Good
Night, and Good Luck is a provocative glimpse into the news business during the
50’s, and marks the second directing effort from actor George Clooney. What
is most impressive about the subject matter is how timeless it is. And in fact,
the issues dealt with in this picture couldn’t be any more relevant. Good
Night, and Good Luck focuses on a respectable CBS news team , and legendary Broadcast
journalist Edward R. Murrow’s effort to take a stand against Joseph McCarthy
in the name of free speech, after the infamous senator begins singling out various
citizens of the U.S. and proclaiming them communists. The title of the film takes
it’s name from Murrow’s legendary sign off line.
Now
clearly, this film quite easily could have turned into a one sided stab at McCarthyism
(Clooney is, after all, openly liberal), and while it is true, McCarthy is painted
the villain, this is more of a statement about the media and the power that it
has on our society. In that regard, the film reminded me a little of Robert Redford’s
Quiz Show. Good Night, and Good Luck is a smaller film. It’s extremely intimate
in it’s approach at the material.. Clooney isn’t at all interested in
bloating the subject matter and turning it into a big old propaganda show (ala
Fahrenheit 9/11). This movie is intentionally scaled down, and the gorgeous black
and white cinematography only adds to it’s effectiveness.
Good
Night, and Good Luck is also quite funny. There’s an entertaining scene in
which Murrow interviews a flameboyant Liberace, and the news man playfully probes
the pianist about his love life. The sequence inter cuts actual stock footage
of Liberace with recreated footage of David Strathairn’s Murrow. Good Night
Good Luck, represents an era long since vanished. A time when smoking was encouraged
(watch for an eerie but entertaining Kent cigarettes commercial) and citizens
were under communists suspicion if they dared to speak their minds.
David
Strathairn is spellbinding as the determined and courageous Murrow. . This is
a subtle, effective, Oscar caliber performance from an actor who’s paid his
dues. In particular, I was extremely impressed by his broadcast delivery sequences.
Watch as Murrow confidently delivers his speeches, then take a look at Strathairn’s
face immediately following a pivotal attack speech late in the film . It’s
clear that this man was fearful of the stance he was taking, but it didn’t
matter. He had a job to do. This journalist was the true personification of professionalism.
Robert Downey Jr. is outstanding in a small but effective role as a CBS news team
member and Patricia Clarkson is equally effective as his loving wife. Ray Wise
is spectacular as the vulnerable newsman Don Hollenback, a fellow broadcast journalist
who dared to back Murrow and his team up even though his name was constantly dragged
into the mud. Rounding out the stellar cast are top notch bit parts by memorable
faces including Frank Langella, Jeff Daniels, and George Clooney himself. George
Clooney gives each and every actor in this piece their moment to shine and he’s
extremely meticulous with detail.
The
look of the film is picture perfect. Good Night, and Good Luck will, no doubt,
cause debate between every side of the political spectrum. They’re will be
relentless arguing over which side is actually being painted in the true light,
but then that’s sort of the point of the movie. We all have a right to our
own way of thinking and that’s what makes this country so great. Clooney
has fashioned a thoughtful, thoroughly engaging film that brought to mind Guilty
By Suspicion, The Insider, and Quiz Show. It’s much more than a simple attack
on McCarthyism. It’s also a film about integrity and speaking one’s
mind, but mostly it’s a clear cut look at the power of the media. And given
the current climate we live in these days, the title “Good Night, Good Luck”
couldn’t be any more prophetic. This is an outstanding film.
