The film centers on Howard Beale, the ace anchor of UBS’s “Wireless News” program, and unfolds a series of heart-wrenching stories around one of his crazy sexual moves – teasing suicide on TV. Howard’s crazy behavior and cynical remarks reflect his dissatisfaction and despair, while also exposing the repression and anxiety of the general public.
Howard Beale’s crazy behavior and cynical remarks attracted the attention of the general audience.
The willingness to believe those with the loudest voices and strongest rhetoric, rather than to think deeply and question, ultimately leads to media manipulation of the public consciousness and the manipulation and dumbing down of the audience.
1976 / USA / Drama / Sidney Lumet / Faye Donovan William Holden
The death of his wife has dealt a heavy blow to ace TV anchor Howard (Peter FinchPeter Finch), plunging him into a state of pain and grief from which he is unable to recover.
The network decides to fire Howard, who no longer has any desire to work, and Howard’s old friend Max (William Holden) becomes the perfect person to deliver the sad news.
Outraged to learn that he is about to be fired, Howard, who has worked for the network for years, goes so far as to tease the audience on the next day’s program that he is about to commit live suicide.
Howard’s outburst angers the station’s executives, and even more so, President Frank (Robert Duvall), who has always held a grudge against Max, finds an opportunity to pick a fight.
On the next day’s newscast, Howard is expected to apologize for his indiscretion as planned, but instead, in a fit of anger, he goes off on a rant about the ills of contemporary America.
Producer Diana (Faye Dunaway) sees an opportunity in Howard’s behavior, and she buys off Frank to become Howard’s…
