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Oscar-winning satirical drama by Sidney Lumet (Dog Day Afternoon) about a television network that exploits mentally unstable news anchor Howard Beale, in order to boost their low ratings.
UBS is a plummeting American network, its news team forced to hand control over to the entertainment division. Howard Beale (Peter Finch), a formerly well-known broadcaster, is on his last legs, pressured out of his job by new network owners. As a final swan song, he delivers an elongated passive-aggressive rant on live television. In the wake of his deranged venting, Beale becomes a TV icon, one that the new UBS owners are dying to sell. Also stars Faye Dunaway and Robert Duvall, and features the classic line: "I'm mad as hell and I'm not going to take it anymore!"
Winner of four Oscars including Best Actor (Peter Finch), Best Actress (Faye Dunaway), Best Supporting Actress (Beatrice Straight) and Best Screenplay, 1977 Academy Awards.
1976Rating: M121 minsUSA
ComedyDramaClassic
- Director:
- Sidney Lumet ('12 Angry Men', 'Fail-Safe', 'Dog Day Afternoon', 'The Wiz', 'Before the Devil Knows You're Dead')
- Writer:
- Paddy Chayefsky
- Cast:
- Faye DunawayWilliam HoldenPeter FinchRobert DuvallNed Beatty
Network / Reviews
The New York Times
Can be faulted both for going too far and not far enough, but it's also something that very few commercial films are these days. It's alive.
Full reviewRoger Ebert
When Chayefsky created Howard Beale, could he have imagined Jerry Springer, Howard Stern and the World Wrestling Federation?
Full review
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