Empire top 301: #271 IMDb top 250: Rating 6/10 Director: Sidney Lumet Writers: Paddy Chayefsky Starring: Faye Dunaway, William Holden, Peter Finch, Robert Duvall, Ned Beatty & Beatrice Straight "I'm mad as Hell and I'm not going to take it anymore!" Howard Beale (Finch) has been the longtime anchor of the UBS Evening News. He suddenly learns from his oldest and best friend Max Schumacher (Holden) that he only has two weeks left on air, due to declining ratings. During his next broadcast Beale tells the nation that he will commit suicide live on air during his final broadcast. Beale is fired but given the opportunity to go out gracefully and apologise for his outburst. When next on air, Beale apologises but then proceeds to rant that life is bullshit. This second outburst sees a spike in the ratings and led by the head of the network's programming department, Diane Christensen (Dunaway) they decide to capitalise on the success of Beale's rants and keep him on air. Eventually, giving him his own show where he is hailed as "the mad prophet of the airwaves".
Network was another film I had never seen and was really looking forward to. It regularly shows on "greatest movie moments" TV shows and it's performances, Peter Finch's in particular, are always praised. Whilst I agree there are some great acting scenes in this picture by the end of the movie I just felt like I'd been shouted at for the last 2 hours. Every actor in this piece has a "screaming" moment, whereby they chew the scenery and yell their lines at their co-stars. I found the characters in the film really interesting, even though they were all pretty loathsome. But unfortunately I couldn't connect/appreciate them because of the constant screaming of the actors. The writing is excellent and the premise of the movie - allowing a man to have a breakdown live on air for viewing figures - whilst not completely shocking now, must have been rather uncomfortable viewing back in 1976. Whilst I'm glad I've now finally seen it, I can't say I'll be recommending it. I'm not sure I get the fuss.
Empire top 301: #118 IMDb top 250: #86 Rating 8/10 Director: Roman Polanski Writers: Robert Towne Starring: Jack Nicholson, Faye Dunaway & John Huston "Forget it, Jake. It's Chinatown." I had never seen this movie and it's one I've always wanted to watch but never got around to it. When I saw it was included in the 500 I thought great, now I have to get around to watching it. I've decided to have a Roman Polanski day, starting with Chinatown and then Rosemary's Baby a bit later (review to follow). Jack Nicholson stars as Jake Gittes, a private detective hired to investigate an adulterer only to be drawn in to a complex web of lies and murder.
Robert Towne's script is superb, the dialogue sharp and clever and there are some great lines throughout, I particularly loved Jake telling to the cop, how the cops wife had caused the cut on his nose. The plot is engaging and constantly keeps you guessing, right up until the final conclusion. This is film-noir at it's finest and Roman Polanski's direction is amazing, there is a real mood to the piece helped by fantastic cinematography and a haunting score. The score is one of the best I've ever heard. The pacing of the film is slow and deliberate, allowing the viewer to uncover the mystery at the same time as Jake, you take in everything he does. whilst the opening of a drawer or a shot of a pond may reveal nothing on first glance it will later become relevant; this a film that requires you to think, to pay attention. The costumes in the movie are fantastic, the suits especially those worn by Jack Nicholson's character are exquisitely tailored and Faye Dunaway's Evelyn looks flawless. Dunaway was such a beauty!
Jack Nicholson delivers a brilliant performance as Jake and has created a character you want to see again (perhaps one day I will get around to watching The Two Jakes). Faye Dunaway is equally as good as Evelyn; she brings life to this flawed and damaged character and whilst he's not in the movie much John Huston owns the scenes that he is in. Chinatown is a great movie, one that I would highly recommend.
