1 September, 2024 Siobhan Marie Day 0 Comments 7 categories

Directed by George Clooney, Written by George Clooney, and Grant Heslov, Produced by Grant Heslov, Starring: David Strathairn, Patricia Clarkson, George Clooney, Jeff Daniels, Robert Downey Jr., Frank Langella, Tate Donovan, Ray Wise, with Cinematography by Robert Elswit, and Edited by Stephen Mirrione, Production companies: 2929 Entertainment, Participant Productions, Section Eight Productions, Davis Films, Redbus Pictures, and Tohokushinsha, Distributed by Warner Independent Pictures (United States), Redbus Film Distribution (United Kingdom), Metropolitan Filmexport (France), Tohokushinsha (Japan) (2005)

See It Now…

Good Night, and Good Luck (promoted as good night, and good luck.) is a 2005 historical drama film about American television news directed by George Clooney, with the movie starring David Strathairn, Patricia Clarkson, Jeff Daniels, Robert Downey Jr., and Frank Langella as well as Clooney himself. The film was co-written by Clooney and Grant Heslov, and it portrays the conflict between veteran 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, better known as “The Army-McCarthy Hearings”.

George Clooney directing "Good Night, and Good Luck." (2005) Photo Credit: Warner Independent Pictures

David Strathairn as Edward R. Murrow in "Good Night, and Good Luck." (2005) Photo Credit: Warner Independent Pictures

Patricia Clarkson as Shirley Wershba in "Good Night, and Good Luck." (2005) Photo Credit: Warner Independent Pictures

Jeff Daniels as Sig Mickelson in "Good Night, and Good Luck." (2005) Photo Credit: Warner Independent Pictures

Robert Downey Jr., as Joseph Wershba in "Good Night, and Good Luck." (2005) Photo Credit: Warner Independent Pictures

Frank Langella as William Paley in "Good Night, and Good Luck." (2005) Photo Credit: Warner Independent Pictures

George Clooney as Fred W. Friendly in "Good Night, and Good Luck." (2005) Photo Credit: Warner Independent Pictures

Joseph McCarthy (archive footage) as himself, and David Strathairn as Edward R. Murrow in "Good Night, and Good Luck." (2005) Photo Credit: Warner Independent Pictures

George Clooney and Grant Heslov during 2005 Venice Film Festival - "Good Night, and Good Luck." Party at Il Granaio in Venice, Italy. Photo by J. Vespa/WireImage

Edward Roscoe Murrow (born Egbert Roscoe Murrow; April 25, 1908 – April 27, 1965) was an American broadcast journalist and war correspondent. He first gained prominence during World War II with a series of live radio broadcasts from Europe for the news division of CBS. During the war he recruited and worked closely with a team of war correspondents who came to be known as the Murrow Boys. A pioneer of radio and television news broadcasting, Murrow produced a series of reports on his television program "See It Now" which helped lead to the censure of Senator Joseph McCarthy. Fellow journalists Eric Sevareid, Ed Bliss, Bill Downs, Dan Rather, and Alexander Kendrick consider Murrow one of journalism's greatest figures.

McCarthy in 1954 Joseph Raymond McCarthy (November 14, 1908 – May 2, 1957) was an American politician who served as a Republican U.S. Senator from the state of Wisconsin from 1947 until his death at age 48 in 1957. Beginning in 1950, McCarthy became the most visible public face of a period in the United States in which Cold War tensions fueled fears of widespread communist subversion. He alleged that numerous communists and Soviet spies and sympathizers had infiltrated the United States federal government, universities, film industry, and elsewhere. Ultimately, he was censured by the Senate in 1954 for refusing to cooperate with, and abusing members of, the committee established to investigate whether or not he should be censured. The term "McCarthyism", coined in 1950 in reference to McCarthy's practices, was soon applied to similar anti-communist activities. Today, the term is used more broadly to mean demagogic, reckless, and unsubstantiated accusations, as well as public attacks on the character or patriotism of political opponents.

Joseph N. Welch (left) being questioned by Senator Joseph McCarthy (right), June 9, 1954 relating to the anti-communist Senator's actions with the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations. Photo Credit: Getty Images

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 U.S. journalism offer voices 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 film was a box office success and received critical acclaim for Clooney’s direction, the writing, cinematography, production design and performances (particularly Strathairn‘s). It was nominated for six Academy Awards, at the 78th Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director (Clooney) and Best Actor (Strathairn). It was also nominated for six BAFTAs at the 2005 BAFTA Awards, and four Golden Globes at the 2006 Golden Globe Awards. The American Film Institute named Good Night, and Good Luck as one of the Top Ten Movies of 2005.

George Clooney and Grant Heslov directing Ray Wise in "Good Night, and Good Luck." (2005) Photo Credit: Warner Independent Pictures

Actress Mira Sorvino and Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences President Sid Ganis announce the Achievement in Writing (Original Screenplay) Award at the 78th Academy Awards Nominations at the Samuel Goldwyn Theater on January 31, 2006 in Beverly Hills, California. Best Achievement in Writing (Original Screenplay) nominees include screenplays by Paul Haggis and Bobby Moresco for "Crash", George Clooney and Grant Heslov for "Good Night, and Good Luck", Woody Allen for "Match Point", Noah Baumbach for "The Squid and the Whale" and Stephen Gaghan for "Syriana". Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images

UNITED STATES - JANUARY 31: Actress Mira Sorvino, left, and Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences President Sid Ganis announce the nominations for original screenplay the 78th Academy Awards in Beverly Hills, CA, January 31, 2006. The nominees for original screenplay are "Crash", "Good Night, and Good Luck", "Match Point", "The Squid and the Whale", and "Syriana". Photo by Francis Specker/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Actress Mira Sorvino and Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Best Motion Picture of the Year Award at the 78th Academy Awards Nominations at the Samuel Goldwyn Theater on January 31, 2006 in Beverly Hills, California. Best Motion Picture of the Year nominees include "Brokeback Mountain", "Capote", "Crash", "Good Night, and Good Luck" and "Munich". Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty ImagesActress Mira Sorvino and Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Best Motion Picture of the Year Award at the 78th Academy Awards Nominations at the Samuel Goldwyn Theater on January 31, 2006 in Beverly Hills, California. Best Motion Picture of the Year nominees include "Brokeback Mountain", "Capote", "Crash", "Good Night, and Good Luck" and "Munich". Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images

Actress Mira Sorvino and Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences President Sid Ganis announce the Achievement in Directing Award at the 78th Academy Awards Nominations at the Samuel Goldwyn Theater on January 31, 2006 in Beverly Hills, California. Best Directing nominees include Directors Ang Lee for "Brokeback Mountain", Bennett Miller for "Capote", Paul Haggis for "Crash", George Clooney for "Good Night, and Good Luck" and Steven Spielberg for "Munich". Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images

Actress Mira Sorvino and Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences President President Sid Ganis announce the Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role Award at the 78th Academy Awards Nominations at the Samuel Goldwyn Theater on January 31, 2006 in Beverly Hills, California. Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role nominees include Joaquin Phoenix for "Walk The Line", Philip Seymour Hoffman for "Capote", Heath Ledger for "Brokeback Mountain", Terrence Howard for "Hustle & Flow", and David Strathairn for "Good Night, and Good Luck". Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images

The Hollywood Foreign Press Association's Golden Globe Awards Statues.

In 2024 it was announced Clooney would make his Broadway debut starring in an upcoming stage adaptation based on the film with the same title.

"Good Night, and Good Luck. on Broadway" (2025) The stage play is co-written by Clooney and Grant Heslov, based on their screenplay for the film. Producing will be Seaview, Sue Wagner, John Johnson, Jean Doumanian and Robert Fox George Clooney as Fred W. Friendly in "Good Night, and Good Luck." (2005) Photo Credit: Warner Independent Pictures/Deadline

Good Night, and Good Luck is the Featured Film Blog of the month for September, for its historical drama film about American television news, and the conflict between veteran journalist Edward R. Murrow (Strathairn) and U.S. Senator Joseph McCarthy that eventually lead to McCarthy being censured. You can expect to read a critique of the 2005 film, as well as a detailed explanation of the conflict between Murrow and McCarthy. You can also read a recommendation for the film that includes a detailed description of the real life characters portrayed in Good Night, and Good Luck. There is also a review of the 2005 film that includes a detailed explanation of the Army-McCarthy Hearings, and McCarthyism. You can also watch an interview with George Clooney as he talks to Charlie Rose about his film. There is also a Top Ten List to commemorate the film being a Featured Film Blog of the month, and for Good Night, and Good Luck, the topic of the list is My Top Ten George Clooney Movies! And finally, as a Featured Film Blog of the month, you can watch the Official Trailer for the historical drama film, and plan on watching Good Night, and Good Luck for rent on all streaming platforms tonight!