The Love Machine (1971)

The Love Machine is the kind of glossy early-’70s melodrama that knows exactly how outrageous it is, then leans in with a wink and a perfectly tailored suit. It turns the world of network news into a slick, soapy playground of ambition and desire, where every conversation feels like it’s happening under hot studio lights and behind a closed door. The fun is in the vibe: campy, trashy, and undeniably entertaining, with Dyan Cannon bringing a spark that cuts through the lacquered surfaces and makes the whole ride pop. If you’re allergic to heightened soap-operatic plotting, it may feel overripe, but if you want a time-capsule drama that plays like a delicious guilty pleasure, this one delivers.

The Love Machine is clearly aiming for a slick, cynical climb-to-the-top drama about ambition, sex, and power inside the TV news world. The problem is it often plays like a glossy shell of a scandal: the story moves mechanically, the emotions feel muted, and the performances can come off stiff rather than seductive or dangerous. If you’re expecting sharp satire, real heat, or a gripping rise-and-fall arc, this may feel sterile and surprisingly dull for such juicy material. That said, if you enjoy slow, old-school “business of television” melodrama and can tolerate a chilly tone, you might still find some period intrigue in watching the machinery of careerism at work.