Good Night, and Good Luck. (2005)
Coming Out at 16 September 2005 in theaters.
Biography, Drama, History
Good Night, and Good Luck is historical drama film directed by George Clooney, and starring David Strathairn, Patricia Clarkson, Clooney, Jeff Daniels, Robert Downey Jr., and Frank Langella. The movie was written by Clooney and Grant Heslov (both of whom also have acting roles in the film), and portrays the conflict between veteran radio and television journalist Edward R. Murrow (Strathairn) and U.S. Senator Joseph McCarthy of Wisconsin, especially relating to the anti-Communist Senator’s actions with the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations.
Although released in black and white, it was filmed on color film stock, but on a grayscale set, and was color-corrected to black and white during post-production. It focuses on the theme of media responsibility, and also addresses what occurs when the media offers a voice of dissent from government policy. The movie takes its title (which ends with a period or full stop) from the line with which Murrow routinely signed off his broadcasts.
The setting is 1953, during the early days of television broadcast journalism. Edward R. Murrow, along with his news team, producer Fred Friendly and reporter Joseph Wershba, learn of U.S. Air Force officer Milo Radulovich, who is being forcibly discharged because of family members being known communists and his refusal to denounce them.
Interest is piqued when it is found that the compilation of charges at Radulovich’s hearing was in a sealed envelope and nobody saw them. Murrow presents the story to CBS News’ director, Sig Mickelson, who warns Murrow that the story will bring serious accusations and repercussions to CBS and their sponsors, some of whom have government contracts. He reluctantly allows the story to air, which gains positive responses from the public.
Director: George Clooney
Writers: George Clooney, Grant Heslov
Stars: David Strathairn, Patricia Clarkson, George Clooney, Jeff Daniels, Robert Downey, Jr., Frank Langella
Cast:
Jeff Daniels | … | Sig Mickelson |
David Strathairn | … | Edward R. Murrow |
Alex Borstein | … | Natalie |
Rose Abdoo | … | Mili 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 |
Tom McCarthy | … | Palmer Williams |
Glenn Morshower | … | Colonel Anderson |
Don Creech | … | Colonel Jenkins |
Grant Heslov | … | Don Hewitt |
Robert John Burke | … | Charlie Mack |
Ray Wise | … | Don Hollenbeck |
Robert Knepper | … | Don Surine |
Helen Slayton-Hughes | … | Mary |
Frank Langella | … | William Paley |
Simon Helberg | … | CBS Page |
JD Cullum | … | Stage Manager |
Peter Jacobson | … | Jimmy |
John Kepley | … | CBS Lawyer #1 |
David Paul Christian | … | CBS Lawyer #2 |
Joyce Lasley | … | Make-Up Girl |
Bill Blair | … | TV Studio Crewman |
Felix J. Boyle | … | Prominant Chicagoan |
Roy M. Cohn | … | (archive footage) |
Ray Donn | … | Reporter |
Joseph Dowd | … | Reporter |
Dwight D. Eisenhower | … | (archive footage) |
Robert F. Kennedy | … | (archive footage) |
Liberace | … | (archive footage) |
Bruna Matsin | … | Sig Mickelson’s Wife |
Joseph McCarthy | … | (archive footage) |
John L. McClellan | … | (archive footage) |
Katharine Phillips Moser | … | Jesse’s Wife |
Milo Radulovich | … | (archive footage) |
Alexana Thomas | … | Senator’s Wife |
Rochelle Warner | … | Speech Wife |
Joseph N. Welch | … | (archive footage) |
Sources: imdb & wikipedia