Background

In the early 50s, the US government was preoccupied with the perceived threat of Communism. Perhaps it was less concerned with an ideology than with the change in the balance of world power that would result were the Soviet Union and Maoist China (both admittedly red) to become allies. In any case, this threat prompted certain members of the government to exploit the fears of the public, creating an atmosphere of rampant paranoia.

First and foremost among the scaremongers was Joseph McCarthy, junior senator from Wisconsin. With not a shred of evidence to back up his claim of hundreds of people of Communist leaning having infiltrated the State Department, and using only gossip, hearsay, innuendo and lies, this demagogue hounded innocent people, causing them to lose their reputation, careers and in some cases, even their lives.

Disgusted and outraged by McCarthy’s tactics, CBS broadcast journalist Edward R. Murrow and his producer Fred Friendly determined to take a public stand against McCarthy and expose him to the American public as the fraud, liar and bully that he was. But even though they had the support of their fellow newsmen, higher-ups in the network worried about sponsors withdrawing their sponsorship in the light of political controversy. Despite the risk of losing their jobs, Murrow and Friendly persisted in their courageous stand, and were instrumental in helping to bring down one of the most loathed senator in American history.

The Movie

Cunningly shot in black and white to instantly date the film to the 50s and to merge seamlessly with the considerable amount of archival footage used, Good Night and Good Luck is a stylish, crisp and incisive account of a defining moment in television broadcasting history. It is a deliberate and provocative 90-minute docudrama that focuses on the integrity of one man and his determination to utilize the power of television broadcasting to take down a malevolent demagogue.

Production designer Jim Bissel and cinematographer Robert Elswitt recreate the atmospheric tense and smoky newsrooms of CBS in the 50s, while jazz singer Dianne Reeves provides the music of the times with grace and style.

The Actors

Good Night and Good Luck won Best Screenplay Award for George Clooney who was director and co-writer with Grant Heslov. Clooney also plays the part of Fred Friendly who was the producer of “See It Now”, a version of Murrow’s previous and wildly popular radio news program “Hear It Now”, adapted to the new medium of television. Clooney plays his part with understated élan, graciously conceding the limelight to David Strathairn in Murrow’s role.

David Strathairn was nominated for Best Actor in his role as Edward R. Murrow, and he certainly gave a sterling performance throughout. Strathairn infuses the character with dignity, giving us a sleek, stylish and poised Murrow in a role he must have relished playing. No detail is too small, from every half-turn of his head to each cigarette balanced just so across his knuckles. While we have no difficulty believing in the utmost integrity of the man, we can still see the tension just beneath his self-possession as he struggles under corporate pressure to go public and denounce McCarthy. Good Night and Good Luck may be Clooney’s baby but it is Strathairn’s showpiece and a masterful one it is too.

In a stroke of genius and with a sleight of hand that betrays Clooney’s diabolical wit, this second-time filmaker allows Joseph McCarthy to play himself via archival footage, damning the man in his own words far more than a mere actor could ever hope to do.

The supporting cast is strong, with Ray Wise giving a tightly-wound character study of the ill-fated Don Hollenback, a victim of McCarthy’s witchhunt, and Frank Langella playing the corporate higher-up William Paley, caught between his insubordinate subordinates and the sponsors threatening to withdraw sponsorship.

Robert Downey Jr and Patricia Clarkson play Joe and Shirley Wershba. Some critics have wondered why this ‘sub-plot’ was even included. I think it is partly to underline the morals of the time, and partly to point out that a situation might be morally correct and yet deemed unacceptable by an arbitrary set of rules. In other words, secrets are not necessarily evil, though the secrecy fostered by a climate of fear could give rise to misgivings and misinterpretations, with terrible consequences.

Themes/Messages

It is clear that George Clooney and Grant Heslov have a great deal of respect for Murrow, as would anyone who takes the time to read more about this broadcast journalist and his life’s work. The film itself is framed by a speech given by Murrow in 1958 to The Radio and Television News Directors Association, in which he opined that the medium of television was being used to “detract, delude, amuse and insulate us” when it could be used instead “to enlighten, to illuminate and to inspire”.

Murrow’s view on the power of television is insightful. What’s more, it’s proven. He used the medium of television to enlighten the public about a very real menace, to illuminate the concepts that power should never be abused, that dissent must not be confused with disloyalty, and to inspire us to believe that one person acting with integrity can make a considerable difference in the world.

J.C. Hall is the author of the fantasy novels 'Legends of the Serai' and 'Lady of the Lakes'. The sequel to Lady of the Lakes will be published by Zumaya Publications. Her poems have appeared in various fantasy magazines while her non-fiction writing includes book reviews and travel articles. You can find out more about JC and her work by visiting Her Website