#229 – Network (1976)
Network is a memorable film with some fantastic speeches. It spoke to the audience of its time with great passion and it’s easy to see why it won 4 Oscars and numerous other awards.
It is the story of the unscrupulous acts carried out by a rating hungry network in America at a time when terrorism is common place and the audience at home fed with murder, war, corruption, hunger and death in a steady diet of nightly news. Sounds just like today. There are 3 key characters each screwed up more than the other. The only salvation is that one of them truly does save himself.
The performances by Faye Dunaway and Peter Finch are fantastic but in my mind the more subtle role played by William Holden of the only sane person in the movie is a stand out. It’s a real shame Holden didn’t win his Oscar nomination where the other two did. This is the type of movie I’m glad I get to see as part of this year long project. A solid 8/10.