“I’m as mad as hell, and I’m not going to take this anymore”! With these words Howard Beale climaxes his tantrum that spans over several painfully hilarious episodes. He’s sweaty and furious, he’s losing his mind. He’s run out of bullshit and he’s going to kill himself “right on the air, right in the middle of the seven o’clock news”. What a way to go… Perhaps “we could make a series out of it”, his boss and longtime friend Max Schumacher, says mockingly, while drunk out of his mind. “Suicide of the Week”. He then thinks about it some more. “Hell, why limit ourselves? Execution of the week”!

Read at Unsung Films: 12 Angry Men.

Paddy Chayefsky’s and Sidney Lumet’s film is a clever satire, an affecting drama, a philosophical essay and a reflection on freedom of speech, the meaning of success and the parallel-world of Television. But more than anything, Network is a prophecy. A prophecy regarding the declining morals of TV networks, the ruthless thirst for numbers translating into money, the executive power-games played and the fabricated information fed – the mindless entertainment that network executives feel their audience deserves. Network foresees it all – but how? Were the first signs of this major decline visible in 1976? It seems so; perhaps even earlier than that. And it seems as though unless we stick our heads out of our windows and shout “I’m as mad as hell, and I’m not going to take this anymore”, there’s no chance of ever watching some solidly good TV.

But even then, we won’t. Even then, we won’t be given the truth by the news, and even then, air time will only be granted to those who have nothing light-shedding, valuable or threatening to say. As long as we’re chasing entertainment, Television is our best friend – bringing us every time higher quality shows, more compelling stories and talented artists. But if we’re looking for unbiased information or unique voices, then we’re looking at the wrong Man. As Paddy Chayefsky’s and Sidney Lumet’s film advocates, TV is not the truth – it’s the entertainment. And it will stop at nothing in order to entertain.

Read at Unsung Films: Max von Mayerling: The Man Behind the Madam.

There are, however, people who often miss the point, and we seem to have them here too. Max Schumacher (William Holden) is yet to realize the dirt of his own environment. He spends two hours being gradually disillusioned, surprised at how the people around him think; sometimes he goes as far as to fall in love with them out of curiosity – they’re so exotic in his eyes, that they become attractive. In the film – and probably life, in general – Schumacher’s counter opposite is Diana (Faye Dunaway), a hyper success addict who will end up stripping him of all power. He will eventually just stand there, looking at her, unsure as to how anyone could be so empty and so pretty at the same time.

And through so many parallels, Network says much more about the world of Television than any film ever has. Paddy Chayefsky’s pitch-perfect script encompasses way too much to ever be discussed effectively, but the main question that arises is how can one piece of writing include such a mixture of strong positions, debate areas, accusations and verdicts. Network is so layered, far-reaching and explosive, that I find it hard to believe that a director was able to deliver such an even and comprehensive film – and I will never understand how it made it to a wide audience. To me, Network is pure revolution.

A revolution that failed, admittedly. The ones going back to work the next day are not the ones whose side we’ve been on. Howard Beale (Peter Finch) won’t make it back to the network. And neither will Max Schumacher (William Holden). They might be killed off the show, or just go back to their quiet lives and remain silent. Diana Christensen (Faye Dunaway) and Frank Hackett (Robert Duvall) need to put these little episodes behind them and carry on chasing numbers. What now? Perhaps a psychic presenting the news? Or pretend-bank-jobs to spice things up? Besides, “lousy ratings” can kill, and these people are not willing to die.

Watch the trailer for Network here:

Watch Network – the full movie – here:

External links

Network at IMDb

Network at Wikipedia

Network (awards won and nominated for) at IMDb



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