Synopsis
When veteran anchorman Howard Beale is forced to retire his 25-year post because of his age, he announces to viewers that he will kill himself during his farewell broadcast. Network executives rethink their decision when his fanatical tirade results in a spike in ratings.
Key facts
Cast
Faye Dunaway, William Holden, Peter Finch, Robert Duvall, Wesley Addy, Ned Beatty, Arthur Burghardt, Bill Burrows
Original language
English
First release
November 27, 1976 (United States)
Production companies
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, United Artists
Home video distributors
Esselte|Esselte Hotel Movie (Sweden), MGM/UA Home Video
Awards
Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress, Academy Award for Best Actor, Academy Award for Best Actress, Academy Award for Best Writing, Original Screenplay, National Board of Review: Top Ten Films
Setting
New York City
Crew
Screenplay
Paddy Chayefsky
Producer
Howard Gottfried
Cinematography
Owen Roizman
Editing
Alan Heim
Music
Elliot Lawrence
Québec / French
Québec classification
General
Content indications
Not recommended for young children
Classification date
December 3, 2007
Trailer
Stills
Reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to write one.
Festival History
- OffScreen Film Festival 2026 - ONLY IN AMERICA? DELUSIONS OF DEMOCRACY
- The Rio Grind Film Festival 2026
- Los Angeles Film Awards 2025
- Telluride Film Festival 2025 generic
- Couch Film Festival 2020
- Locarno International Film Festival 2013 generic
- Academy Awards 1977 academy_award
- Directors Guild of America 1976 generic
- National Board of Review 1976 generic
Titles
| Original title | Network | |
| Alternate title | Main basse sur la TV | |
| Alternate title | Poder que mata | |
| Alternate title | Teleşəbəkə | |
| Alternate title | Rede de Intrigas | |
| Alternate title | Телевизионна мрежа | |
| Alternate title | 电视台风云 | |
| Alternate title | Mreža | |
| Alternate title | Nettet | |
| Alternate title | Shabake | |
| Alternate title | Televõrk | |
| Alternate title | Kasvot kuvaruudussa | |
| Alternate title | Mannen i bildrutan | |
| Alternate title | Το δίκτυο | Greek |
| Alternate title | Hálózat | |
| Alternate title | Shabakeh | |
| Alternate title | Reshet Shidur | |
| Alternate title | Quinto potere | |
| Alternate title | ネットワーク | Japanese |
| Alternate title | Тележелі | Ukrainian |
| Alternate title | Телесеть | |
| Alternate title | Tinklas | |
| Alternate title | Sieć | |
| Alternate title | Rețeaua | |
| Alternate title | ТВ мрежа | |
| Alternate title | Televizijska mreža | |
| Alternate title | 螢光幕後 | |
| Alternate title | Şebeke | |
| Alternate title | Телемережа | |
| Alternate title | Teletarmog’i | |
| Alternate title | Mạng Lưới |
VHS & home video releases
| VHS | Esselte|Esselte Hotel Movie (cat. no. Esselte Hotel Movie 11708) | 1976, Sweden |
| VHS | MGM/UA Home Video (cat. no. MV600012) | 1983 |
Releases & classifications
| Theatrical | United States | November 27, 1976 |
| Theatrical | Australia | December 1, 1976 |
| Theatrical | Canada | December 16, 1976 |
| Theatrical | Japan | January 29, 1977 |
| Theatrical | United Kingdom | February 17, 1977 |
| Theatrical | United Kingdom | February 20, 1977 |
| Theatrical | Germany | March 9, 1977 |
| Theatrical | France | March 15, 1977 |
| Theatrical | Italy | March 17, 1977 |
| Theatrical | Denmark | March 18, 1977 |
| Theatrical | Ireland | March 18, 1977 |
| Theatrical | Belgium | March 24, 1977 |
| Theatrical | Uruguay | March 29, 1977 |
| Theatrical | Finland | April 1, 1977 |
| Theatrical | Netherlands | April 7, 1977 |
| Theatrical | Mexico | May 5, 1977 |
| Theatrical | Portugal | May 12, 1977 |
| Theatrical | Spain | May 16, 1977 |
| Theatrical | Norway | May 27, 1977 |
| Theatrical | Philippines | June 19, 1977 |
| Theatrical | Hong Kong | August 25, 1977 |
| Theatrical | Sweden | December 25, 1977 |
| Theatrical | Hungary | September 11, 1980 |
| Television | Turkey | January 29, 1985 |
| Television | Netherlands | June 17, 2005 |
| Theatrical | France | June 6, 2007 |
| Streaming | France | April 20, 2026 |
| Television | France | April 20, 2026 |
| Theatrical | Thailand | November 13, 2026 |
| Classification | Germany | 16 |
| Classification | United Kingdom | 15 |
| Classification | United States | R |
Versions & editions
| Home video VHS | Sweden | 1976 Esselte Hotel Movie 11708 |
| Home video | United States | January 1, 1983 |
| Home video VHS | 1983 MV600012 | |
| Home video | United Kingdom | July 31, 1987 |
| Home video | United Kingdom | June 10, 1999 |
| Home video | United Kingdom | March 4, 2003 |
| Home video | Netherlands | March 18, 2003 |
| Home video | Brazil | March 27, 2004 |
| Home video | Brazil | July 14, 2009 |
| Home video | Greece | June 15, 2010 |
| Home video | Singapore | November 9, 2010 |
| Home video | Israel | February 15, 2011 |
| Home video | Poland | October 2, 2012 |
| Home video | United Arab Emirates | March 23, 2015 |
| Home video | Netherlands | March 23, 2015 |
| Home video | Egypt | December 3, 2022 |
Full credits
| Director | Sidney Lumet |
| Cast | Faye Dunaway (Diana Christensen), William Holden (Max Schumacher), Peter Finch (Howard Beale), Robert Duvall (Frank Hackett), Wesley Addy (Nelson Chaney), Ned Beatty (Arthur Jensen), Arthur Burghardt (Great Ahmed Kahn), Bill Burrows (TV Director), John Carpenter (George Bosch), Jordan Charney (Harry Hunter), Kathy Cronkite (Mary Ann Gifford), Ed Crowley (Joe Donnelly), Jerome Dempsey (Walter C. Amundsen), Conchata Ferrell (Barbara Schlesinger), Gene Gross (Milton K. Steinman), Stanley Grover (Jack Snowden), Cindy Grover (Caroline Schumacher), Darryl Hickman (Bill Herron), Mitchell Jason (Arthur Zangwill), Paul Jenkins (TV Stage Manager), Ken Kercheval (Merrill Grant), Kenneth Kimmins (Associate Producer), Lynn Klugman (TV Production Assistant), Carolyn Krigbaum (Max's Secretary), Zane Lasky (Audio Man), Michael Lipton (Tommy Pellegrino), Michael Lombard (Willie Stein), Pirie MacDonald (Herb Thackeray), Russ Petranto (TV Associate Director), Bernard Pollock (Lou), Roy Poole (Sam Haywood), William Prince (Edward George Ruddy), Sasha von Scherler (Helen Miggs), Lane Smith (Robert McDonough), Ted Sorel (Giannini), Beatrice Straight (Louise Schumacher), Fred Stuthman (Mosaic Figure), Cameron Thomas (TV Technical Director), Marlene Warfield (Laureen Hobbs), Lydia Wilen (Hunter's Secretary), Lee Richardson (Narrator (voice)), Lance Henriksen (Network Lawyer at Khan's Place (uncredited)), Robert P. Cohen (Window Person (uncredited)), Andrew Duncan (Agent (uncredited)), Todd Everett (Reporter (uncredited)), John Gabriel (TV Anchor Reporting Beale's Suicide Threat (uncredited)), Raymond Martino (Window Person (uncredited)), John Pashley (Cameraman (uncredited)), Michael Tucker (Man at Desk (uncredited)) |
| Screenplay | Paddy Chayefsky |
| Producer | Howard Gottfried |
| Cinematography | Owen Roizman |
| Editing | Alan Heim |
| Music | Elliot Lawrence |
| Production design | Philip Rosenberg |
| Costumes | Theoni V. Aldredge |
Additional data: TMDB.
Source: Ministère de la Culture et des Communications du Québec (CC0-1.0)
Source: Cinémathèque québécoise, linked catalogue data (CC BY 4.0)
