When it comes to certain talents in film, it’s sometimes easy to associate them with the “one thing” or “one style”, and glance over their other strengths in other fields. For this subject, my initial thoughts on actor George Clooney were viewing him simply as the “chill, cool guy” in movies … but gradually I discovered there was more variety to him in other film projects. The 2005 movie “Good Night, and Good Luck” was one of my earliest discoveries in seeing just how versatile George Clooney can be as an artist. Not only does George Clooney act in the film, but he also directed and co-wrote the screenplay along with Grant Heslov. The film is a dramatic period piece, set in the age of early television, and asks the time-tested question of how far should we be allowed to take journalism.
It’s 1953, the Cold War tensions are high, and U.S. Senator Joseph McCarthy is the most visible public face of the period, especially with his anti-communist actions. Veteran journalist Edward R. Murrow, host of the CBS broadcasting show “See it Now” and airs a peace on his disapproval of the Senators actions with the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations … which is taken as a vocal attack on Senator McCarthy himself. Thus, a conflict of Rhetoric ensues between Murrow and McCarthy, with each using their sharpest words and speeches against the other. The outcome of this political conflict will determine whether or not Edward R. Murrow would continue to have a future as a show host for CBS.
George Clooney’s talents as a director are on full display in the film’s brilliant presentation and get the viewer to feel like they’re part of a real televised event as it plays out. You can feel a real filmmaker’s passion for capturing all the right details and giving both the events and period setting a real sense of atmosphere.
As a result, the experience feels like a genuine peak at what was going on behind the scenes. For a movie that mainly focuses on people in suits talking in a studio, it never once comes off as boring, and that’s a sign of a well-paced movie. Everything from the way it’s shot, to the performances, and the spoken words are all consistently engaging. Also, the film is effectively presented as a black and white picture, allowing it to overlap with real footage from period. Even though it’s clear what was shot for the film, it still works in execution and helps make the events all the more tangible. While Edward R. Murrow is portrayed in the film by David Strathairn (more on him in a moment), Senator Joseph McCarthy is the real deal, portrayed through archive footage and it again makes the presentation feel all the more practical. When McCarthy refers to Murrow as “the leader of the Jackle Pack”, it’s literally coming from the horse’s mouth.
It’s all masterfully presented, and George Clooney was appropriately nominated at the Academy Awards for Best Director but lost to Ang Lee for directing “Brokeback Mountain”. Other noteworthy talents in the production include art directors James D. Bissell and Jan Pascale and Cinematographer Robert Elswit. Again, both were nominated at the Academy Awards for Best Art Direction and Cinematography, but both lost to “Memoirs of a Geisha”.
George Clooney had a second Oscar nomination along with Grant Heslov for Best Original Screen play, and again, I sincerely feel a passion in what these artists crafted for the film. Political views aside, the film is chiefly about media responsibility, and how television can be used as a tool, not only for conveying the news, but for journalists to speak their mind on economic policy. The film is also laced with themes of standing up for what you believe in and taking the responsibility to follow through with it. As Edward R. Murrow states at the end of the film - it all comes down to extolling the importance of ideas and information, and that television's potential of informing and enlightening its audience shouldn't be discounted … otherwise it will become "merely wires and lights in a box."
As mentioned before, George Clooney also acts in the film, portraying Fred W. Friendly, the co-producer of Murro’s “See it Now” broadcast. His performance is good … but the real star to highlight is David Strathairn in the leading role of Edward R. Murrow. His conviction in this portrayal is stern, earnest, and feels like a real personality of the time. Backed by a strong script, this portrayal of Murrow delivers some of the most elegant, well-spoken lines, which I could listen to on repeat, it’s just that captivating. As is the unfortunate case with this film, David Strathairn was rightfully nominated at the Oscars for Best Actor but lost to Philip Seymour Hoffman’s portrayal of Truman Capote from the movie “Capote” … which was admittedly a fair win. The one actor I feel got snubbed at the Oscars was Ray Wise in his supporting role as CBS journalist Don Hollenbeck. He’s initially presented as a man with a positive outlook on his work, but after being hounded and accused by the press, everything falls apart around him, and the sense of devastation is captured very subtly and effectively in this performance.
It’s a shame there wasn’t yet an Oscar category for Best Casting, because the ensemble cast for this film was exceptional. Frank Langella has a commanding presence as William Paley, the chief executive of CBS. Jeff Daniels also flexes his range as Sig Mickelson, the director of CBS News. Lastly, three years prior to his breakout performance as “Iron Man”, Robert Downey Jr’s career wasn’t in the best place, but with movies like “Zodiac” and “Kiss, Kiss, Bang, Bang”, he was gradually making a comeback. Thankfully, “Good Night, and Good Luck” was another bright spot for him at the time. In this film, he portrays Joseph Wershba, a correspondent for CBS, and married to another CBS member Shirley Wershba, played by Patricia Clarkson. With all the tension, these two have their own personal stakes as they aim to keep their marriage secret.
At the end of the day, “Good Night, and Good Luck” doesn’t quiet peak into the valley of my absolute favorite movies, but it’s certainly a favorable picture, and highly recommendable. It was a bright spot in 2005 and was rightfully Nominated for Best Picture at the Academy Awards … but lost to the Crime Drama “Crash”. Regardless, the film has been well preserved, and is a great showcase for its talented ensemble, especially George Clooney. While I’m partial to his more entertaining roles in films like “O Brother Where Art Thou?” and “From Dusk till Dawn”, I think it’s fair to highlight “Good Night, and Good Luck” as one of his best films, not just as an actor, but also as a director and screen writer. With our growing landscape of both media coverage and social media, I feel this film's themes and lessons are even more relevant today, and for that ... it gets a stamp of recommendation.
Thanks for
reading my review of “Good Night, and Good Luck” … and continue to enjoy
the movies you Love!
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