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nel 1953, agli albori della televisione, edward r. murrow, uno stimato giornalista televisivo, oltre a condurre un programma giornalistico e un talk show, insieme al produttore fred friendly e' responsabile di un programma che commenta i fatti del giorno. la redazione che lavora con lui e' composta da un gruppo affiatato di professionisti che analizza le notizie del giorno per scegliere le storie migliori da raccontare . tra queste spicca la vicenda di un pilota della marina sbattuto fuori dall'esercito senza alcun processo con l'accusa di essere un "rischio per la sicurezza". murrow decide di raccontare la sua storia che sembra coinvolgere anche la potente figura del senatore mccarthy, presidente del comitato parlamentare per le attivita' antiamericane.
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14 of 14 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
It can be a strange thing when history repeats itself, so it seems no accident that George Clooney chooses now to take his second stab at directing, choosing as his subject the McCarthy Anti-Communist Witch hunts of the 1950's, another time when to speak out against the American government would have you branded as a traitor. Taking its title from Ed Murrows famous closing lines from his nightly broadcast, the film focuses on the sacking of a navy airman without trial or justification just because he may be a "Commie", and then uses this to hang a much broader story about the suppression of free speech and the systematic hijacking of "innocent until proven guilty". What matters here is not whether the airman was a "Commie" or not, what is important is that merely by suggestion and suspicion he has been tired and convicted without due process to the law. A case of guilty by suggestion.
As the crusading and highly intelligent Murrow, David Straitharn gives a deadpan and enigmatic performance, allowing us to realise that although Murrow appears calm and composed on the outside, inside he is raging against the injustices he sees perpetrated by McCarthy's House Un-American Activities Committee every day. When Murrow calls for tolerance and understanding, stating that not to agree with someone is not to see him as the enemy, McCarthy resorts to insults, in one particular sequence calling Murrow "the cleverest of the jackal pack". Clooney, playing Murrows producer and close friend Fred Friendly (apt name and no joke) gives a quiet performance that refuses to upstage Strathairn, the man who has clearly been tasked with carrying the weight of this weighty subject.... Read more ›
As the crusading and highly intelligent Murrow, David Straitharn gives a deadpan and enigmatic performance, allowing us to realise that although Murrow appears calm and composed on the outside, inside he is raging against the injustices he sees perpetrated by McCarthy's House Un-American Activities Committee every day. When Murrow calls for tolerance and understanding, stating that not to agree with someone is not to see him as the enemy, McCarthy resorts to insults, in one particular sequence calling Murrow "the cleverest of the jackal pack". Clooney, playing Murrows producer and close friend Fred Friendly (apt name and no joke) gives a quiet performance that refuses to upstage Strathairn, the man who has clearly been tasked with carrying the weight of this weighty subject.... Read more ›
23 of 24 people found the following review helpful
By Teemacs
TOP 1000 REVIEWER
Format:DVD
This film is a salutary lesson in the fact that the USA goes through regular fits of total barminess, such as the one currently being endured under the present theocracy. In the early 1950s, Wisconsin, a state famous for two reasons only, dairy products and the Green Bay Packers, acquired a dubious third, a junior Senator called Joseph McCarthy, who sought to make a name for himself by finding Reds under nearly every bed. It was an era when people could lose jobs because they were risks to national security, based on evidence they weren't allowed to see and when the media were relatively subdued for fear of being labelled as "unpatriotic" or even "treasonous". Sound familiar?
The story is of the confrontation between McCarthy and the distinguished CBS newsman Ed Murrow, famous for his broadcasts from London during the Blitz ("Goodnight, and good luck" was his London sign-off - after all, nobody knew whether there was a Luftwaffe bomb with your name on it - which he kept). On his CBS news show, Murrow calmly and methodically exposed McCarthy for the humbug that he was, and when McCarthy tried to smear him, equally calmly and methodically took him apart. It was the end of the road for McCarthyism (although the whole travesty of un-American activities, blacklisted Hollywood writers, etc., was to continue for some years).
The film is in black and white and features director George Clooney in a secondary role. Murrow is played by David Strathairn, who looks passably like Murrow, and he does a splendid job as the determined journalist. No actor plays McCarthy, he being played by himself, on old TV recordings. Another good role is CBS's long-suffering boss, forever on the verge of becoming a nervous wreck because of the fear of Murrow's crusading scaring away the sponsors.... Read more ›
The story is of the confrontation between McCarthy and the distinguished CBS newsman Ed Murrow, famous for his broadcasts from London during the Blitz ("Goodnight, and good luck" was his London sign-off - after all, nobody knew whether there was a Luftwaffe bomb with your name on it - which he kept). On his CBS news show, Murrow calmly and methodically exposed McCarthy for the humbug that he was, and when McCarthy tried to smear him, equally calmly and methodically took him apart. It was the end of the road for McCarthyism (although the whole travesty of un-American activities, blacklisted Hollywood writers, etc., was to continue for some years).
The film is in black and white and features director George Clooney in a secondary role. Murrow is played by David Strathairn, who looks passably like Murrow, and he does a splendid job as the determined journalist. No actor plays McCarthy, he being played by himself, on old TV recordings. Another good role is CBS's long-suffering boss, forever on the verge of becoming a nervous wreck because of the fear of Murrow's crusading scaring away the sponsors.... Read more ›
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful
By M. B. Alcat
Format:DVD
This film tells us about the fight of CBS reporter Edward R. Murrow (David Strathairn) and his team to expose the irregular methods senator Joseph McCarthy used to fight communism. That took courage, specially in the 50´s, a time when the fear of Communism was pervasive and McCarthy had helped to create a climate of paranoia in which disagreeing with him immediately led to accusations of being a Communist.
Murrow and his producer and partner, Fred Friendly (George Clooney) decided to take this matter in their hands when faced with a case that, even though not involving McCarthy directly, was an excellent example of the climate of fear the nation was living in. The following step was to attack McCarthy´s methods, using the senator`s own words and footage of audiences of the Committee McCarthy presided. Murrow pointed truths that many had forgotten, that is, that accusation is not proof, and that “We cannot defend freedom abroad by disserting it at home”. He also made his viewers remember that “We must not confuse dissent with disloyalty. When the loyal opposition dies, I think the soul of America dies with it”.
“Good night and good luck” was directed by George Clooney, and based on a script he cowrote with Grant Heslov. In my opinion, it is a truly outstanding film. Of course, it is entertaining, and has a superb cast. But the real reason why you really should watch this movie is that it brings home some important lessons about responsibility, the responsibility of journalists but also that of citizens. Unfortunately, that is something we all tend to forget, from time to time.
In conclusion, and just in case I haven´t made myself clear, HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
Belen Alcat
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Good lines and good acting
This is quite simply a very good story that is very well told. It is elegant in its delivery and riveting in its content, considering where we are today. Read more
Published 1 month ago by MHB
5.0 out of 5 stars
Superior!
s i m p l y d o e s n ' t g e t a n y b e t t e r !
Published 4 months ago by Christian Edlmayer
4.0 out of 5 stars
Legends of an Era
This very well written, well directed and beautifully filmed movie attempts to perpetuate the myths of the McCarthy era while ostensively telling the story of Edward R Murrow. Read more
Published 5 months ago by Robert B
4.0 out of 5 stars
Great
Bought this for a university module but it turned out to be a really good film that most audiences would enjoy.
Published 5 months ago by Julie
5.0 out of 5 stars
A piece of history
George Clooney shows he is not just an actor but a director of integrity making a great film about a less popular subject. David Strathairn's portrayal deserves recognition
Published 5 months ago by stevem
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent acting, very realistic setting
One of the best films I have seen in the recent years. Although at the end it is the income of TV commercials that saves the freedom of speech, it is a crooked way to show the... Read more
Published 16 months ago by Ted
4.0 out of 5 stars
David Strathairn steals the plaudits
McCarthyism was the worst of times in America with suspicion, fear and treachery as strong as in the days of Nazism in Germany or the dreaded Stasi in the Communist bloc. Read more
Published 18 months ago by Stephen
1.0 out of 5 stars
HELP REGION ERROR - CAN'T PLAY
I was delighted to get the DVD so promptly. As it was for a present it was wrapped for today and disappointment all round when it wouldn't play - giving me a "REGION ERROR" message... Read more
Published 18 months ago by Margaret
5.0 out of 5 stars
A fascinating insight
This is the biopic of a man called Edward Murrow, an american newsreader from the 1940s and 50s. This looks very closely at his dealings with the paranoid general McCarthy and his... Read more
Published on 21 Mar 2011 by S. Meadows
1.0 out of 5 stars
Don't bother
To be fair, at the time I was suffering from mild insomnia so I really ought to rate this as 5-star as it did me a massive favour. Read more
Published on 8 Feb 2011 by Lala
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