Good Night, and Good Luck.
Theatrical Poster
Directed by	George Clooney
Produced by	Grant Heslov
Written by	George Clooney Grant Heslov
Starring	David Strathairn George Clooney Robert Downey, Jr. Patricia Clarkson Frank Langella Jeff Daniels Tate Donovan Ray Wise
Cinematography	Robert Elswit
Editing by	Stephen Mirrione
Distributed by	Warner Independent Pictures TVA Films
Release date(s)	October 7, 2005 February 17, 2006
Running time	90 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$7,000,000
Allmovie profile
IMDb profile

Good Night, and Good Luck. is an Academy Award-nominated 2005 film directed by George Clooney and written by Clooney and Grant Heslov that portrays the conflict between veteran radio and television journalist Edward R. Murrow and U.S. Senator Joseph McCarthy of Wisconsin, especially relating to the anti-Communist Senator's actions with the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations. Image File history File links Goodnight_poster. ... George Timothy Clooney (born May 6, 1961) is an American actor, director, producer and screenwriter who gained fame as one of the lead doctors in the long-running television drama, ER (1994–99), as Anthony Edwardss best friend and partner, Dr. Douglas Doug Ross, but is best known for... Grant Heslov (born May 15, 1963 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania) is an American actor and Academy Award-nominated film producer and screenwriter. ... George Timothy Clooney (born May 6, 1961) is an American actor, director, producer and screenwriter who gained fame as one of the lead doctors in the long-running television drama, ER (1994–99), as Anthony Edwardss best friend and partner, Dr. Douglas Doug Ross, but is best known for... Grant Heslov (born May 15, 1963 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania) is an American actor and Academy Award-nominated film producer and screenwriter. ... David Russell Strathairn (born on January 26, 1949) is an Academy Award-nominated American film and television actor. ... George Timothy Clooney (born May 6, 1961) is an American actor, director, producer and screenwriter who gained fame as one of the lead doctors in the long-running television drama, ER (1994–99), as Anthony Edwardss best friend and partner, Dr. Douglas Doug Ross, but is best known for... Robert John Downey, Jr. ... Patricia Clarkson as Sarah OConnor on Six Feet Under Patricia Davies Clarkson (born December 29, 1959) is an American Academy Award-nominated actress. ... Frank A. Langella, Jr. ... For other persons of this name, see Jeff Daniels (disambiguation). ... Tate Buckley Donovan (born September 25, 1963) is an American film and television actor and director. ... Ray Wise (born 29 August 1947) is an American actor, known for his roles in Twin Peaks as Leland Palmer, and as Leon Nash, right-hand henchmen to villain Clarence Boddicker in the sci-fi classic Robocop. ... Robert Elswit is an American cinematographer. ... Stephen Mirrione is an American film editor. ... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... WIPs logo, which closely resembles half of the WB shield. ... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... TVA Films is a Canadian film distribution and television distribution company that was created in 2002 by TVA Group Inc. ... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... is the 280th day of the year (281st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom. ... is the 48th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... English is a West Germanic language originating in England, and the first language for most people in Australia, Canada, the Commonwealth Caribbean, Ireland, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States of America (also commonly known as the Anglosphere). ... Academy Award The Academy Awards, popularly known as the Oscars, are the most prominent and most watched film awards ceremony in the world. ... The year 2005 in film involved some significant events. ... George Timothy Clooney (born May 6, 1961) is an American actor, director, producer and screenwriter who gained fame as one of the lead doctors in the long-running television drama, ER (1994–99), as Anthony Edwardss best friend and partner, Dr. Douglas Doug Ross, but is best known for... Grant Heslov (born May 15, 1963 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania) is an American actor and Academy Award-nominated film producer and screenwriter. ... Edward R. Ed Murrow (April 25, 1908 – April 27, 1965) was an American journalist and media figure. ... The United States Senate is the upper house of the U.S. Congress, smaller than the United States House of Representatives. ... This article is about the U.S. senator from Wisconsin (1947-1957). ... This article is about the U.S. state. ... Ideologies Communist internationals Prominent communists Related subjects Anti-communism refers to opposition to communism. ... The Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations (PSI) is the oldest subcommittee of the U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. ...

The movie, although released in black and white, was filmed on color film stock but on a grayscale set, and was later color corrected to black and white during post-production. It focuses on the theme of media responsibility, and also addresses what occurs when the media offer a voice of dissent against the government. The movie takes its title from the line with which Murrow routinely closed his broadcasts. Black-and-white or black and white) can refer to a general term used in photography, film, and other media (see black-and-white). ... Film stock is the term for photographic film on which films are recorded. ... A typical grayscale image. ... Color grading is the process of altering and enhancing the color of a motion picture or television image, either electronically, photo-chemically or digitally. ... Post production is the general term for the last stage of film production in which photographed scenes (also called footage) are put together into a complete film. ...

Cast

• David Strathairn as Edward R. Murrow, journalist and host of the CBS television program See It Now
• George Clooney as Fred Friendly, coproducer with Murrow of See It Now
• Robert Downey, Jr. as Joseph Wershba, writer, editor, and correspondent for CBS News
• Patricia Clarkson as Shirley Wershba
• Frank Langella as William Paley, chief executive of CBS
• Jeff Daniels as Sig Mickelson
• Tate Donovan as Jesse Zousmer
• Ray Wise as Don Hollenbeck, journalist for CBS News; accused in the press of being a "pinko"
• Alex Borstein as Natalie
• Reed Diamond as John Aaron
• Matt Ross as Eddie Scott

David Russell Strathairn (born on January 26, 1949) is an Academy Award-nominated American film and television actor. ... Edward R. Ed Murrow (April 25, 1908 – April 27, 1965) was an American journalist and media figure. ... See It Now was a television newsmagazine and documentary broadcast by CBS in the 1950s. ... George Timothy Clooney (born May 6, 1961) is an American actor, director, producer and screenwriter who gained fame as one of the lead doctors in the long-running television drama, ER (1994–99), as Anthony Edwardss best friend and partner, Dr. Douglas Doug Ross, but is best known for... Fred W. Friendly (October 30, 1915–March 3, 1998) is the former president of CBS News and the creator, with Edward R. Murrow of the documentary television program See It Now. ... Robert John Downey, Jr. ... Joseph Wershba was a professional journalist who joined the CBS News team in 1944. ... Patricia Clarkson as Sarah OConnor on Six Feet Under Patricia Davies Clarkson (born December 29, 1959) is an American Academy Award-nominated actress. ... Frank A. Langella, Jr. ... William S. Paley (1901-1990) This article is about the broadcast executive. ... For other persons of this name, see Jeff Daniels (disambiguation). ... Tate Buckley Donovan (born September 25, 1963) is an American film and television actor and director. ... Ray Wise (born 29 August 1947) is an American actor, known for his roles in Twin Peaks as Leland Palmer, and as Leon Nash, right-hand henchmen to villain Clarence Boddicker in the sci-fi classic Robocop. ... Don Hollenbeck of CBS News Don Hollenbeck (March 30, 1905 – June 22, 1954) was a CBS newscaster and commentator and colleague of Edward R. Murrow and Fred W. Friendly. ... Pinko is a derogatory term for a person sympathetic to a Communist Party, but not necessarily a communist. ... Alexandrea Borstein (born February 15, 1973)[1] is an American actress, voice actor, writer and comedian. ... Reed Diamond (born July 20, 1967 in New York City) is an American actor. ... Matt Ross (born 3 January 1970 in Greenwich, Connecticut, USA) is a well known American actor known for supporting roles in both movies and television. ...

Plot

Good Night, and Good Luck. takes place during the early days of broadcast journalism in the 1950s. Edward R. Murrow, and his dedicated staff—headed by his co-producer Fred Friendly and reporter Joseph Wershba in the CBS newsroom—defy corporate and sponsorship pressures, and discredit the tactics used by Joseph McCarthy during his crusade to root out communist elements within the government. Broadcast journalism refers to television news and radio news, as well as the online news outlets of broadcast affiliates. ... The 1950s decade refers to the years 1950 to 1959 inclusive. ... Edward R. Ed Murrow (April 25, 1908 – April 27, 1965) was an American journalist and media figure. ... Fred W. Friendly Fred W. Friendly (October 30, 1915 – March 3, 1998) was the former president of CBS News and the creator, with Edward R. Murrow, of the documentary television program See It Now. ... Joseph Wershba was a professional journalist who joined the CBS News team in 1944. ... This article is about the broadcast network. ... This article is about the U.S. senator from Wisconsin (1947-1957). ...

Murrow first defends Milo Radulovich, who was facing separation from the U.S. Air Force because of his sister's political leanings and because his father subscribed to a Serbian newspaper. A very public feud develops when the Senator responds by accusing the anchor of being a communist. Murrow is accused of having been a member of the leftist union Industrial Workers of the World, which Murrow claimed was false. Milo Radulovich was an American reserve Air Force lieutenant who was accused of being a communist in 1953. ... “The U.S. Air Force” redirects here. ... Not to be confused with Republika Srpska. ... The Industrial Workers of the World (IWW or the Wobblies) is an international union currently headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio, USA. At its peak in 1923 the organization claimed some 100,000 members in good standing, and could marshal the support of perhaps 300,000 workers. ...

In this climate of fear and reprisal, the CBS crew carries on and their tenacity ultimately strikes a historic blow against McCarthy and his methods. Historical footage also shows the questioning of Annie Lee Moss, a Pentagon communication worker accused of being a communist based on her name appearing on a list seen by an FBI infiltrator of the American Communist Party. The film's subplots feature recently married staffers having to hide their marriage to save their jobs at CBS; and the suicide of Don Hollenbeck, who was accused of being a Communist. The film is framed by a speech to the Radio and Television News Directors Association, in which Murrow harshly admonishes his audience not to squander the potential of television to inform and educate the public. Annie Lee Moss was a middle-aged African American woman who was accused by Joseph McCarthy of being a Communist infiltrator in the Pentagon. ... This article is about the United States military building. ... F.B.I. and FBI redirect here. ... The Communist Party of the United States of America (CPUSA) is a Marxist-Leninist political party in the United States. ... Don Hollenbeck of CBS News Don Hollenbeck (March 30, 1905 – June 22, 1954) was a CBS newscaster and commentator and colleague of Edward R. Murrow and Fred W. Friendly. ... The term framing device refers to the usage of the same single action, scene, event, setting, or any element of significance at both the beginning and end of an artistic, musical, or literary work. ... The Radio and Television News Directors Association is a membership organization of radio, television and online news directors, producers, executives and educators with about 3,000 members. ...

Production

David Strathairn as Edward R. Murrow.

In September 2005, Clooney explained his interest in the story to an audience at the New York Film Festival: "I thought it was a good time to raise the idea of using fear to stifle political debate."^[1] Having majored in journalism in college, Clooney was well-versed in the subject matter. His father, Nick Clooney, was a television journalist for many years, appearing as an anchorman in Cincinnati, Ohio, and Buffalo, New York. The elder Clooney also ran for congress in 2004. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Clooney Nicholas Clooney (born January 13, 1934) is an American television journalist, anchorman, game show and American Movie Classics host, as well as a politician from the state of Kentucky. ... Anchorman redirects here. ... Cincinnati, Ohio viewed from the SW, across the Ohio River from Kentucky. ... This article is about the U.S. State. ... Nickname: Location of Buffalo in New York State Coordinates: , Country State County Erie Government  - Mayor Byron Brown (D) Area  - City 52. ...

George Clooney has been paid $1 each for writing, directing, and acting in Good Night, and Good Luck, which cost $7.5 million to make. Due to an injury he received on the set of Syriana a few months earlier, Clooney couldn't pass the tests to be insured. He then proposed to mortgage his own home in order to make the film. Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban and former eBay president Jeff Skoll invested money in the project as executive producers.^[2] Syriana is a 2005 Academy Award-winning geopolitical thriller film written and directed by Stephen Gaghan. ... The Dallas Mavericks (also known as the Mavs) are an NBA basketball team based in Dallas, Texas. ... Mark Cuban (born July 31, 1958 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania)[1] is an American billionaire entrepreneur. ... This article is about the online auction center. ... Jeffrey Skoll (born 1965) is a Canadian born businessman who lives in San Jose, California. ...

The CBS offices and studios seen in the movie were all sets on a soundstage. To accomplish a pair of scenes showing characters going up an elevator, different "floors" of the building were laid out perpendicular to one another. The "elevator" was actually built on a large turntable at the intersection of the two floor sets, and rotated once the doors were closed. When the doors reopened, the actors appeared to be in a different location. Production designer James Bissell used the 3D computer graphics software program SketchUp to model the entire studio set including all sets and camera angles.^[3] Clooney and producer Grant Heslov decided to use only archival footage of Joseph McCarthy in his depiction. As all of that footage was black-and-white, that determined the color scheme of the film.^[4] Young Robert Kennedy is also shown in the movie during McCarthy's hearing sessions. He was then a staff member on the Senate subcommittee chaired by McCarthy. A sound stage is a hangar-like structure, building or room, that is soundproof for the production of theatrical motion pictures and television, usually inside a movie studio. ... For other uses, see Elevator (disambiguation). ... Fig. ... This article is about rotation as a movement of a physical body. ... Production designer is a term used in the movie and television industries to refer to the person responsible for the overall look of a filmed event such as films, TV programs, music videos or adverts. ... 3D computer graphics software refers to programs used to create 3D computer-generated imagery. ... SketchUp is a 3D modeling program designed for professional architects, civil engineers, filmmakers, game developers, and related professions. ... Robert Francis Bobby Kennedy (November 20, 1925 – June 6, 1968), also called RFK, was one of two younger brothers of U.S. President John F. Kennedy and served as United States Attorney General from 1961 to 1964. ...

Distribution

The producers used the following taglines when marketing the film:

They took on the government with nothing but the truth.

We will not walk in fear of one another.

In a nation terrorized by its own government, one man dared to tell the truth.

Music

A small jazz combo starring jazz singer Dianne Reeves was hired to record the soundtrack to the movie. This combo was featured in the movie in several scenes, for example, in one scene the newsmen pass a studio where she is recording with the rest of the band. The CD is Dianne Reeves's second featuring jazz standards, and it won the Grammy Award in 2005 for best jazz vocal performance. To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... The Grammy Award for Best Jazz Vocal Album has been presented since 1977. ...

Reception

The film received generally glowing reviews. It was named "Best Reviewed Film of 2005 in Limited Release" by Rotten Tomatoes, where it achieved a 94% positive review rating. The movie received six Academy Award nominations, including ones for Best Picture, Director, and Actor. This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... Although he never won an Oscar for any of his movie performances, the comedian Bob Hope received two honorary Oscars for his contributions to cinema. ...

Jack Shafer, a columnist for the online magazine Slate, accused the film of continuing what he characterizes as the hagiography of Murrow.^[5] Roger Ebert, in his Chicago Sun-Times review, contends that "[t]he movie is not really about the abuses of McCarthy, but about the process by which Murrow and his team eventually brought about his downfall (some would say his self-destruction). It is like a morality play, from which we learn how journalists should behave. It shows Murrow as fearless, but not flawless."^[6] Jack Shafers book shane is off the shiznet writes the Press Box column for online magazine Slate. ... Slate is an online news and culture magazine created in 1996 by former New Republic editor Michael Kinsley and owned by Microsoft (as part of MSN). ... Hagiography is the study of saints. ... Roger Joseph Ebert (born June 18, 1942) is a Pulitzer Prize-winning American film critic. ... The Chicago Sun-Times is an American daily newspaper published in Chicago. ...

Awards and nominations

• American Film Institute (AFI) award:
  • Top Ten Movie of 2005

• 2006 Academy Awards nominations:
  • Best Motion Picture of the Year
  • Best Director, George Clooney
  • Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role, David Strathairn
  • Best Original Screenplay
  • Best Achievement in Art Direction
  • Best Achievement in Cinematography

• 2006 BAFTA nominations:
  • Best Film
  • Best Direction, George Clooney
  • Best Actor in a Leading Role, David Strathairn
  • Best Actor in a Supporting Role, George Clooney
  • Best Original Screenplay, George Clooney and Grant Heslov
  • Best Editing, Stephen Mirrione

• 2006 Golden Globe Awards nominations:
  • Best Motion Picture (Drama category)
  • Best Director (Motion Picture category), George Clooney
  • Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture (Drama category), David Strathairn
  • Best Screenplay (Motion Picture category), George Clooney and Grant Heslov

• 2005 Screen Actors Guild Awards nominations:
  • Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role (Motion Picture category), David Strathairn
  • Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture

This article does not cite any references or sources. ... The AFI Awards 2005 honored the best 10 Movies and 10 Television Programs of the year. ... The 78th Academy Awards, honoring the best in film for 2005, were held on March 5, 2006 at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, California. ... ©A.M.P.A.S.® The Academy Award for Best Motion Picture is one of the Awards of Merit presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) to artists working in the motion picture industry. ... The Academy Award for Directing is one of the awards given to directors working in the motion picture industry by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. ... Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role is one of the Academy Awards of Merit presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) to recognize an actor who has delivered an outstanding performance while working within the film industry. ... // The Academy Award for Writing Original Screenplay is the Academy Award for the best script not based upon previously published material. ... The Academy Awards are the oldest awards ceremony for achievements in motion pictures. ... Charles Rosher the first recipient in 1928 The Academy Award for Best Cinematography is awarded each year to a cinematographer for his work in one particular motion picture. ... 59th BAFTA Film Awards February 19, 2006 Best Film: Best British Film: The 59th British Film Awards, given by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts on 19 February 2006, honored the best in film for 2005. ... This page lists the winners and nominees for the BAFTA Award for Best Film, BAFTA Award for Best Film not in the English Language and Alexander Korda Award for Best British Film for each year, in addition to the retired earlier versions of those awards. ... Winners of the BAFTA Award for Best Direction presented by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts. ... The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role has been presented to its winners since 1952 and actors of all nationalities are eligible to receive the award. ... In the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role actors of all nationalities are eligible to receive the award. ... 2006 - Little Miss Sunshine - Michael Arndt Babel - Guillermo Arriaga El Laberinto del fauno - Guillermo del Toro The Queen - Peter Morgan United 93 - Paul Greengrass 2005 - Crash - Paul Haggis Robert Moresco Good Night, and Good Luck. ... 2006 - United 93 - Clare Douglas Christopher Rouse Richard Pearson Babel - Stephen Mirrione Douglas Crise The Departed - Thelma Schoonmaker Casino Royale - Stuart Baird The Queen - Lucia Zucchetti 2005 - The Constant Gardener - Claire Simpson Crash - Hughes Winborne Brokeback Mountain - Geraldine Peroni Dylan Tichenor Good Night and Good Luck - Stephen Mirrione La Marche... This is a list of winners for the 2006 Golden Globe Awards. ... Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture - Drama has been awarded annually since 1944 by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association. ... Golden Globe Award for Best Director - Motion Picture has been awarded annually since 1944 by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association. ... The Golden Globe Award for Best Actor - Motion Picture - Drama was first awarded by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association as a separate category in 1951. ... For the main article see Golden Globe Awards. ... 12th SAG Awards January 29, 2006 Film: Best Cast Television Best Cast - Drama Series: Best Cast - Comedy Series The 12th Screen Actors Guild Awards were presented in Los Angeles on January 29, 2006. ... The SAG Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role - Motion Picture is an award given by the Screen Actors Guild to honor the finest acting achievements: Winners and nominees 1990s 1994: Tom Hanks - Forrest Gump Morgan Freeman - The Shawshank Redemption Paul Newman - Nobodys Fool Tim... The SAG Award for Best Cast in a Motion Picture is an award given by the Screen Actors Guild to honor the finest acting achievements in film. ...

Ratings

• All Movie Guide link
• Roger Ebert
• Empire link
• Filmcritic.com link
• Premiere
• Rolling Stone

All Movie Guide is a commercial database of information about movie stars, movies and television shows. ... Image File history File links 4_stars. ... Roger Joseph Ebert (born June 18, 1942) is a Pulitzer Prize-winning American film critic. ... Image File history File links Stars440. ... Empire is a British film magazine published monthly by Emap Consumer Media since July 1989. ... Image File history File links 4_stars. ... Image File history File links 4_stars. ... Premiere is an American and New York City-based film magazine published by Hachette Filipacchi Médias, beginning publication in 1987. ... Image File history File links Stars435. ... This article is about the magazine. ... Image File history File links Stars435. ...

References

is the 114th day of the year (115th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 270th day of the year (271st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 364th day of the year (365th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 60th day of the year (61st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Chicago Sun-Times is an American daily newspaper published in Chicago. ... The Chicago Sun-Times is an American daily newspaper published in Chicago. ... is the 113th day of the year (114th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ...

See also

• Participant Productions

Participant Productions is a relatively new movie studio, whose initial movies have gained critical acclaim and major film awards. ...

External links

• Good Night, and Good Luck. Official Site.
• Good Night, and Good Luck. at the Internet Movie Database
• Good Night, and Good Luck at Allmovie.
• Good Night, and Good Luck. at Rotten Tomatoes
• McCarthyism and the Movies.
• Good Night, And Good Luck. script.
• Good Night, and Good Luck. at AmericanRhetoric.com.
• Good Night, and Good Luck. at Box Office Mojo

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