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Goodnight, and good luck - David Strathairn, Robert Downey Junior, ray Wise, Frank Langella, George Clooney

Threat advisory: Elevated - Significant risk of entertaining activities

Movie propaganda

In a nation terrorised by its own government one man dared to tell the truth.

About the renowned CBS News anchor Edward R Murrow's (David Strathairn) legendary on-air confrontations with red-baiting Senator Joseph McCarthy that helped bring down the infamous politician in the mid-1950s. The film traces the true story of how Murrow and his producer, Fred Friendly (George Clooney), helped bring an end to the tyranny of the blacklist and the house Un-American Activities Committee' anti-Communist hearings. With the platform provided by his CBS News program See it now, Murrow challenged McCarthy on his claims that hundreds of avowed communists were working covertly as Soviet spies in the US government, among other allegations that at the time had the power to destroy lives and careers.

Theatrical propaganda posters

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Target demographic movie keyword propaganda

  • Film drama Edward R Murrow TV Joseph McMarthy communism Senate spy USSR USA freedom

Persons of interest

  • Alex Borstein .... Natalie
  • Robert John Burke .... Charlie Mack
  • Patricia Clarkson .... Jenny Darmondy
  • George Clooney .... Fred Friendly
  • Jeff Daniels .... Frank Stanton
  • Reed Diamond .... John Aaron
  • Tate Donovan .... Jesse Zousmer
  • Robert Downey Junior .... Jimmy Darmondy
  • Frank Langella .... William Paley
  • Thomas McCarthy .... Palmer Williams
  • Glenn Morshower .... Colonel Anderson
  • Matt Ross .... Eddie Scott
  • David Strathairn .... Edward R Murrow
  • Ray Wise .... Hollenbeck
  • Grant Heslov .... Screenwriter
  • George Clooney .... Screenwriter
  • George Clooney .... Director

Cinematic intelligence sources

Intelligence analyst

Special Agent Matti

Theatrical report

If you ever had any curiosity as to the political leanings of George Clooney then Goodnight, and good luck will set you straight. It's not that one has to be a trendy, greenie, commie, pinko, lefty, bleeding-heart liberal to see Joseph McCarthy as a force for evil - but it helps. And you might wonder why a Hollywood heavyweight like George Clooney is making a movie about Right Wing repression of freedom of speech, freedom of thought and freedom of the media (not to mention promoting the odd bit of fearmongering), especially in today's society where personal freedom and human rights are celebrated the world throughout.

I haven't been able to figure that one out, yet.

Meanwhile, Goodnight, and good luck is a great way to see how TV was made back in the 1950s and how life was back in the 1950s, so it's historically significant on three fronts. Acting-wise, you get some good work from David Strathairn and Frank Langella, while the rest of the cast are never less than adequate.

Knowing how things turn out always makes for a duller viewing, but Goodnight, and good luck still has some bang for the more intellectual viewers among us. It's not a great film but it is good.

Security censorship classification

PG (Mild themes)

Surveillance time

93 minutes (1:33 hours)

Not for public release in Australia before date

Film: 15 December 2005

Cinema surveillance images

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