Review of Network (1976) by Anthony K — 28 Jul 2011

Sidney Lumet brilliantly directs Paddy Chayefsky's searing, perceptive and prophetic satire about a fourth rate television network UBS; and its news anchorman Howard Beale who's has gone insane, superbly played by the late Peter Finch who became the first actor ever to win posthumous Oscar for his mesmerizing performance and the avaricious UBS network bastards who capitalize on his madness, along with a heartless, ambitious programing executive named Diana Christensen, played brilliantly by Faye Dunaway in her Oscar winning performance who cares only about ratings, she builds a entire show around the maniacal newscaster as the "Mad Prophet of the Airwaves" who wants all us to become "Mad as Hell!," Beal's show becomes the number one show on television. Chayefsky won a Oscar for his stellar screenplay, the entire cast is amazing particularly William Holden in wonderfully dramatic Oscar nominated performance as Max Schumacher, the head of the news department and Beale's concerned best friend, it is one the finest performances of his career. Superior supporting performances by Robert Duvall as Frank Hackett the network hatchet man, Ned Beatty as Arthur Jensen the evangelistical chairman of the board and Beatrice Straight in a moving Oscar winning turn as Holden's embittered wife Louise Schumacher. Innovative cinematography by Owen Roizman, with razor-sharp editing by Alan Heim. This film is more relevant today than when it was originally released, it predicted today's rash of trash television, shock-laden news broadcast and low-brow reality shows.

A frighteningly funny American cultural landmark classic. Winner of 4 Academy Awards including Best Actor: Peter Finch, Best Actress: Faye Dunaway, Best Supporting Actress: Beatrice Straight, Best Screenplay: Paddy Chayefsky. "Network" is number 64, on the American Film Institute's list of the 100 greatest films ever made. Highly Recommended.