it okay . a few year later chayefsky classic network will be his true cinematic big home run . and but for now and this dark comedy isn not the classic it aspire to be . it mostly awful and although it have some good scene represent the first murder victim be find and the e. r. clerk responsible for bill patient make a surprise discovery and drummond delusional confessional and and the very last scene where scott character regain his professional integrity and self respect . it also have some ludicrous scene represent scott character whiny monologue during his early visit to the hospital psychiatrist and scott character rap rigg character and dysart horrible mugging in his brief scene and and the o. r. doctor pounce on the operating table to resuscitate the wrong patient because i already have one malpractice lawsuit . chayefsky also try too hard throw every conceivable hurdle at this one hospital ( i. e. the murder and the administrative mistake and the poor people protest outside and etc ) . it might have work well a a look at the industry a a whole . act wise represent scott be passable and rigg seem miscast and hughes be inspire and and dysart mug through out his brief performance . the rest of the cast be too one dimensional .