Monday, October 10, 2005

Good Night and Good Luck

"We will not walk in fear, one
of another. We will not be
driven by fear into an age of
unreason, if we dig deep in our
history and our doctrine; and
remember that we are not
descended from fearful men.
Not from men who feared to
write, to speak, to associate,
and to defend causes that were
for the moment unpopular."
– See it Now broadcast,
March 9, 1954

The year is 1953, television is
still in its infancy and the
esteemed broadcast journalist,
Edward R. Murrow (played by
David Strathairn), anchors the popular news documentary show, “See it
Now,” on CBS. Murrow, alongside producer Fred Friendly (George
Clooney), oversees a show that reports on the news items of the day. He
also hosts the talk show “Person to Person,” yet “the face of television”
is happiest as a news reporter.

"Good Night. And, Good Luck." takes place during these early days of
broadcast journalism and chronicles the real-life conflict between Edward
and Senator Joseph McCarthy and the House Un-American Activities
Committee. With a desire to report the facts and enlighten the public,
Murrow, and his dedicated staff - headed by his producer Fred Friendly
and Joe Wershba (Robert Downey jr) in the CBS newsroom - defy
corporate and sponsorship pressures to examine the lies and scaremonger
-ing tactics perpetrated by McCarthy during his communist 'witch-hunts'.
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.
Here is another excerpt from their show:

"This is no time for men who oppose Senator McCarthy's methods to
keep silent, or for those who approve. We can deny our heritage and
our history, but we cannot escape responsibility for the result. There is
no way for a citizen of a republic to abdicate his responsibilities. As a
nation we have come into our full inheritance at a tender age. We
proclaim ourselves, as indeed we are, the defenders of freedom,
wherever it continues to exist in the world, but we cannot defend
freedom abroad by deserting it at home. The actions of the junior
Senator from Wisconsin have caused alarm and dismay amongst our
allies abroad, and given considerable comfort to our enemies. And whose
fault is that? Not really his. He didn't create this situation of fear; he
merely exploited it — and rather successfully. Cassius was right.
"The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, but in ourselves."
Good night, and good luck."
– See it Now broadcast, March 9, 1954

"Good Night and Good Luck" is directed by George Clooney who also
wrote the script with Grant Heslov. The movie is rated PG for mild
thematic elements and brief language.
Here is their official site: goodnightandgoodluck.com