Network

Network (1976)
Director: Sidney Lumet
Cast: Peter Finch, William Holden, Faye Dunaway, Robert Duvall
Memorable line: "I'm as mad as Hell and I'm not going to take this any longer."

An outrageous and poignant indictment on television and its commercial nature which is as true today (and probably tomorrow) as it was when it was made. Part commentary and part satire, it rides the balance of these two to create a wonderful movie with a lot to say.

Howard Beale (Finch) is bottoming out his career on the last ranked television network anchoring the news when after being forced to resign, he cracks-up and declares that he's going to kill himself -- and he does this when he's on the air, live during the evening news. When he returns the following evening to apologize he speaks his mind again about the banal garbage he's been forced to feed the viewing audience for years. This time he's summarily fired, but his comments are an instant sensation and a new ambitious network programmer (Dunaway) decides to ride Beale for all he's worth, turning him into a modern day prophet. All the while, Beale's best friend at the network, the executive producer of the news at the network (Holden) is trying to protect his friend, but he doesn't step until the ball is too far down the hill.

Over the top at times with an over the top performance by Finch, but this outrageous treatment aptly suits the subject matter. Finch eats of the screen and Dunaway shines as the ladder climber with no limits to her ambition and ruthlessness. Duvall rants and raves with the best of them. Holden plays the man who strays from his moral center and is quite convincing.

Lumet's direction is both natural and active, capturing the essence of the story and propelling it forward like an out of control juggernaut. The real force behind this movie is Paddy Chafeysky's script which is both cutting with satire and authentic with its emotion.

A great movie from the 1970's, coming off the disenfranchisement of the 60's, this is one that will speak across several generations or, at least, until we turn off our televisions -- which probably won't be until the earth stops turning or they turn off the electricity, whichever comes first.