Good Night, and Good Luck

This bloody DVD sat in my mail to read pile for about a month, then I spilled a glass of water on it, then I had to pry the envelope open.

But the wait was worth it.

This quiet little docu-drama of the relation ship between CBS and the McCarthy hearings was, allowing for the liberal leanings of the director-writer, George Clooney,an informative movie that can hold you theatrically.
Released in 2005, the movie is short at 93 minutes long.

The cast is strong with excellent supporting work.

• Jeff Daniels as Sig Mickelson, the first director of CBS television news.
• David Strathairn as Edward R. Murrow.
• Tate Donovan as Jesse Zousmer
• Patricia Clarkson as Shirley Wershba, producer and bride of Joe Wershba.
• Robert Downey Jr. as Joe Wershba, producer, husband of Shirley Wershba and Pulitzer nominee.
• George Clooney as Fred Friendly
• Frank Langella as William Paley, CBS Chairman.

This movie is about the struggles surrounding the McCarthy Communism created trials. How the media sought to expose unethical persecution tact and how the government sought to control public perception of that.  CBS saw themselves as a protector or individual rights and with fear proceeded to expose actions they knew to be un-Constitutional. At career risk and personal expense the CBS news division made public evidence that eventually took the wind out of the Joseph McCarthy hearings.

The movie tends to stay away the the Democrat vs. Republican issue, which I appreciated. McCarthy himself was a Republican but he was supported by many Democrats and staffers which included Roy Cohn and Robert Kennedy.

On the whole I liked the movie and recommend that any patron of history watch. 

 

More