Out In Red Scare Cold War Night- Edward R. Murrow’s “ Good Night, And Good Luck”

Click on the headline to link to a Wikipedia entry for the Edward R. Murrow –featured “Good Night, And Good Luck.”

DVD Review

Good Night, And Good Luck, starring David Strathairn, George Clooney, Robert Downey, Jr. and Senator Joseph McCarthy, the junior Senator from Wisconsin, Warner, 2005

For those who lived in that death red scare cold war 1950s night, or who came of television age then the events depicted in this very well-done black and white documentary-like film, “Good Night, And Good Luck” (the signature sign-off line of Edward R. Murrow on his radio and television shows), should be very familiar. And a cause for reflection for those who howled with the wolves (the McCarthy, Nixon, Robert Welch wolves) calling for the blood of every, well, every speaker against that death night. For those who came after this should be a cautionary tale very appropriate for addressing the madnesses of the political and media howling wolves today.

The story line here is pretty straight-forward, the 1953-54 struggle of Edward R. Murrow, a well-respected and honest radio and television journalist, and the rabid anti-communist monger, the junior Senator from Wisconsin, Joseph McCarthy, including actual footage of his speeches and remarks. In that red scare cold war night few reporters, fewer liberals, and even fewer average American citizens were ready to take on the howling beasts who, mainly for their own political purposes, were ready to destroy infinite numbers of lives in order to “stop the red menace” from creeping through the door. As it turned out there were a handful of actual reds (or past reds, mainly) who may have been in the government. For that few these wolves were ready to bring the whole frail democratic experience on the American continent (what Lincoln called “the last, best hope”) toppling down.

Some guys, too few guys (or gals), like Murrow (and Fred Friendly played by George Clooney) stood up in their funny way (their cloud puff dreams of an informed, educated citizenry plugged into the world via technological promise of the global village of television seem rather ironic now) to their day’s monsters. And while we, Brother Murrow and I, may have been a million miles away from each other in age, in political and cultural sensibilities, and lifestyle I am always happy to salute a kindred spirit, an honest man seeking the truth. And I encourage all to see this film.