A true tale from the Cold War

When you strike at a king, make sure you kill him or be prepared to die. In the early 1950s, Ed Murrow and the nation watched as upstanding men were massacred in the press when they stood up and spoke out against Joe McCarthy and his witch-hunt for American communists.

In “Good Night and Good Luck,” we see Murrow, the revered father of broadcast journalism, adopt a bold plan of attack. In real life, their ethical and moral battle to the death played out over the airwaves at CBS in Rockefeller Square.

In his directorial debut, George Clooney recreates the headline-making showdown by seamlessly incorporating film and television techniques. Shot in black and white and using historical footage of McCarthy conducting his hearings, as well as segments from Murrow’s TV news programs, the story is a docu-movie giving the viewers a satisfying “you are there” front-row seat to actual events.

Clooney’s eye for detail skillfully brings the ‘50s to life. The characters and milieu ring true -- from Ed’s constant companion, his cigarette, to the stifling layer of secrecy people depended on to safeguard their political, social and personal differences. Two assistants of Murrow, for example, keep their marriage a secret to protect their jobs at the station.

The movie faithfully recreates the early days of television broadcasting at CBS, including the producer sitting on the floor at Ed’s feet, out of camera range, giving the newscaster his start and stop cues with a pencil tap to the knee.

With the authentic style of dress and the ‘50s interiors, the movie realistically presents the events of the day, brought to life by the actors, save one. Joseph McCarthy’s finger-pointing, blistering accusations, leveled at both high- and low-level government employees, is the real deal. Unless viewers realize McCarthy is really McCarthy, they may believe his public attacks against innocent people are an actor’s mockery of the man.

Fans of Clooney will enjoy his on-screen performance as Fred Friendly, Murrow’s trusted and respected producer. Frank Langella plays the role of William “Bill” Paley, their boss and the head of CBS. “Good Night and Good Luck” owes its success, however, to the film’s leading man.

David Strathairn (Tom Cruise’s brother in “The Firm”) embodies Murrow’s mannerisms more than the journalist’s physical looks. The actor captures the wartime broadcaster’s facial expressions, Ed’s astute listening and observation of others, his stoic silence and iron-clad determination to right the injustice being done to the country’s freedom of thought and speech. Strathairn’s performance is worthy of a nomination for an award in the coming months.

“Good Night and Good Luck” is a historical, entertaining film appealing not only to adults who lived through the “red scare” days of McCarthy but also to viewers who enjoy watching a real-life hero face his enemy without knowing for certain whether his strike against a “king” will be successful or fatal to himself.

* PEGGY J. ROGERS, 40, produces commercial videos and documentaries.

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