Network (1976 film)

Network is a 1976 American satirical black comedy drama film directed by Sidney Lumet and written by Paddy Chayefsky. It depicts a television network struggling with poor ratings until the nightly live broadcast of its longtime news anchor Howard Beale (Peter Finch) inadvertently showcases his breakdown into increasingly psychotic behavior, which makes his show a surprise hit. Alongside Finch (in his final role), the film stars Faye Dunaway, William Holden, Robert Duvall, Wesley Addy, Ned Beatty, and Beatrice Straight. Produced by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and released by United Artists on November 27, 1976, Network was a commercial success, earning $23.7 million on a $3.8 million production budget.