Good Night, and Good Luck. (2005)

Director:

George Clooney

Writers (WGA):

George Clooney (written by) &
Grant Heslov (written by)

Release Date:

14 October 2005 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | History

Tagline:

We will not walk in fear of one another.

Plot:

Broadcast journalist Edward R. Murrow looks to bring down Senator Joseph McCarthy.

Plot Keywords:

Senator | Journalist | Communism | 1950s | Wisconsin

Awards:

Nominated for 6 Oscars. Another 22 wins & 61 nominations

Cast

Jeff Daniels	...	Sig Mickelson
David Strathairn	...	Edward R. Murrow
Alex Borstein	...	Natalie
Rose Abdoo	...	Millie Lerner
Dianne Reeves	...	Jazz Singer
Peter Martin	...	Pianist
Christoph Luty	...	Bassist
Jeff Hamilton	...	Drummer
Matt Catingub	...	Saxophonist
Tate Donovan	...	Jesse Zousmer
Reed Diamond	...	John Aaron
Matt Ross	...	Eddie Scott
Patricia Clarkson	...	Shirley Wershba
Robert Downey Jr.	...	Joe Wershba
George Clooney	...	Fred Friendly
Thomas McCarthy	...	Palmer Williams (as Tom McCarthy)
Glenn Morshower	...	Colonel Anderson
Don Creech	...	Colonel Jenkins
Grant Heslov	...	Don Hewitt
Robert John Burke	...	Charlie Mack
Ray Wise	...	Don Hollenbeck
Robert Knepper	...	Don Surine
Helen Slayton-Hughes	...	Mary
Frank Langella	...	William Paley
Simon Helberg	...	CBS Page
JD Cullum	...	Stage Manager
Peter Jacobson	...	Jimmy
John Kepley	...	CBS Lawyer #1
David Christian	...	CBS Lawyer #2 (as David Paul Christian)
Joyce Lasley	...	Make-up Girl
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Felix J. Boyle	...	Prominant Chicagoan (uncredited)
Roy M. Cohn	...	Himself (archive footage) (uncredited)
Ray Donn	...	Reporter (uncredited)
Joseph Dowd	...	Reporter (uncredited)
Robert F. Kennedy	...	Himself (archive footage) (uncredited)
Liberace	...	Himself (archive footage) (uncredited)
Bruna Matsin	...	Sig Mickelson's Wife (uncredited)
Joseph McCarthy	...	Himself (archive footage) (uncredited)
John L. McClellan	...	Himself (archive footage) (uncredited)
Katharine Phillips Moser	...	Jesse's Wife (uncredited)
Alexana Thomas	...	Senator's wife (uncredited)
Rochelle Warner	...	Speech Wife (uncredited)
Joseph N. Welch	...	Himself (archive footage) (uncredited)

Directed by
George Clooney

Writing credits (WGA)
George Clooney		(written by) &
Grant Heslov		(written by)

Produced by
Marc Butan	....	executive producer
Ben Cosgrove	....	executive producer
Mark Cuban	....	executive producer
Jennifer Fox	....	executive producer
Simon Franks	....	co-producer
Samuel Hadida	....	co-executive producer
Victor Hadida	....	co-executive producer
Barbara A. Hall	....	co-producer
Grant Heslov	....	producer
Zygi Kamasa	....	co-producer
Kiyotaka Ninomiya	....	co-producer
Chris Salvaterra	....	executive producer
Jeff Skoll	....	executive producer
Steven Soderbergh	....	executive producer
Todd Wagner	....	executive producer

Cinematography by
Robert Elswit

Film Editing by
Stephen Mirrione

Casting by
Ellen Chenoweth

Production Design by
James D. Bissell		(as Jim Bissell)

Art Direction by
Christa Munro

Set Decoration by
Jan Pascale

Costume Design by
Louise Frogley

Makeup Department
Kim Adrissi	....	makeup artist
Ron Berkeley	....	key makeup artist
Carolyn Elias	....	hair stylist
Kimberly Felix	....	assistant makeup artist (as Kimberly Felix Burke)
Violet Ortiz	....	hair stylist
Waldo Sanchez	....	hair department head
Waldo Sanchez	....	makeup department head
Kathleen Vercruysse	....	assistant makeup artist
Joy Zapata	....	key hair stylist
Elena Arroy	....	additional makeup artist (uncredited)
Barbara Cantu	....	hair stylist (uncredited)
Carol Collini	....	additional makeup artist (uncredited)
Ginger Damon	....	hair stylist (uncredited)
Edward Morrison	....	personal hair stylist (uncredited)

Production Management
Barbara A. Hall	....	unit production manager
Peter Phillips	....	post-production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Melissa V. Barnes	....	second assistant director
Richard Gonzales	....	second second assistant director
David J. Webb	....	first assistant director (as David Webb)

Art Department
Alan Alvarado	....	propmaker
Ellis J. Barbacoff	....	assistant property master
Heidi Baumgarten	....	buyer
Jenny Baum	....	on-set dresser (as Jenny D. Baum)
Tony Bonaventura	....	property master
Tony Buccola	....	art production assistant
Gae S. Buckley	....	set designer (as Gae Buckley)
Alan Burg	....	set dresser
Louise Del Araujo	....	lead
Robert Danté Denne	....	paint foreman
Robert E. Denne	....	painter
Duane Fellows	....	painter
Edward A. Giron	....	labor foreman
Deborah Harman	....	set dresser
Karen Higgins	....	construction coordinator (as Karen D. Higgins)
Mats Holmberg	....	propmaker
Steven Kissick	....	general foreman
Charlotte Raybourn	....	art department coordinator
Mark Rodriguez	....	set dresser
Ronald F. Savini Jr.	....	plaster foreman (as Ron Savini)
Susie Thompson	....	set dresser
Brian Tipton	....	propmaker gang boss
Steven Valenzuela	....	gang boss (as Steve R. Valenzuela)
Steven Valenzuela	....	toolman (as Steve R. Valenzuela)
L. David Gordon	....	draper (uncredited)
Emily Lawless	....	painter (uncredited)
Gregory Lynch Jr.	....	carpenter (uncredited)
Richard Robinson	....	propmaker (uncredited)

Sound Department
Lance Brown	....	sound re-recording mixer
Robert Corti	....	audio restorer
Susan Dudeck	....	dialogue editor
Aaron Glascock	....	sound re-recording mixer
Aaron Glascock	....	supervising sound editor
Eric Gotthelf	....	adr mixer
Randall L. Johnson	....	boom operator (as Randy Johson)
Pamela Kahn	....	foley artist
Mary Jo Lang	....	foley mixer
Oscar Mitt	....	assistant sound editor
Alyson Dee Moore	....	foley artist (as Alyson Moore)
Scott Morgan	....	foley recordist
Rocky Quiroz	....	utility sound
John Roesch	....	foley artist
Curt Schulkey	....	sound re-recording mixer
Curt Schulkey	....	supervising sound editor
Carolyn Tapp	....	adr recordist
John Joseph Thomas	....	sound effects editor
Edward Tise	....	production sound mixer

Special Effects by
Ron Bolanowski	....	special effects coordinator
Roy K. Cancino	....	special effects technician (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Ernie Camacho	....	visual effects compositor
Trey Freeman	....	visual effects compositor
Paul Hill	....	visual effects compositor
Joshua Jordan	....	visual effects compositor
John Kearns	....	digital restoration
Kenney Kimble	....	visual effects compositor
David Lebovitz	....	visual effects compositor
LaNelle Mason	....	digital restoration
Eric Myers	....	visual effects compositor
Elizabeth Ostermann	....	digital restoration
Steve Rundell	....	vice president of production: TDI
Brad Sutton	....	digital restoration
Caoilfhionn Sweeney	....	visual effects producer
Wilson Tang	....	digital restoration

Camera and Electrical Department
John Amorelli	....	rigging electrician
Mike Amorelli	....	rigging electrician (as Michael Amorelli)
Colin Anderson	....	camera operator
Douglas Bard	....	rigging electrician
Scott Barnes	....	lighting programmer
Michael Bauman	....	chief lighting technician
Arthur Borquez	....	rigging grip (as Art Morques)
J.A. Byerly	....	rigging gaffer
Mitch Byerly	....	rigging electrician
Walter Byrnes	....	rigging grip
Robert Clancey	....	rigging grip
John T. Connor	....	first assistant camera: "b" camera
Eric Cross	....	dolly grip
Thomas M. Dangcil	....	electrician (as Tommy Dangcil)
Joe Garcia	....	best boy electric: CBS
William Glasscock	....	fixtures
Ivan Gonzalez	....	grip
Melinda Sue Gordon	....	still photographer
James Heywood	....	rigging grip
Barry Idoine	....	first assistant camera: "a" camera
Michael Kenner	....	key grip
Alexandra Kravetz	....	second assistant camera: "b" camera
Jeff Kunkel	....	dolly grip
Paul Lambiase	....	rigging grip
John Morris	....	best boy grip (as John P. Morris)
Thomas Nead	....	rigging electrician (as Tom Nead)
Eric Nieber	....	best boy grip: CBS
Simone Perusse	....	assistant chief lighting technician
Tom Schurke	....	24 frame video engineer
Tom Schurke	....	24 frame video supervisor
David D. Scott	....	video assist
Hank Sheppherd	....	key rigging grip
Larissa Supplitt	....	second assistant camera: "a" camera
Michael Tolochko	....	electrician
Matthew W. Williams	....	film loader
Ryan Piers Williams	....	camera production assistant
Earl C. Williman	....	rigging best boy electric (as Earl 'The Badger' Williman)
Andrew Wilson	....	rigging grip
Colin Anderson	....	Steadicam operator (uncredited)
P.J. Gaynard	....	rigging electrician (uncredited)
Michael Lyon	....	additional electrician (uncredited)
Damon Marcellino	....	set lighting technician (uncredited)
Mark Mele	....	rigging electrician (uncredited)
Michael Pinkey	....	camera operator (uncredited)
Ryan Shopay	....	set lighting (uncredited)

Casting Department
Lynne Redding	....	voice casting
Rachel Tenner	....	casting associate

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Shandra Beri	....	costumer
Lucinda Campbell	....	key costumer
Lynda Foote	....	costume supervisor
Deborah Latham	....	costumer (as Deborah Binkley)
Kanani Wolf	....	costumer

Editorial Department
Matt Absher	....	second assistant editor
Chris Addis	....	dailies digitizing
Joe Cook	....	colorist: dailies
Douglas Crise	....	first assistant editor
Alex Hernandez	....	imaging technician
Loc Hoang	....	imaging technician
Steve Hodge	....	imaging technician
Christopher Kutcka	....	imaging supervisor (as Chris Kutcka)
Stephen Nakamura	....	digital film colorist
Mark Sahagun	....	digital conform
Gregg Schaublin	....	digital intermediate producer
Kevin Schwab	....	imaging technician
Brian Ufberg	....	assistant editor
Marc Wuertemburg	....	post-production: 2929 Entertainment

Music Department
Matt Catingub	....	music arranger
Matt Catingub	....	musician: saxophone
Jeff Hamilton	....	musician: drums
Robert Hurst	....	musician: bass
Kevin Koloff	....	music counsel
Christoph Luty	....	musician: bass
Peter Martin	....	musician: piano
Allen Sviridoff	....	music supervisor
Peter Rotter	....	music contractor (uncredited)

Transportation Department
David Florio	....	driver
Paul Jones	....	driver
William 'Scott' Pierson	....	transportation captain (as William Scott Pierson)
Dusty Saunders	....	transportation coordinator
Paul Saunders	....	driver
Patrick Sullivan	....	driver
Brenda Ryan	....	driver (uncredited)

Other crew
Lonnie Bosak	....	office production assistant
Brinton Bryan	....	key set production assistant
Steve Calalang	....	scanning technician
Tad Driscoll	....	accountant
Tara Duncan	....	assistant: Mr. Heslov
Carey Field	....	set production assistant
Bill Greenfield	....	set production assistant (as Billy Greenfield)
Shea Kammer	....	assistant accountant
Richard Kapenas	....	stock footage restoration
Michelle Lankwarden	....	assistant production coordinator
Lawrence W. Lichty	....	historical consultant
Angel McConnell	....	assistant: Mr. Clooney
Chris Munday	....	location manager
Diane H. Newman	....	script supervisor (as Diane Hassinger Newman)
Andrew Noren	....	additional film researcher
Lisa Oberhofer	....	liaison: BBC and CBS
Kenn Rabin	....	archival scene researcher
Jill L. Smith	....	production counsel
Bill Smythe	....	projectionist
Andy Tyler	....	assistant location manager
Lorraine Vos	....	assistant accountant
Ari Weiss	....	office production assistant
Joseph Wershba	....	consultant (as Joe Wershba)
Shirley Wershba	....	consultant
Nicole Widmyer	....	production coordinator
Jeff Winn	....	craft service
Christian Zak	....	scanning producer
Marc Gaffen	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Vanessa Grayson	....	utility stand-in (uncredited)
George A. Parker	....	preview supervisor (uncredited)

Thanks
Jason Krieger	....	thanks
Milo Radulovich	....	thanks
Joseph Wershba	....	thanks (as Joe Wershba)
Shirley Wershba	....	thanks

Production Companies

• Warner Independent Pictures (WIP)
• 2929 Productions
• Participant Productions
• Davis-Films
• Redbus Pictures
• Tohokushinsha Film
• Section Eight
• Metropolitan (MTA) (uncredited)

Distributors

• Ascot Elite Entertainment Group (2006) (Switzerland) (theatrical)
• Becker Group (2006) (Australia) (theatrical)
• Cathay-Keris Films (2006) (Singapore) (theatrical)
• Distribution Company (2006) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Intercinema Art Agency (2006) (Russia) (theatrical)
• Kinowelt Filmverleih (2006) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Manga Films (2006) (Spain) (theatrical)
• Mediafilm (2006) (Italy) (theatrical)
• Metropolitan Filmexport (2006) (France) (theatrical)
• Odeon (2006) (Greece) (theatrical)
• Palace Pictures (2006) (Czech Republic) (theatrical)
• Pandasia Entertainment (2006) (Taiwan) (theatrical)
• Paradiso Entertainment (2006) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Paris Filmes (2006) (Brazil) (theatrical)
• Pinema (2005) (Turkey) (theatrical)
• Prorom Media-Trade (2005) (Romania) (theatrical)
• Redbus Film Distribution (2006) (UK) (theatrical)
• Scanbox Entertainment (2006) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Scanbox Entertainment (2006) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Stadtkino Verleih (2005) (Austria) (theatrical)
• Tohokushinsha Film (2006) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Videovision Entertainment (2006) (South Africa) (theatrical)
• Warner Independent Pictures (WIP) (2005) (USA) (theatrical)
• 2929 International (2004) (non-USA) (all media) (sales)
• Kinowelt Home Entertainment (2006) (Germany) (DVD)
• Lionsgate (2006) (UK) (all media)
• Paradiso Home Entertainment (2006) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Paris Filmes (2006) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Pony Canyon (2006) (Japan) (DVD)
• Scanbox Entertainment (2006) (Finland) (DVD)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2006) (Canada) (DVD)
• TVA International (2006) (Canada) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2006) (USA) (DVD)

Special Effects

• Technicolor Creative Services (visual effects)

Other Companies

• Aargil Video  archival film transfers
• BBC Motion Gallery  archive footage
• Barkin / Smith  production counsel
• CBS Studio Center  special thanks
• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  camera cranes and dollies
• Cineric  archival sound transfers
• Concord Jazz  soundtrack
• EC Prop Rentals  props set dressing (as EC Props)
• Falco Ink.  publicity
• History For Hire  vintage television and studio equipment
• Landov  archival footage
• NBC News Archives  archival footage
• Original Filmvideo Library  archival footage
• Panavision  camera and lenses
• Pivotal Post  Avid editing equipment provided by
• Pivotal Post  HD services
• Pivotal Post  editorial facilities
• Rogers & Cowan  publicity
• Scarlet Letters  main and end titles
• Sessions Payroll Management  extras payroll services
• Silver Screen Caterers  catering
• Sonoton Musik-Verlag  music
• TM Motion Picture Rentals  additional lighting equipment (as TM Motion Picture Equipment Rentals)
• Technicolor Digital Intermediates  digital intermediate
• Technicolor  archival film scanning
• Technicolor  color
• Technicolor  prints
• Trackwise at Full House Productions  archival sound transfers
• Warner Bros. Sound  sound re-recording services provided by (as Warner Bros. Post Production Sound)
• West Coast Theatrical  additional lighting equipment (as Branham-West Coast Theatrical)

Also Known As:

Good Night, and Good Luck (France)
Buenas noches, y buena suerte. (Argentina) (Spain) [es]
Boa Noite e Boa Sorte (Brazil) [pt]
Boa Noite, e Boa Sorte (Portugal) (original subtitled version) [pt]
Bonsoir, et bonne chance (Canada: French title) [fr]
Good Night, and Good Luck (Poland) [pl]
Good Night, and Good Luck - Der Fall McCarthy (Germany) (TV title) [de]
Good Night, and Good Luck. (Germany) [de]
Good Night, and Good Luck. (Finland) [fi]
Good Night, and Good Luck. (Italy) [it]
Hyvää yötä ja onnea (Finland) (TV title) [fi]
Iyi geceler, iyi sanslar (Turkey: Turkish title) [tr]
Kalinyhta, kai kali tyhi (Greece) [el]

MPAA:

Rated PG for mild thematic elements and brief language.

Runtime:

93 min

Country:

USA | UK | France | Japan

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

UK:PG | Ireland:PG | Finland:S | Australia:PG | Canada:G (British Columbia/Ontario/Quebec) | Canada:PG (Alberta/Manitoba/Nova Scotia) | Brazil:14 | Iceland:L | Argentina:Atp | Switzerland:7 (canton of Vaud) | Switzerland:7 (canton of Geneva) | Portugal:M/12 | USA:PG (certificate #41985) | Singapore:PG | Hungary:14 | Spain:13 | Germany:o.Al. | South Korea:12 | Malaysia:18PL (DVD) | Malaysia:(Banned) (theatrical) | Sweden:Btl

Filming Locations:

CBS Television City - 7800 Beverly Blvd., Fairfax, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Warner Independent Pictures (WIP)

Trivia:

The first completely black-and-white film to be nominated for Best Picture since The Elephant Man (1980).

Goofs:

Anachronisms: There is a three prong electrical outlet visible in the Wershba's bathroom. It was not in common use until decades later.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Sig Mickelson: In 1935, Ed Murrow began his career with CBS. When World War II broke out, it was his voice that brought the Battle of Britain home to us, through his "This Is London" radio series. He started with us all, many of us here tonight, when television was in its infancy...

Movie Connections:

References "See It Now" (1951)

Soundtrack:

I've Got My Eyes on You

America on Trial in GOOD NIGHT, AND GOOD LUCK

Actor/Director George Clooney pays tribute to truth and decency amid distrust and uncertainty in the Communist witchhunts with his recreation of its greatest hero, the newsman of newsmen, Edward R. Murrow, in Good Night, and Good Luck.

In the early 1950's, the Communist scare and the subsequent subversion of citizens' rights was at its apex with blacklists and rampant accusations resulting in ruined lives and careers. Edward R. Murrow (David Strathairn) was the grand master of the news airwaves in the infantile medium of television. With his show's director, Fred Friendly (George Clooney) and his production team, he picks one obscure news item regarding an Air Force serviceman who is dismissed due to unspecified charges. Murrow and CBS essentially take on the US Air Force amid this climate of suspicion and presumed guilt. Later, Murrow's team takes on Senator Joseph McCarthy by making critical comments of the senator's own words and contradictions. McCarthy retaliates with accusations of Murrow's supposed association with un-American groups just as the parent network, CBS, reels under sponsorship pressure and the unpredictable whims of network president William Paley (Frank Langella). As Murrow and his own staff come under tense scrutiny by McCarthy and even CBS, public reaction and the response of the print media come to the forefront.

Nothing can compare to the words that were written and spoken with such conviction and honesty as those uttered by Murrow. The title of the movie is a direct quote that Murrow employed to sign off each week at the close of his interview shows. The filmmakers (including director Clooney and writers Clooney and Grant Heslov) were wise to let the text stand on its own. They also benefit from good performances from a cast headed by Strathairn (L.A. Confidential, A League of Their Own), a journeyman actor who has finally found a core role to call his own, and he makes the most of it. He gets the mannerisms and cadence down quite convincingly, and while Strathairn may not look exactly like Murrow, he has the persona nailed. Frank Langella (Dave) is excellent as the mercurial Paley whose support of Murrow was tenuous at best. Ray Wise (Twin Peaks) registers in what could have been a more defined role as a doomed newsman whose guilt by association triggers some life changing events. Patricia Clarkson (The Station Agent) and Robert Downey Jr. (Chaplin) as secretly married staffers, Joe and Shirley, round out the cast. Ironically, perhaps the best performance can be attributed to McCarthy himself as newsreels offer a fascinating, perverse glance at the infamous politician whose flamboyance and dogged theatrics doomed the careers of many government officials and film or television actors. The duel between Murrow and McCarthy seems like two heavyweights going at it verbally in the public arena.

The cinematography by Robert Elswit (Magnolia) is crisp and starkly lit in black and white to evoke the past. The production design and costumes are consistent with the period. Just the sight of newsmen typing on old style typewriters or production assistants carrying around film reels instead of videotape or discs is amusing. The editing by Stephen Mirrione (Traffic, 21 Grams) is tight and well paced. At times the studio broadcasts of a female blues singer bridges various sequences in theme and mood. The broadcast of a live network news program is staged with realism and with the frenzy and excitement that only live television could bring. One wonders what TV veterans like Sidney Lumet or Robert Altman could have brought to the table.

Murrow's show was kind of a precursor to the current granddaddy of all prime time news shows, 60 Minutes. It was interesting to see that his was not a perfect career having to mix fluffy showbiz interviews with such personalities as Liberace on his Person-to-Person show with legitimate news reports. At 93 minutes, the film surprisingly seems a bit short. You almost feel like this is a big budget episode of the famous You Are There reenactment shows. The story ends almost abruptly as it begins being bookended by a formal event honoring Murrow in 1958.

A couple of things don't quite work in the film. The characters of Joe and Shirley must come to terms with the network's policy forbidding marriage among its coworkers, but this subplot doesn't significantly serve to move the story forward. Clooney shows a workman-like approach to directing the film but it just doesn't grab you as emotionally as you would like. You sit there entranced by the history but are never fully given to the pathos of its characters. Instead, the film becomes almost a quasi-documentary bereft of much feeling.

As previous films have dealt with the Red Scare and blacklists, this film compares favorably with The Front and the great television movie Fear on Trial. Although the Soviet Union was a major threat to the United States during the Cold War, the accusatory enemy from within was perhaps as great a menace. The implications and parallels to today's political climate and the role television has in shaping perception are clearly the point Clooney and gang are trying to make. Murrow's formal speech, which begins and ends the film's story, is itself a prophetic and sobering commentary and indictment of the possibilities of television and foreshadows the future with amazing prescience. It shows that one man made a difference. Such is the testament to a heroic reporter whose integrity this film manages to capture, albeit in a brief history lesson.