The American people have undergone their own times of Dark Ages, and the beginning of the 1950s is one such example when the republican U.S. Senator Joseph McCarthy from Wisconsin led a witch-hunt on suspected Communists.  It led to a widespread fear that echoed throughout the United States that placed the very American idea of freedom under arrest.  Freedoms such as thinking, expressing oneself, and having opposing ideas came under strong scrutiny and assault, if they did not coincide with Senator McCarthy’s view of what was American.  The fear caused a strong current of hysterical prejudice and moral panic to spread towards people with different ideas than Senator McCarthy.  Eventually, very few dared to say what was on his or her mind, as it could ultimately destroy their lives.

The portion of society that bears the function of analyzing politicians, and sees to it that they do not step across the boundaries and break the laws is journalism.  The journalists report to the society about the political progress of the society, and they must have the freedom to freely expressing themselves.  Yet, Clooney makes it clear in Good Night, and Good Luck that this is not the case, as the opening crawling text enlightens the audience about the fear of retribution during the McCarthy years.  Instead many reporters were extremely cautious about what they reported to the public.  Naturally, it skewed the reporters’ and publics’ objectivity, as fear entered the very spirit of the American people.

The opening montage of Good Night, and Good Luck displays a number of characters attending a formal banquet, as expensive jewelry and lavish outfits portray that these characters belong to one of society’s successful groups.  They are laughing, drinking, and conversing freely without thought of who might be listening to their chatter.  Symbolically, the scene might display a notion of what the American Dream might look like through success.  In addition, it does provide an illustrious example of the American Dream, as it is a gathering to honor broadcast journalist Murrow in October 25, 1958.  However, his speech opens with words of warning of the escapism and societal decadence that emerge through widespread audience efforts to insulate themselves against uncomfortable information, as the people seek a pleasant existence while pursuing the American Dream.

The forewarning by Murrow at the banquet offers an opportunity for audience to ponder about how history tends to repeat itself, if lessons from the past were not learned.  A fade out brings the speech to an abrupt end, as a flashback moves the story to October 14, 1953.  It is the final stages of Senator McCarthy’s witch-hunt on Communists.  Meanwhile, in New York, Murrow and his producer Fred Friendly (George Clooney) approach a sensitive topic about a man fired from the Air Force for his father having read the wrong newspaper.  The Air Force also insisted that the man should denounce his father and sister, which the man refused.  At first, Fred is hesitant, as Senator McCarthy is not the one behind the Air Force decision.  However, they come to the understanding that the reverberation of McCarthyism seems to have caused the intimidating situation between the Air Force and the man.

Unavoidably, Murrow and Fred eventually seek to tell the truth about the Wisconsin republican despite the possible the dangers of Senator McCarthy attacking them and CBS.  Yet, they intend to stay objective and keep it from personal attacks, as objectivity is essential to point out the shortcomings of Senator McCarthy.  Despite the objective truth, Murrow cannot help that his feelings of vulnerability and the obvious political bullying that McCarthy exercised affected his judgment.  In other words, to be objective with facts is next to impossible as there is a motivating factor to why people report news.  However, Clooney also extends this notion that it is the readers’ responsibility to seek multiple sources for their information, as each source has some degree of distortion.  In the film, Murrow and his colleagues show this by reading multiple new paper reviews of their most recent production, as they report on McCarthyism and the red scare that flared up in the early 1950s.  In the end, Murrow’s boss Mr.Paley (Frank Langella) even expresses to him that the most admirable and considerate of intentions have bias, as it wants to change something for the better.  Thus, they seek the public’s approval of what they have accomplished through their criticism of Senator McCarthy.

In Murrow’s attempt to pursue the objective truth, the importance of financial and ideological backing emerge, as his boss Mr. Paley is concerned with CBS’s future and its employees.  Mr. Paley must also take into account the vital importance of profiting in order to remain competitive.  CBS gets the competitive edge from revenues gathered from companies trying to sell the American Dream through commercials.  In the light of journalism, the audience gets to experience the difficult period that the people faced while trying to achieve the American Dream.  Meanwhile, Murrow’s ideas often collide with those of the advertisers, which threaten the profit of the show . Simultaneously, other less meaningful shows make more profit while allowing the audience to escape the difficult times of the society.  (It is understandable why the people want to escape a society that constantly brings out bad news.)  Despite our differences, he learns that we all must live in symbiosis where freedom will prevail.  It is a message that suggests that differences of opinions never can be completely erased due to society’s intricate web of different people.  It is something our forefathers are very well aware of, as they drafted and signed the living document Declaration of Independence.  Thus, the people must be aware of the political progress of the nation, as it concerns us all when our liberties are removed.

Ultimately, it provides the audience with a remarkable cinematic experience that allows for a portrayal of some real life heroes that stood up and spoke against what was wrong within the society.  Much like Martin Luther King opposed laws that were unjust and created preferential treatment of the citizens within the nation, Murrow stood up and said his piece to help society better itself.  Good Night, and Good Luck provides a detailed look on heroes that stood up against what brought darkness on the American people, which offers both amusement and contemplation.

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COUNTRY

Japan / France / UK / USA

Filmography links and data courtesy of