"Good Night, and Good Luck" (2005) Directed by George Clooney

“Fred Friendly” (George Clooney) This is another quiet, in the background role for Clooney as Fred Friendly, a CBS News Producer and close confidant of Edward R Murrow. Both a stylish and understated performance from actor Clooney as well as a stylish film for which he as director was nominated for an Oscar, quite the achievement in only his second directorial film. Clooney was also nominated alongside fellow screenplay writer Grant Heslov for an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay, with the film as a whole receiving a total of six Oscar nominations. Again, quite an astounding achievement in only his second film as Director. Another George Clooney film that became an instant favourite with me, the film is bookended with a speech made by “Edward R Murrow” (an incredible performance from David Strathairn) at a Gala Evening in his honour in 1958. A salute to his incredible achievements in television broadcasting and one in which he makes this telling pronouncement

“We are currently wealthy, fat, comfortable and complacent. We have an inbuilt allergy to unpleasant or disturbing information. Our mass media reflect this. But unless we get up off our fat surpluses and recognise that television in the main is being used to distract, delude, amuse and insulate us, then television and those who finance it, those who look at it and those who work at it, may see a totally different picture too late”.

From this early speech in 1958 the film reverts back to 1953 and the main premise for the film is set: In the midst of the Cold War against Russia, Republican Senator Joe McCarthy is trying to root out “card carrying” Communists from the United States of America. A media war is brewing and Edward R Murrow together with Fred Friendly and his CBS News team uncover shockingly one sided attacks on American citizens whereby they are accused of being a Communist without a fair trial or evidence. From 1953 onward the film continues with a straight forward timeline until it loops back to bookend the film with a continuation of Murrow’s Gala speech.

The above paragraphs are taken from my spoiler free review of "Good Night, and Good Luck" which was originally penned and published some years ago, transferred to my Medium blog site on 11th January 2023 and which can now be read in full and for free (please also consider subscribing for free too!) via my Substack blog site and original article linked immediately below:

https://ramblingmusings666.substack.com/p/good-night-and-good-luck-2005-c8c9bc2cb6fc

This spoiler free review is also integral to Volume 2 of my "essential film reviews collection". Each volume and e-book is £4.99 however, should you have an Amazon Kindle "Unlimited" package, all volumes are available to read for free:

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