Post #19 - Assignment #15: Good Night and Good Luck

Good Night and Good Luck was certainly an interesting movie, albeit a bit slow at times. If anything, it proved that George Clooney can do more than just act (he directed the movie as well as starred in it). The entire film is shot in black & white, which added to the tone of the film and reminded the audience of the era in which the film is set.

A predominant theme, perhaps the predominant theme of the film was that of media responsibility, and told the tale of legendary journalist Edward R. Murrow's fight against Senator McCarthey's wild fear mongering during Cold War. The story sent a message that the media's job is more than just to entertain the masses, but rather to act as a public watchdog for the common good. Edward R. Murrow realized that television has the potential to inform and educate the public, and his spirit was alive in this film.

After a bit of web searching, I discovered some interesting things about the production of this film. For one, George Clooney was paid a total of $3 during the production of Good Night and Good Luck, $1 each for writing, directing, and acting in the film. Furthermore, he was denied insurance during the film due to injuries sustained during the making of Syriana shortly before GN&GL, so he mortgaged his Los Angeles home to make his film.

Overall, I'd recommend the movie to friends, primarily due to its factual foundation and the message of media responsibility it told. Edward R. Murrow was correct in his assessment that the media should act as a tool rather than as an opiate, and we as Americans have a lot to learn from this.