The William Holden-Faye Dunaway romance subplot is trite and irrelevent
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Naughty-God — 14 years ago(January 20, 2012 03:45 PM)
I thought that it contributed to the movie's brilliance. Both writer and director were able to inject what appears to be a standard romantic subplot into the narrative and weave it as part of the moral fabric that was being deteriorated by commercial television jungle it was portraying.
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iteration2 — 14 years ago(January 26, 2012 03:13 PM)
I thought the romantic subplot was what made the movie, by showing us that behind Diana's enthusiasm for her job, she was a truly cold person, incapable of love and sentimentality. Her enthusiasm for the murder conspiracy would have come completely out of left field if not for us (and Diana) realizing the truth of Max's exit speech in the previous scene.
And speaking of Max's exit speech, wow! Probably the most scathing breakup speech I've ever seen. I loved how her vitriolic commentary on his lovemaking abilities don't phase him, because he knows that it comes from a position of petty anger. His docile rebuttal, coming from a position of love, hurts her so badly because she knows he's right, and realizes just how isolated she really is.
Had the romantic subplot spent any significant time on romance, I might agree that it would be out of place. But as it was, it was a chance to interject some actual truth and human emotion, juxtaposed against the cold world of ratings, ravings, and corporate politics. -
MrVibrating — 13 years ago(July 30, 2012 04:48 PM)
As others have said - the romance was another view on the damaging effect television is having on people - and one people might relate more easily to. I for one wouldn't change a thing.
If dolphins are so smart, how come they live in igloos -
jellric — 13 years ago(August 31, 2012 09:51 PM)
If you think the supposed "sub" plot was irrelevent, then you missed a big chunk of the movie. Human beings, even the most intelligent ones, don't operate in a world of pure ideas and intellect. That is Spock territory. Non-human.
No, this was a very human movie about human beings. I could probably write a book about their relationship, but one thing it did was highlight by contrast Diana's lack of empathy for real human beings. The relationship REALLY shone a spot light on her character like nothing else could. She was talking about ratings during sex, for God's sake.
Go watch the movie again until you GET IT. -
crunkrocka — 13 years ago(September 07, 2012 05:14 PM)
I would agree that the romance does nothing to advance the main plot, but it doesn't have to. That's why screenwriters often refer to the love story as the "B Story." It doesn't have to serve the main story. The purpose of the B story is to reveal character and help develop the theme.
Network does this beautifully, in both cases. As someone already mentioned, the B story reveals quite a bit about Diana and her complete inability to connect with anyone. It also builds sympathy for Max, as he's in two relationships, both of which are loveless. Also, as someone pointed out, it gives him a flaw. Because of the B story, Max becomes someone that we're really rooting for.
Perhaps the greatest contribution Network's B Story makes is in terms of theme. By showing an affair between Max and Diana, we see firsthand the differences between the old media (Max), which is based on truth and integrity, and the new media (Diana), which is driven by instant gratification.
Okay. Now I'm going to do his teeth and cut off his fingers. You might want to leave room. -
drbuckley — 13 years ago(February 06, 2013 07:11 AM)
I think you are entirely correct, crunkrocka. Max's final scene with Diana neatly summarizes Chayefsky's contempt for the TV-generation, using eloquence to condemn the banal images of the boob-tube.
Diane's character presciently anticipates not only the dumbing down of the American people, the debasement of journalism, and the increasingly violent images on the screen (could "NCIS" have ever been broadcast in 1976?), but also the rise of "reality television" ("The Mao Tse-tung Hour"). Chayefsky was an artist fifty years ahead of his time. -
madpogue — 13 years ago(February 15, 2013 04:01 PM)
Evidently the Academy didn't think the affair, or at least Max's confession to Louise about it, was superfluous. For that scene, Beatrice Straight's part was the shortest screen-time role in history for one that received a Best Supporting Actress or Actor award.
Also, Diana's banal chatter during the cabin scene fleshed out (no pun intended) her character, and Max's blow-up in her apartment toward the end helped us to know him more fully.
As to the "tone", I think it helps a great deal for a movie not to carry the same tone, whether it's satirical, romantic, high suspense, etc., through every scene; it's just more "natural" to change it up for one or two (or more) scenes. Trivia take-away - Lumet made it a point to be "in charge" of the confession scene, telling Chayefsky (in effect) "You know irony and satire, but I know divorce". -
Mr_Nin — 13 years ago(March 08, 2013 05:48 PM)
OP yep you are missing something. The relationship reflects everything else that's going on. The caring, benevolent Holden, enticed by the exciting but ultimately shallow and emotionless Dunaway. News Vs Entertainment, Socialism Vs Business, Truth Vs Money.
"If you haven't watched it til the end, you don't know what you're talking about" -
gilper653 — 12 years ago(December 07, 2013 04:25 PM)
The idea behind the affair was to show us the cold nature of Diane. She was incapable of love. Then it was not a surprise that she suggested and coordinated the assassination of Howard. We have to remember that when she suggested the affair to Max her real motive was to sell him her revolutionary ideas.
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brand_name — 12 years ago(December 29, 2013 10:50 PM)
agreed with O.P. Plus I did not like how the older man got on his high horse at the end and told her she was gonna be alone and sad. I mean we just saw this guy throw away a 25 year marriage, and he's supposed to be the virtuous one. Just strange dynamics with those 2 characters, in my opinion
IT is a great book -
cookiela2001 — 10 years ago(May 20, 2015 11:09 PM)
"I did not like how the older man got on his high horse at the end and told her she was gonna be alone and sad. I mean we just saw this guy throw away a 25 year marriage, and he's supposed to be the virtuous one?"
That made me laugh : ) You're absolutely right. -
SloppyJ30 — 11 years ago(May 15, 2014 08:03 AM)
I always thought of the affair as Max's surrendering to the fate he's always believed destined for . . becoming the clich. Read or go listen to the bulk of his dialogue in the conversation with his wife:
"Here we are going through the obligatory middle-of-Act-Two scorned wife throws peccant husband out scene. But, no fear, I'll come back home in the end. All her plot outlines have me leaving her and returning to you because the audience won't buy a rejection of the happy American family."
Then later, with Diana:
"It's a happy ending, Diana. Wayward husband comes to his senses, returns to his wife with whom he has built a long and sustaining love. Heartless young woman left alone in her arctic desolation. Music up with a swell. Final commercial. And here are a few scenes from next week's show."
As he shreds Diana for being shaped by television into a caricature who is incapable of behaving or feeling in any other way than she does, he is forced to acknowlege that he's just as bound by his conditioning. He's a slave to convention . . a knowing one, but a slave nonetheless.
From Chayefski's POV, I'd say he was doing anything but pandering by including a romantic subplot, as some here seem to believe. That's absurd. Nothing about the affair would be appealing to the type of viewer who would feel they need romance in every film. If anything, the cold, rote, perfunctory way the affair proceeds is more of a middle finger to audiences: "Here's your damn romance; you know you wanted it, so how'd you like it?"I have meddled with the primal forces of nature and I will atone.