Good Night, and Good Luck takes place during the early days of broadcast journalism in the 1950s. Edward R. Murrow (Best Actor Nominee David Strathairn), and his dedicated staff - headed by his co-producer Fred Friendly (Best Director Nominee George Clooney) and reporter Joe Wershba (Robert Downey, Jr.) in the CBS newsroom - defy corporate and sponsorship pressures, and discredit the tactics used by Senator Joesph McCarthy during his crusade to root out communist elements within the government. Murrow first defends Milo Radulovich who was discharged from the US Army because his father subscribed to a Serbian newspaper. A very public feud develops when the Senator responds by accusing the anchor of being a communist. In this climate of fear and reprisal, the CBS crew carries on and their tenacity will prove historic and monumental. Historical footage also shows the questioning of Annie Lee Moss a Pentagon communication worker accussed of being a Communist based on her name appearing on a list seen by an FBI infiltrator of the American Communist Party. The film's subplots feature recently married staffers having to hide their marriage to save their jobs at CBS; and the suicide of Don Hollenbeck who was accussed of being a "pinko." The film is bookended by a speech to the Radio and Television News Directors Association in which Murrow harshly admonishes them not to squander the potential of television to inform and educate the public. Hilarity ensues.
This is a very good movie. Shot in black and white, with plenty of close ups, the movies centers around the CBS studios in New York and Edward R. Murrow's "See It Now" program, it is visually very intimate. Most of the characters smoke (as they did back in the 50's) and slow swirling smoke adds to the effect of the black and white. The cast includes some very good actors like Strathairn, Frank Langella, Jeff Daniels, Robert Downy, Jr., Ray Wise, and Tate Donovan.
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3 comments:
I usually like George Clooney's movies but his holier than thou polotics are starting to annoy me.
I have some trivia: "March of the Penguins" grossed more money than any of the 5 films up for best picture.
We watched that the other night, and Rachel cried huge sobbing tears more than once.
Again, don't know the film so I can't make a comment.
Second, I loved March of the Penguins and cried huge sobbing tears too.
Colby just watched Turner and Hootch the other night. I was in the living room watching Lost and he came in all red faced and I asked what was wrong. He says "Hootch DIES!" and ended up crying again all cuddeled up to me for protection. It makes me tear up just thinking about it.
Gee, I didn't know the penguins wer is so much peril! Know if it was gay penguin peril, it might have gotten an Oscar nod.
So if Colby cries when Hooch dies, don't let him near Old Yeller.
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