8.1/10
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363 user 164 critic

Network (1976)

R | | Drama | 27 November 1976 (USA)
Network Poster
A television network cynically exploits a deranged former anchor's ravings and revelations about the news media for its own profit.

Director:

Sidney Lumet

Writer:

Paddy Chayefsky

Stars:

Faye Dunaway, William Holden, Peter Finch | See full cast & crew »
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Top Rated Movies #194 | Won 4 Oscars. Another 16 wins & 26 nominations. See more awards »

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Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Faye Dunaway ... Diana Christensen
William Holden ... Max Schumacher
Peter Finch ... Howard Beale
Robert Duvall ... Frank Hackett
Wesley Addy ... Nelson Chaney
Ned Beatty ... Arthur Jensen
Arthur Burghardt ... Great Ahmed Kahn
Bill Burrows Bill Burrows ... TV Director
John Carpenter John Carpenter ... George Bosch
Jordan Charney ... Harry Hunter
Kathy Cronkite Kathy Cronkite ... Mary Ann Gifford
Ed Crowley Ed Crowley ... Joe Donnelly
Jerome Dempsey ... Walter C. Amundsen
Conchata Ferrell ... Barbara Schlesinger
Gene Gross Gene Gross ... Milton K. Steinman
See full cast »
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Storyline

In the 1970s, terrorist violence is the stuff of networks' nightly news programming and the corporate structure of the UBS Television Network is changing. Meanwhile, Howard Beale, the aging UBS news anchor, has lost his once strong ratings share and so the network fires him. Beale reacts in an unexpected way. We then see how this affects the fortunes of Beale, his coworkers (Max Schumacher and Diana Christensen), and the network. Written by Bruce Janson <bruce@cs.su.oz.au>

Plot Summary | Plot Synopsis

Plot Keywords:

media | television | television network | satire | ranting | See All (163) »

Taglines:

"NETWORK"... the humanoids, the love story, the trials and tribulations, the savior of television, the attempted suicides, the assassination -- it's ALL coming along with a galaxy of stars you know and love! See more »

Genres:

Drama

Certificate:

R | See all certifications »

Parents Guide:

View content advisory »
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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

27 November 1976 (USA) See more »

Also Known As:

Network See more »

Filming Locations:

CFTO-TV Studios, Scarborough, Toronto, Ontario, Canada See more »

Company Credits

Production Co:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) See more »
Show more on IMDbPro »

Technical Specs

Runtime:

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1
See full technical specs »
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Did You Know?

Trivia

According to Sidney Lumet, the "Mad as Hell" speech was filmed in one and a half takes. Midway through the second take, Peter Finch abruptly stopped in exhaustion. Lumet was unaware of Finch's failing heart at the time, but in any case, did not ask for a third take. What's in the completed film is the second take for the first half of the speech, and the second half from the first take. See more »

Goofs

After attending a funeral service, William Holden And Faye Dunaway are talking on a street corner. Holden's hair is a little messy from the wind and passing traffic. A moment later, the two people cross the street and Holden's hair is back in place. See more »

Quotes

[first lines]
Narrator: This story is about Howard Beale, who was the news anchorman on UBS TV. In his time, Howard Beale had been a mandarin of television, the grand old man of news, with a HUT rating of 16 and a 28 audience share. In 1969, however, his fortunes began to decline. He fell to a 22 share. The following year, his wife died, and he was left a childless widower with an 8 rating and a 12 share. He became morose and isolated, began to drink heavily, and on September 22, 1975, he was fired, ...
[...]
See more »

Connections

Referenced in Romeo + Juliet (1996) See more »

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Is "Network" based on a book?
Q: How does "Network" end?
Q: Any recommendations for a female character as annoying as Diana Christensen?
See more »

User Reviews

for god's sake, you are supposed to be the romantic..
20 April 2018 | by merelyaninnuendo – See all my reviews

Network

Paddy Chayefsky; the writer, is the real protagonist in here, for his keen vision on creating a fiction in a white-collar office and still keeping it real and resembling towards the practicality is what helps the stunning craft sail off to the shore, safely. Sidney Lumet is in his A game and along with a beautiful cinematography and conservative editing, the 'directorial' objective is successfully achieved. Faye Dunaway and William Holden are convincingly good in their parallel role but the real game changer is Peter Finch as a supporting cast. Network is not your typical controversial informative feature, but is more brutal and dark that is depicted nicely with the help of a cunning script, stellar performances and brilliant execution on its side.
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