Good Night and Good Luck

            This is the second time I viewed the film in a class setting, and I found myself picking up on aspects of both the production and plot that I didn’t the first time. In regards to the production of Good Night and Good Luck, I found the pace of the film to be very interesting. This is an aspect of the film that we discussed in class and learned to appreciate throughout the duration of the movie. I thought that the pace wasn’t set up solely for the purposes of building a climax, but also for setting a realistic setting for that time period. During the 1950s, everything moved a lot slower than it does in present day society so the slow pace of the film was very relevant. The process of journalism and reporting during McCarthyism was much slower(to put this into perspective, the program Edward Murrow hosted was on once a week whereas news nowadays is instantaneous). This allowed journalism to be more thorough and factual instead of racing to be the first news company to cover the story. Therefore, the pace of the film set the tone and context for journalists in that time period.

            I also found the role of women and corporations in the film to be particularly interesting. Every female character was in some sort of a secretarial position that was ultimately inferior to every male character. This is also relevant to that time period because although women were emerging in the workplace, their job titles were pretty insignificant. George Clooney also informed viewers of the power corporations had over journalism during the 1950s. . In order for networks like CBS to air shows such as “See it Now”, someone needed to pay the bills and the first volunteers were corporations. The dilemma caused by corporations sponsoring news networks like CBS, is that their beliefs and their perception of “news” takes priority over that of a true journalist. Therefore, the corporate agenda took priority and topics that hit the news began directing Americans towards escapism; disconnecting them from reality. For example, Edward Murrow stated in the film, “We have currently a built-in allergy to unpleasant or disturbing information. Our mass media reflect this. But unless we get up off our fat surpluses and recognize that television in the main is being used to distract, delude, amuse, and insulate us then television and those who finance it, those who look at it, and those who work at it, may see a totally different picture too late...”  In other words, the corporate influence over the news was forcing Americans to avoid the truth, regardless of its relevance and significance to American society. Edward Murrow identified the responsibility corporations had on the increasing demand for entertainment and rejection of the ugly truth, which is precisely why nobody questioned the McCarthy trials.

            Overall the film was orchestrated strategically and it was surprisingly accurate. I think that people can watch this film for not only entertainment purposes but historical, educational purposes as well.