Network 4K 1976

The news department of UBS television station is not the highest-rated show, and the television network itself is not particularly popular and is awaiting a merger with a larger company.

Howard Beale, a news anchor, once announced live on air that in exactly one week he would commit suicide on live television because he was tired of life. The television bosses were shocked. Howard was taken off the air, and the television executives looked for a solution, as this stunt had greatly concerned the press. However, Howard persuades his bosses to give him a chance to make a statement that his suicide stunt was the result of a nervous breakdown. And so Howard is back on the air... with a farewell statement. But the broadcast turns into a monologue about “the nonsense of God.” The situation escalates to the limit.

Ambitious Diana Christensen, whose life is a pursuit of ratings and sensationalism, the head of one of the TV network's departments, realizes that Howard's antics can be turned into a high-rated project. After persuading one of the network's executives, Frank Hecket, she creates a super-rated show where Howard is the star, the “mad exposer Prophet.” And now Howard Beale is shouting on the air, “I'm mad as hell, and I'm not going to take this anymore,” and the whole country is repeating this phrase after him.

The only one who openly states that the pursuit of ratings and the exploitation of Howard is the wrong strategy is Max Schumacher, the head of the news department. But Max no longer has any influence and is fired.

But soon Howard's show becomes tiresome, viewers are no longer interested in hearing that “democracy is dead,” and ratings plummet. Then the television bosses start thinking about how to get Howard off the air, and not just remove him, but get rid of him once and for all.

In addition to the “Howard Beale hysteria,” the film shows the relationship between Max and Diana. Is a relationship possible between a woman who thinks only about work and ratings and a tired old-school television executive who has not lost his “human form”?

Corporate intrigues and a multitude of characters may initially confuse the viewer, and at first you don't quite understand who is who in the film, but then everything becomes crystal clear.

An excellent script that exposes television, showing human vices and weaknesses as they are.

The actors' performances are simply magnificent, and it is no surprise that the film has earned so many awards and Oscar nominations.