In the 1976 film, Network, frustrated television viewers were urged to stick their heads out of their windows and yell what angry cry?

In the satirical 1976 film *Network (Review)*, the memorable cry, "I'm as mad as hell, and I'm not going to take this anymore!" is famously shouted by news anchor Howard Beale. Played by Peter Finch in an Oscar-winning role, Beale is an aging newscaster who, after learning he is being fired due to low ratings, has an on-air meltdown. Instead of delivering a farewell, he launches into a tirade about the "bullshit" of life, and in a subsequent broadcast, he urges his viewers to open their windows and join him in this cathartic scream of frustration.

This scene becomes a pivotal moment in the film, as the network executives decide to exploit Beale's erratic behavior for ratings, rebranding him as "the mad prophet of the airwaves." His raw, angry populism resonates with a disillusioned public, and his new show becomes a massive success. The phrase itself encapsulates the film's central theme: a scathing critique of corporate media's willingness to manipulate public anger for profit and the dehumanizing effect of television.

The film, written by Paddy Chayefsky and directed by Sidney Lumet, was seen as eerily prophetic, and its message about media sensationalism and societal anger remains relevant decades later. The iconic line has since become a widely recognized cultural touchstone, representing a powerful expression of popular rage against systemic problems and the feeling of individual powerlessness.