The End of Thought

I think everyone has a little Howard Beale in them.

Haven’t you had that same moment? That moment when you run out of bullshit. That moment when you just can’t stand there amidst the problems of the world without shouting at everybody to wake up and look at the mess we are sleeping in. You want to stop everything, press pause, and say,”This needs to change before we can move on with the show.”

Then something stops you. You feel helpless. What difference can one voice make? You could lose your job. People will look at you funny. People will think you are crazy. Nobody likes it when the boat gets rocked no matter how bad the hull needs repair.

Network is the story of a man named Howard Beale (Peter Finch) who didn’t stop himself. A network news anchor, Beale had the platform to shout about how mad he was and people would hear him. He could get things changed. The network executives wanted to pull him off the air fearing he would come across as a raving lunatic or a crazy person.

A funny thing happens. People love it. The audience tunes in to hear somebody say what they are already thinking. “People don’t have jobs.” “The dollar isn’t worth anything.” “Crime is ravaging our cities.” (It’s funny how little things changed in the world from when the movie was released until now) The network then does what any respectable journalistic institution would do: wring every last dollar and every last ratings point out of Beale.

Diana Christensen (Faye Dunaway) is the savvy exec who sees Beale more as an ATM than a vehicle for change. Sure, she gives him his own show with free reign to say what he pleases, but she then exploits and repackages Beale’s sermons. His heartfelt, “mad as Hell” speech becomes more of a tagline that can be sold.

The startling thing about Network is how relevant is remains after more than thirty years. Turn on any of the 24-hour news buffets and you’ll see nothing but sensationalism. You can almost picture the news executives of today, like the ones portrayed in the movie, plotting to position themselves for the best ratings. Planning out how to pitch their shows to the public and the advertising dollars that follow.

So I urge you to watch Network and let the Howard Beale inside you come out for two hours. Let your opinions flow on the government, education, the war or the economy. Whatever you please. Go to your windows and shout it out. Let everybody know how mad you are.

..but then hurry back and close those shutters. Nobody likes it when you rock the boat…

Network - Directed by Sidney Lumet - My Rating - 7 stars