Howard Beale (Peter Finch) is an aging declining UBS news anchor. Longtime friend/boss Max Schumacher (William Holden) tells him that he's going to be replaced. Beale goes on the air to announce that he will commit suicide on the next Tuesday broadcast. Meanwhile programmer Diana Christensen (Faye Dunaway) develops a reality show with Ecumenical Liberation Army terrorists who film their own bank robbery. Executive Frank Hackett (Robert Duvall) has the news division on the chopping block. Schumacher allows Beale to go on one more time to say goodbye, but he goes on a tirade which cause the ratings to spike. Beale catches the eye of Diana Christensen and she convinces Hackett to keep him on the air. Diana starts to have an affair with Schumacher.
It's a funny satire at the time. It's more of a funny but sad reality of TV nowadays. What is over the top satire from the mind of writer Paddy Chayefsky is now too close to the truth. The fact that it's so real diminishes the comedy. It's a little sad that the stupidity has become common place. Director Sidney Lumet does this comedy straight and allows the material to shine on its own. I also find the second half too convoluted and too unreal. All the Howard Beale Show stuff is too weird with a very uncomfortable ending. I just can't see why people would watch his show. And ending the movie that way is really unfunny.
It's a funny satire at the time. It's more of a funny but sad reality of TV nowadays. What is over the top satire from the mind of writer Paddy Chayefsky is now too close to the truth. The fact that it's so real diminishes the comedy. It's a little sad that the stupidity has become common place. Director Sidney Lumet does this comedy straight and allows the material to shine on its own. I also find the second half too convoluted and too unreal. All the Howard Beale Show stuff is too weird with a very uncomfortable ending. I just can't see why people would watch his show. And ending the movie that way is really unfunny.