Some movies serve just to entertain. Things like 300 and Sin City don't try to make you think, they make you feel comfortable and just use visual cues that will trigger positive responses whether they be inspirational in the form of few fighting many, or testosterone in the form of Dwight and Marv kicking the shit out of Jack Rafferty and Cardnial Roark.
Then there are movies like Network (1976) which tries to entertain, but it tries harder to make the viewer think about stuff. Stuff the viewer doesn't want to think about.
Right from the start you are forced to think about suicide and how ratings dominate the lives of all involved with TV news. Then segues into how the ratings have actually become more valuable than the lives of the people tasked with obtaining them. Much like the South Park Episode "Quest for Ratings"
For example, the first idea is for a show to follow a terrorist group and use actual footage of the terrorists robbing and killing, simply because it would bring ratings. Tv shows about horrible human beings that commit crimes and generally waste valuable resources? At the time it must have been deemed appalling, now it's called VH1 Celebreality (Too far?).
Then Howard Beale goes on his first rant of the movie, calling everything from God to the News "bullshit," and in a piece of irony, the iconoclast giving his last hurrah draws ratings the network hadn't dreamed of, and as a result... Beale becomes a folk hero, giving voice to the pissed off American, and thus gets to keep his job.
As the movie goes on Beale becomes a Glenn Beck like figure, capturing minds and ranting on everything, becoming bigger and bigger, pissing off more and more people, but not the viewing people who keep turning in.
But what goes up, must come down
The script is strong, really strong. I am amazed at the way that Paddy Chayefsky captures the slimy underbelly of Network news, much like Wilder and Brackett captured Hollywood in Sunset Boulevard (Bizarrely, both contain great performances from William Holden). In today's world, looking back on Network it seems like the movie should be set in 2010. People upset about war, the economy ("You think they'll quite their Jobs for you? Not in this Recession."), feelings of mistrust towards the president and government in general, thus Beale's appeal. Beale is written not in a way that only people in 1976 would relate to, but people would relate to as long as there is a world for there to be problems in. But don't listen to me, listen to the Writers Guild of America, East who voted this script as one of the 10 best... ever.
Beyond the script, the acting is fantastic, with three oscars being given to three actors (Best Actor: Finch, Best Actress: Dunaway, and Best Supporting Actress: Beatrice Straight)
Let me begin with anchorman, Howard Beale, or the Late Peter Finch (One of Two to win a posthoumous Oscar). Finch plays this role with conviction and also a very believable insanity. In playing a role like this an actor could be tempted to over act, but Finch doesn't. He keeps his insanity not as over done, but reigned in enough to create controlled chaos.
Next to discuss is William Holden, has he ever given a weak performance? Holden plays an aging UBS employee Max Schumacher, fired and vindictive. With a friend like Beale it is hard to come across as a true friend (Patrick Wilson had a similar challenge in Watchmen), but Holden does it. He makes you believe that he truly cares for Howard Beale, a man creating himself as a prophet. The sincerety which Holden brings to the role makes him the true hero of the movie, by being that man who can stay true to himself, even when those around him care more about beating
What movie would be complete without a strong female lead? Not this one. Faye Dunaway delivers a truly amazing performance as a ratings hungry TV exec. Equal parts cunning and greedy (and foxy) Dunaway earns her Oscar with every line. This is the first movie I've seen with her, but now I want to rush out and watch more titles with her.
And finally Robert Duvall, a.k.a.Tom Hagen. Duvall does something incredible, he's the least likeable person in this movie. And because of that he is likeable it an ironic way.
All in all this movie is a brilliant piece of satire, and a scathing review of TV in general. If you haven't seen it, go and watch it.... now!
Dr. Brooklyn says: LIKE this movie (10/10)
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