Good night, and good luck

Like The constant gardner, it's difficult to say much about this film without dwelling on the political ramifications. With a distinct lack of frills, there were many times it came across more as a documentary; certainly the extensive use of period footage reinforced this, not to mention the very cerebral nature of the film as a whole.

The tense atmosphere created by MacCarthy trials of the 1950s was beautifully realised: the consequences of CBS, and more particularly Edward D. Murrow, standing up to the senator's bullying tactics (being labelled a communist) were made clear from the outset. Interestingly, MacCarthy himself only appeared in television footage of the time, emphasising both the factual basis of the film and the ideological distance between CBS and a vehemently right-wing political status quo.

Sound familiar? Well, with the performances and plot, such as it was, kept very low-key, contemporary resonances certainly came to the fore - Murrow refering to America's Middle Eastern policy as a subject for future investigation put paid to any doubts on that front. The script rightly claims that television should be more than a source of entertainment, and George Clooney is to be praised for making a film which reflects this laudable goal.

(21st February 2006)

Comments:
television should be used solely as a source for Charlie Rose. You DO get Charlie across the pond right?
# posted by Anonymous Anonymous : 2:14 PM
 
Not to the best of my knowledge, Spencer. You've identified a gap in the market, so get going and your fortune is made!
# posted by Anonymous Anonymous : 2:15 PM
 
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