Good Night, and Good Luck. (2005)

User Rating:

7.7/10   

Director:

George Clooney

Writers (WGA):

George Clooney (written by) &
Grant Heslov (written by)

Release Date:

14 October 2005 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | History

Tagline:

We will not walk in fear of one another.

Plot:

Broadcast journalist Edward R. Murrow looks to bring down Senator Joseph McCarthy.

Plot Keywords:

Senator | Journalist | Communism | 1950s | Wisconsin

Awards:

Nominated for 6 Oscars. Another 22 wins & 61 nominations

Cast

Jeff Daniels	...	Sig Mickelson
David Strathairn	...	Edward R. Murrow
Alex Borstein	...	Natalie
Rose Abdoo	...	Millie Lerner
Dianne Reeves	...	Jazz Singer
Peter Martin	...	Pianist
Christoph Luty	...	Bassist
Jeff Hamilton	...	Drummer
Matt Catingub	...	Saxophonist
Tate Donovan	...	Jesse Zousmer
Reed Diamond	...	John Aaron
Matt Ross	...	Eddie Scott
Patricia Clarkson	...	Shirley Wershba
Robert Downey Jr.	...	Joe Wershba
George Clooney	...	Fred Friendly

Also Known As:

Good Night, and Good Luck (France)

MPAA:

Rated PG for mild thematic elements and brief language.

Runtime:

93 min

Country:

USA | UK | France | Japan

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

UK:PG | Ireland:PG | Finland:S | Australia:PG | Canada:G (British Columbia/Ontario/Quebec) | Canada:PG (Alberta/Manitoba/Nova Scotia) | Brazil:14 | Iceland:L | Argentina:Atp | Switzerland:7 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:7 (canton of Vaud) | Portugal:M/12 | USA:PG (certificate #41985) | Singapore:PG | Hungary:14 | Spain:13 | Germany:o.Al. | South Korea:12 | Malaysia:18PL (DVD) | Malaysia:(Banned) (theatrical) | Sweden:Btl

Filming Locations:

CBS Television City - 7800 Beverly Blvd., Fairfax, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Warner Independent Pictures (WIP)

Trivia:

Initially, the famous concluding catch phrase "Good Night and Good Luck" that became the title of the film, was a habit Edward R. Murrow kept from his London years as a war reporter for the radio, when British people under constant night German bombing systematically ended their conversations with the very same words, uncertain to meet again.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: During the opening scene, there are a few paragraphs that set up and explain the movie's premise. In the first paragraph it says that this all took place during the "1950's and 1960's". This is a grammatical mistake. It should be "1950s and 1960s" since it's plural, not possessive.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Sig Mickelson: In 1935, Ed Murrow began his career with CBS. When World War II broke out, it was his voice that brought the Battle of Britain home to us, through his "This Is London" radio series. He started with us all, many of us here tonight, when television was in its infancy...

Movie Connections:

Featured in The 63rd Annual Golden Globe Awards (2006) (TV)

Soundtrack:

How High the Moon

Come back Mr. Murrow!

My hat to George Clooney. He doesn't take the easy way out. His seriousness of purpose is undeniable and his talents as a filmmaker a concrete reality. This, his second feature, is a no frills account of a period in American history that left visible scars but, as it happens, many have forgotten. History repeats itself but its protagonists seem diluted in this modern obsession with political correctness. David Strathairn - best actor at the Venice Film Festival - is chillingly perfect as Edward R Murrow, reminding us that TV times have changed in an unrecognizable way. The space for real thought on network news has been replaced by the circus atmosphere of 24 hour cable shows with loud mouths, sound effects and video graphics. The inter-cutting between Murrow/Strathairn and the real Senator McCarthy creates the perfect illusion of a startling reality. The timing of the film couldn't be more perfect. I hope we can all fill in the voids and connect the dots. It's time to look back and think before our past becomes our future. Thank you Mr Clooney, thank you very much.