MovieChat Forums > Network (1976) Discussion > (Spoiler) Why did they kill Howard at th...

(Spoiler) Why did they kill Howard at the end

posted 13 years ago by Michael71
26 replies | jump to latest

I mean actually murdering someone, imagine if someone killed Trevor McDonald or someone, there would be an outcry. I thought it didn't fit in with the tone of the rest of the film, which was really enjoyable by the way and I see why it's put on the top 250 because they release some interesting views.

And also wouldn't they kill him in a back alley or something rather than in broad daylight?

Edit, just rewatched it yes a very good film the 4 main people are brilliant in this and the ending was brilliant.

[–] amrcomputers 13 years ago

They killed him because they thought it would make great television. The outcry is free publicity for their new show. They killed him on the air because it would make the show more popular.

I think the death of Howard Beale was the entire point of the movie, so I think it fits the tone of the film just fine.

[–] A_Rose_By_Some_Other_Name 13 years ago

I can't believe somebody spelled the word "kill" as "cill"

[–] 13 years ago

[deleted]

[–] foozwald 12 years ago

Dark and lonely on the summer night.
Kill my landlord, kill my landlord.
Watchdog barking - Do he bite?
Kill my landlord, kill my landlord.
Slip in his window,
Break his neck!
Then his house
I start to wreck!
Got no reason --
What the heck!
Kill my landlord, kill my landlord.
C-I-L-L ...
My land - lord ...
Def!

[–] madpogue 12 years ago

"It's a helluva day in da naybahood!...."

[–] dfisli 11 years ago

I can't believe somebody spelled the word "kill" as "cill"

I can't believe anybody would forget that this is an international board full of people from all over the world, whose first language might not be English!

<facepalm>

[–] jaybabb 13 years ago

He was killed because he got low ratings.

Conspiracy therories are cleverly thought out to evade the real truth

Jay

[–] psadek-496-994449 12 years ago

Not only low ratings....but because he had low ratings AND it was the only way to get him off the air.

[–] IronPalm 12 years ago

And how about a "SPOILER ALERT" @$$hole; you apparently ignorant of basic etiquette as well as basic spelling.

[–] mrthursdaynight 10 years ago

Is a spoiler alert REALLY necessary for a 38-year-old movie?

No shirt, no shoes, no SEXY.

[–] somesunnyday 9 years ago

Yes, it is! The age of a film does not mean that everyone has seen it. Christ, there's so many films out there in the world, you can't expect everyone to have seen everything, just cause it's a certain number of years old!

[–] Michael71 8 years ago

Sorry I added the word Spoiler, happy now?

[–] kinsociojey 8 years ago

The point of SPOILER ALERT is that you put the spoiler in the post, not in the title. Holy *beep*

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0074958/

[–] ShellOilJunior 12 years ago

They killed him because the head of CCA Arthur Jensen wanted Beale to preach about corporatism. Jensen didn't care about the ratings but obviously UBS has a business to run so they killed him.

[–] ErlandGadde 9 years ago

This is actually a plot hole. They would have no reason to kill him. The poor rating and profitability of the show is irrelevant since the boss, Jensen, thought that Beale's preaching was more important for the profitability of CCA as a whole. So, Jensen's subordinates, the UBS executives and producers, didn't need to worry about the low ratings, they could still cash in their paychecks!

[–] kinsociojey 8 years ago

That's not what a plot hole is. You're thinking (incorrectly) that it was an unmotivated character action.

You forget that these are corporate lackeys and television producers. They can cash their paychecks until the Network becomes so unprofitable that everyone has to be let go. When they go looking for new jobs, what are they going to tell prospective employers: "I know I oversaw the destruction of an entire network, but it was the head of the parent company who wanted that to happen!"? They felt trapped. They didn't know Jensen's motivation for keeping Howard on the air. The only thing they cared about was their futures.

Besides, their sole purpose from the beginning was to save a dying network. Moreover, Hacket wanted revenge. Howard cost him his big promotion. And Diana WANTED to see violent crime on television. The whole thing started because Howard threatened to kill himself on the air, which allowed her to take over programming the news division. She knew from the beginning that an on-air death would boost ratings. That's why she made a deal for the terrorism tapes (which is why she had the ELA do the killing). She was a soulless, amoral humanoid.

Did you actually watch the movie?

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0074958/

[–] franzkabuki 8 years ago

"Jensen thought that Beale's preaching was more important for the profitability of CCA as a whole".

He didn't keep Beale on because it was in any way profitable, but because he was saying things he wanted the public to hear.

"facts are stupid things" Ronald Reagan

[–] pullman1881 12 years ago

His murder was perfectly in line with the tone of the film. They killed him because they couldn't fire him (Mr. Jensen wanted him on the air), and they couldn't keep him on the air (he was destroying the success of the station). So what was left to do?

[–] matthewwave-1 11 years ago

I hate you, Foozwad!!! You beat me to it!!! :-)

Altho, I was gonna just post, "C-I-L-L my How - Ward."

Matthew

[–] FFLscreen 11 years ago

Thanks, D..

[–] dfisli 10 years ago

[–] Worst-Movie-Ever 10 years ago

He was cilled for good ratings and he became a konflict of interest. The more he cept koming on TV they more krazy he became.

Here's yer sign.

[–] madpogue 10 years ago

^^^^^ Ummm... that's "bekame".

[–] PsychoDingo 10 years ago

Why did you put a massive spoiler in the subject line?

I got girls up here do more tricks than a god damn monkey on a hundred yards of grape vine.

[–] fanaticita 10 years ago

The ending was truly unexpected, to me anyway. How calmly they decided to kill him, without showing any emotion at all. Cold.

[–] LetThemEatCake01 9 years ago

it's just ridiculous, the whole premise is ridiculous.