saudi conglomerate threatens the network's stability. When a corporate leader, Arthur Jensen, tries to force Beale to abandon his radical message for a more corporate-friendly one, the situation becomes increasingly tense. Ultimately, to protect the network's interests and ensure the success of their new reality show, the executives decide to have the ELA assassinate Beale on air. The film ends with a chilling voice-over noting that Beale was the first man killed because of low ratings.
- First release year
- 1976
- Runtime (minutes)
- 121
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Sidney Lumet
- Writers
- Paddy Chayefsky · writer
- Cast and characters
- Faye Dunaway · Diana; William Holden · Max Schumacher; Peter Finch · Howard Beale; Robert Duvall · Frank Hackett; Wesley Addy; Ned Beatty · Arthur Jensen; Beatrice Straight · Louise Schumacher
- Genres
- satirical; black comedy; drama
- Themes
- media exploitation; dehumanization of society; the power of television
- Tone and mood
- satirical; dark; tense
- Premise and plot tags
- media; television; corporate greed
- Content notes
- strong language
- Reception
- The film received widespread critical acclaim, particularly for its screenplay and performances, and was noted for its enduring relevance as a satire of ratings-driven news.
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 91% · scale: percentage · review count: 85; Metacritic · score: 83 · scale: 100 · review count: 16
- Awards and nominations
- Best Actor · Academy Award · won; Best Actress · Academy Award · won; Best Supporting Actress · Academy Award · won; Best Original Screenplay · Academy Award · won
- Production trivia
- The film was selected for preservation in the National Film Registry in 2000.; It was inducted into the Producers Guild of America Hall of Fame in 2002.; The character of Howard Beale was not based on any real-life person.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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