 Movie Review:
Good Night, and Good Luck
Director: George Clooney
Production Company : Warner Independent Pictures
Cast : David Strathairn, Patricia Clarkson, George Clooney, Jeff Daniels, Robert Downey, Jr., Frank Langella
Rating : PG for mild language
By Gregg Tubbs
“Last week may be remembered as the week that broadcasting recaptured its soul,” observed Jack Gould, TV critic for The New York Times after the CBS “See It Now” news broadcast of March 9, 1954. Good Night, and Good Luck is a taut and timely docudrama about this high-water mark of early TV journalism, portraying a courageous news team that faced down intimidation and corporate pressures to expose the rampant fearmongering of Senator Joseph McCarthy. But most impressively, it is a riveting portrait of legendary newsman Edward R. Murrow, often called “Television Journalism’s Jeremiah,” because, like the prophet of old, he had the courage and conviction to speak truth to power.
Edward R. Murrow (David Strathairn) was often called "Television Journalism’s Jeremiah," because, like the prophet of old, he had the courage and conviction to speak truth to power. Melinda Sue Gordon © 2005 Good Night Good Luck LLC. All Rights Reserved |
George Clooney scores a stunning trifecta as co-writer, co-star and director of Good Night, and Good Luck. But the real star is David Strathairn as Murrow. He gives a powerful and nuanced performance, capturing the distinct gavitas of a legend in the making—his dignity, determination and courage—but not at the expense of also capturing the man, with his doubts, insecurities and hints of cynicism. Rounding out the impressive ensemble cast is Clooney himself (as Murrow’s producer, Fred Friendly), Patricia Clarkson, Robert Downey Jr., Jeff Daniels and Frank Langella. That such a heavyweight cast would commit to a little, independent film shot entirely in black and white says a lot about the strength of the story and the quality of the script—and Good Night’s script is one of the year’s most passionate and intelligent.
Focusing on both ideas and ideals, the crisply paced docudrama recounts the events of the mid-1950s that led to Murrow’s decision to stand up against Senator Joseph McCarthy, who was out to rid the country of communists and unafraid to destroy the innocent along the way, using innuendo, accusations and outright lies. McCarthy recklessly branded anyone who opposed his methods or disagreed with his politics as a communist or simply “un-American,” without giving them a fair trial. This angered Murrow and Friendly, and the resulting episodes of their “See It Now” program challenged McCarthy and exposed his callous bullying as being purely for political gain. As a result, McCarthy’s grip on America was weakened, and the culture of fear that was the “Red Scare” began to fade.
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| Murrow (David Strathairn) and his producer, Fred Friendly (George Clooney), challenged Senator Joseph McCarthy on their "See It Now" program, exposing his bullying to be for mere political gain. Melinda Sue Gordon © 2005 Good Night Good Luck LLC. All Rights Reserved |
It’s easy, with 50 years of hindsight, to rally behind Murrow and his crew and sneer at the bullying senator. History tells us that the phobic “witch hunt” of anti-communism was out of control and that mostly the innocent suffered. However, at the time, Murrow and the whole news team took considerable risk in opposing the popular sentiments of the time. Communist were the bogeymen, supposedly lurking under every American bush. McCarthy was a popular figure, seen as a hero and protector, who kept a fearful nation safe from a pervasive, foreign threat. Referring on air to McCarthy’s “you’re either with us or with the enemy” tactics, Murrow stressed that “We must not confuse dissent with disloyalty,” meaning you could honestly disagree with those in power, or oppose those who abuse it, without being “un-American.”
During the broadcast, Murrow said, “We will not walk in fear, one of another. We will not be driven by fear into an age of unreason.” Yet he knew his own act of courage would come with a price. Following the landmark McCarthy broadcast, the corporate sponsors dropped “See It Now.” The network gave in to corporate pressures, moving the show out of primetime, and Murrow himself fell out of favor, appearing less and less frequently on the air. It was a real case of the desire for profit silencing the prophet.
Good Night, and Good Luck is a great film about even greater issues, providing a history lesson and a civics lesson wrapped in a gripping human drama. The film champions truth-telling over lying, regardless of the risks, and shows that we must sometimes do the difficult thing that’s right, rather than the easy thing that’s wrong. We see that the majority isn’t always right, especially when manipulated by fear and a misuse of patriotism. Good Night, and Good Luck also reinforces the importance of freedom of speech and the freedom of the press, and insists that dissenting voices must be heard—just as the prophets of old, and even Jesus, challenged the status quo and spoke truth to power that had become corrupt and self-serving.
Gregg Tubbs is a freelance writer living in Columbia, Md.
This review was developed by UMC.org, the official online ministry of The United Methodist Church.
Study Questions
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Were you familiar with the career of Edward R. Murrow? What about Joseph McCarthy and the House Un-American Activities Committee?
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Murrow came from an Abolitionist Quaker background. Do you think this had an influence on his quest for social justice?
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Do you believe Jesus championed social justice and truth? (See, for example, Luke 4:16-21.)
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Senator McCarthy used lies and false accusations against those he wanted to brand as communists. What does the Bible say about “bearing false witness?” (See Exodus 20:16; Exodus 23:1, 7; Leviticus 19:16; Psalms 41:5-9; Matthew 5:11.)
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What were your feelings towards newscaster Don Hollenbeck (played by Ray Wise)? Did you suspect he would commit suicide? Do you think McCarthy was responsible? Were you aware that there were several suicides because of McCarthy’s accusations and the anti-communist blacklists?
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Jesus said, "Prophets are not without honor except in their own country and in their own house" (Matt. 13:57). How does this verse relate to what happened to Murrow later in his career?
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Do you agree with Clooney’s decision to shoot in black and white? What about his decisions to use real news clips of Senator McCarthy rather than have him played by an actor?
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Have you ever been in a situation where you stood up against power and authority to confront some wrongdoing? Do you believe it is right to do so? What are the possible consequences—both of standing up against wrong and choosing not to do so?
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Were you shocked by the smoking and drinking in the film? Was it necessary to capture the atmosphere of the day?
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What role did music play in the film? How did each song provide commentary for the surrounding scenes of the film?
Group Activities
Analyze the Scene: There is a critical scene in Good Night, and Good Luck when Murrow and the “See It Now” crew look at the final cut of the show. They had doubts about airing it. Some worried they were on the right side; others worried about the repercussions. Murrow himself had already been called a communist by McCarthy, something that could have ruined his career. But Murrow eliminated their doubts by saying, "The terror is right here in this room. No one man can terrorize a whole nation unless we are all his accomplices." When someone asked what he would say on the McCarthy broadcast, he replied, "If none of us ever read a book that was 'dangerous,' nor had a friend who was 'different,' or never joined an organization that advocated 'change,' we would all be just the kind of people Joe McCarthy wants." As a group, analyze this scene. Discuss Murrow’s argument. Do you agree or disagree? Can the members of your group understand the fear of being blacklisted? Apply this scene to today. What are possible parallels? For example, has stopping terrorism become a form of terrorism itself? Finally, discuss Murrow’s famous line: “We can’t promote freedom abroad by abandoning it at home.”
Modern Prophets: Part of the prophetic tradition is to “speak truth to power.” As a group, make a list of those who could be considered modern prophets and discuss their lives and their accomplishments. A good starting point might be to look at the civil rights movement or the Vietnam War. Was Dr. Martin Luther King a prophet? What about Rosa Parks? Entertainers spoke out against the Vietnam War in favor of peace. Did Bob Dylan act as a prophet? What about John Lennon? Do you consider any current religious leaders to be prophets? What about Jim Wallis (Sojourners magazine) or Rick Warren (The Purpose Driven Life)? How are they continuing the prophetic tradition?
Your Own Newscast: Edward R. Murrow used the platform of the TV network newscast to speak out against injustice. In this exercise, have your group stage its own newscast. Select an anchor to read the news, as well as writers, a director, field correspondents and general stage managers to help pull together a mock set, lights, etc. Choose a story from the Bible, and then present it in news show form, as if it were a current event. You could report on the Exodus from Egypt, including a report from a field correspondent on location from the parted Red Sea. Or do a story on the Nativity, perhaps including an interview with a shepherd and a scientific correspondent reporting on the star of Bethlehem. If a video camera is available, consider filming your newscast and showing your tape as part of a worship service. Or you might also consider restaging the broadcast live for your congregation.
Resources
Official Good Night, and Good Luck Web site
Theatrical Trailer
QuickTime
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