“I don't have to tell you things are bad. Everybody knows things are bad. We know things are bad — worse than bad. They're crazy. It's like everything everywhere is going crazy, so we don't go out anymore! Things have got to change. But first, you've gotta get mad! You've got to say: I'M AS MAD AS HELL, AND I'M NOT GOING TO TAKE THIS ANYMORE!”
Here’s another film from 1976 that resonates still in a way that’s not only more relevant than ever, but in a positively chilling way. We’re talking the effect of mass media, of corporate exploitation of any given message, and digital dehumanization—with a famous diatribe that’s been quoted and referenced dozens of times over the decades, it’s Sidney Lumet’s ‘Network’.
Let’s set the stage—it’s the seventies, the national malaise is in full swing in the United States, and to varying degrees around the world also, with inflation and fuel shortages hitting near everyone. However, this is still a period in which popular news media can still present a trustworthy facade—liberal or conservative, most folks happily watch Walter Cronkite at the end of the day. So with that in mind, it makes this one all the more daring to start us off with fictional news anchor Howard Beale (Peter Finch) having a breakdown on his dwindling network, and going off live on the air. One thing leads to another profanity-laden rant—but with this only causing ratings to spike, ambitious young program chief Diane (Faye Dunaway) decides to not only keep Beale, but give him his own show where he lets rip at society however he wants.
Beale isn’t really the main character of the story, even if his rants prove easily the most memorable parts of the film—and indeed, his growing influence over the public to the concern of his corporate-higher ups does become a major factor in the later acts. Diane’s ambition and her willingness to pursue any tasteless exploitation in the way of viewing figures are the main character trajectory here, as is her dalliance with somewhat less eager division president Schumacher (William Holden).
Their relationship seems to rise and spike with the ratings Beale brings in—but really, it’s the film mercilessly skewering the mindset behind such figures that makes the real draw. Diane is willing to let militant marxist guerrillas get their own show if it strikes a chord with folks on the couch—it’s another seemingly pre-emptive glance at corporate bodies happily latching onto whatever messages catch eyes, as well as ideologues happily throwing away their supposed principles on a whim, both of which aren’t exactly uncommon in our age…
And yet, Finch still easily steals the show with every scene—only before the widespread cynicism of the seventies could you probably get away with his all too biting rants in a major flick, and I certainly can’t see it happening now under certain conglomerates. There’s little that isn’t relevant to some degree—and that’s before we get into a one-scene-wonder to end them all with Ned Beatty’s appearance near the end, which out-hams even Beale. It’s a rant about the globalizing effect of capital—perhaps one that’s a little arguable now given that we have proof enough of nations are in fact happy enough to toss away even economic pragmatism in the name of flag-waving, but the essential gist isn’t invalid yet.
This ultimately comes to the ending—which at first I felt was a little over the top. But then it struck me—it actually was perfectly in tune with the rest of the film’s tone, mostly because after 45 years, what Network presents as absurd has become perfectly natural to us. Of course, back in 1976 the idea of just getting someone to rant in front of the camera for viewers was ridiculous. Of course, the idea of replacing news with bitter shouting editorializing felt absurd. Of course, the idea of gleefully exploiting extremism felt like something in the realm of satire.
How far we’ve come. That contrast, that realization, is why Network is still worth a watch now. Oh sure, television might not be the dominant medium anymore, but the essential messages apply. When Beale rants about ‘the power of the tube’, it’s not hard to substitute a different type of ‘Tube’, with everything else still on point. Whether it’s via broadband or cable, satellite or streaming, we all glue our eyes to the screen, often without too much regard of what we see—and on that topic, Network bites ice-cold as ever…
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