Good Night, and Good Luck. (2005)

Director:

George Clooney

Writers (WGA):

George Clooney (written by) &
Grant Heslov (written by)

Release Date:

14 October 2005 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | History

Tagline:

We will not walk in fear of one another.

Plot:

Broadcast journalist Edward R. Murrow looks to bring down Senator Joseph McCarthy.

Plot Keywords:

News | Cigarette | No Opening Credits | Television Studio | Newspaper

Awards:

Nominated for 6 Oscars. Another 22 wins & 60 nominations

Cast

Jeff Daniels	...	Sig Mickelson
David Strathairn	...	Edward R. Murrow
Alex Borstein	...	Natalie
Rose Abdoo	...	Millie Lerner
Peter Martin	...	Pianist
Christoph Luty	...	Bassist
Jeff Hamilton	...	Drummer
Matt Catingub	...	Saxophonist
Tate Donovan	...	Jesse Zousmer
Reed Diamond	...	John Aaron
Matt Ross	...	Eddie Scott
Patricia Clarkson	...	Shirley Wershba
Robert Downey Jr.	...	Joe Wershba
George Clooney	...	Fred Friendly
Thomas McCarthy	...	Palmer Williams (as Tom McCarthy)

MPAA:

Rated PG for mild thematic elements and brief language.

Runtime:

93 min

Country:

USA | UK | France | Japan

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Finland:S | Iceland:L | Argentina:Atp | Portugal:M/12 | Ireland:PG | Sweden:Btl | Brazil:14 | Canada:G (British Columbia/Ontario/Quebec) | Germany:o.Al. | Australia:PG | South Korea:12 | Switzerland:7 (canton of Geneva) | Hungary:14 | Spain:13 | Malaysia:18PL (DVD) | Singapore:PG | UK:PG | Malaysia:(Banned) (theatrical) | Switzerland:7 (canton of Vaud) | USA:PG (certificate #41985) | Canada:PG (Alberta/Manitoba/Nova Scotia)

Filming Locations:

CBS Television City - 7800 Beverly Blvd., Fairfax, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Warner Independent Pictures (WIP)

Trivia:

The entire budget for this 2006 Best Picture Nominee (as well as 5 other nominations): $7 million.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: Mention is made of the hotline telephone between Moscow and Washington, but this was installed in 1963, five years after Murrow's speech and ten years after the bulk of the film. (Fidel Castro's revolution hadn't even occurred at the time the film is set).

Quotes:

[first lines]
Sig Mickelson: In 1935, Ed Murrow began his career with CBS. When World War II broke out, it was his voice that brought the Battle of Britain home to us, through his "This Is London" radio series. He started with us all, many of us here tonight, when television was in its infancy...

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "The Office: The Job (#3.23)" (2007)

Soundtrack:

How High the Moon

When Things Were Black and White

I've had the "Edward R. Murrow" Collection from CBS for years and have enjoyed watching it's biography of Murrow, the complete Milo Radulovich, McCarthy and Annie Lee Moss shows many times. I'm sure George Clooney must have these as well as he used the actual footage extensively in his fine drama "Good Night and Good Luck". As a previous poster said, by concentrating on what was actually presented, Clooney is able to focus on the ethical issues that were the real substance of the broadcasts, rather than the tragicomic personalities involved. He wants us to see that the same issues are in our lives today, (Clooney has had his own battles with would-be modern McCarthys like Bill O'Reilly), but he isn't going to force the issue. He's doing exactly what Murrow and Friendly did with the McCarthy broadcast: using the actual record to tell the story.

There are minor, but significant embellishments, mostly an impressive cast of actors who can tell us more with one look than an entire speech. Leading the way is David Straithairn as Murrow. Except for possessing a higher pitched voice than the original, he's got his man down cold. I would pick Frank Langella as William Paley, here presented as a man with ideals but who is rooted in the realities of business, the sort of guy who has to make the tough decisions the idealists like Murrow don't have to or want to deal with. Then there is Ray Wise as the vulnerable Don Hollenbeck, who was one of the co-creators of "You Are There", a program this film somewhat resembles. He wound up being "there" when he didn't really want to be.

What really enhances the show is the black and white photography, (actually, according to the notes, it was "The film was shot on color film on a grayscale set, then color-corrected in post" – whatever that means). Not only does it heighten the drama, (magazine photographers, in the days when they had a choice, said "black and white for drama, color for excitement"), but the tremendous resolution seems to bring out each furrow and poor on each person's face, allowing the viewer to see into their souls.