Good Night and Good Luck

Quick Notes - Form of GNGL

1. Docudrama style

2. Historical Fiction

3. Postmodern hybrid of fact and fiction

Quick Notes - Structure of GNGL

1. 3 ‘acts’ like a Greek Tragedy

2. Jazz band as a kind of pseudo Greek chorus

3. 1958 farewell speech as framing device

4. Archival footage

5. cinema verite

Cinema Verite?

Common documentary style from 1960s (to now) that showed people in everyday situations with authentic dialogue and naturalness of action.

Eg: camera travelling around the room in the scene where they find out that McCarthy is being investigated and Friendly tells Murrow that Hollenbeck is dead

Effect of Docudrama style

• makes the film feel real - emphasise the gravity of the actions/events and the fact that the films issues reflect real life

• Portray real life events - connects people to modern life

• Compels audience to engage critically w/ questions of truth - their own historical, political, collective memory

Effect of historical fiction style

1. Increases credibility in the world of the text

2. Allegory for current context (9/11 + war on terror context)

   1. Guard against binary thinking of good vs evil, villain vs hero, self vs other

3. Emphasises that audiences should critically consider the enduring values and issues of free journalism and power balances

Effect of Postmodern hybrid of fact and fiction

1. Fact - increases meaning as the events are not extrapolated and irrelevant to audiences but instead is a true cautionary tale of probable events that can reoccur

2. Fiction - can increase stakes and drama = emphasise the ‘worst-case scenario’

   1. Also increases entertainment so audiences truly choose to engage and as a byproduct are made aware of the history/issues that happened

3. Dual function - entertainment + engagement but also allegory/caution/message for plausible events

Effect of Jazz Band as pseudo Greek Chorus

Musical interludes that comment on the events

• contextualises the events - sets up zeitgeist of 50’s

• Articulates the issues that the characters are facing to emphasise to audiences

eg: ‘TV is the thing this year’ to contextualise the 1960’s to modern audience with journalism through TV being highly significant with a large outreach

Eg: ‘I’ve got my eyes on you’ acts as a meta fictional device that directly comments on the films issues with the ethics and accepted nature surrounding surveillance

Effect of farewell speech as structural device

• metafiction device where Murrow, in his speech, reflects on his role within the wider issue of journalistic integrity

Eg (opening): (TV is used to) “distract, delude, amuse, and insulate us”

• as the opening scene this quote urges audiences to question the integrity and role of TV/journalism throughout the film

Eg (ending): If we truly believe that TV truly can only “entertain, amuse and insulate” then the “whole struggle is lost”

• Repetition as the ending scene which comments on the journey of the film where they were able to use TV and journalism to achieve progress against McCarthy and enlighten not only the people in the 60’s but also the modern audiences of the film

Eg (ending): TV can ‘teach… illuminate… and even inspire’ but only if humans are “determined to use it towards those ends”

• rule of three - emphasis, increased memorabilty

• Comments on how TV is what we make it as humans - change comes from our actions not the instruments we use to make change

to the extent that humans are determined to use it towards those ends. 

Effect of Archival footage

1. Magnifies the cautionary tale as the events are real and plausible

2. Emphasises cause and effect of history and how it can repeat itself

3. Seeks to energise people to remember their responsibilities in society

   1. Humans have to be the drivers of change

Eg: The authentic archival footage of Mccarthys response to increase the validity of the film as it directly portrays the true story

Effect of cigarettes

1. Sets the 1950’s context during the proliferation of cigarettes

2. Smoky atmosphere is a visual symbol of the fear, paranoia and obstructed truth that the characters find themselves consumed by

Construction of GNGL/Distinctive Qualities

1. B+W Chiarascuro lighting

2. Almost all internally set within CBS studios

3. Cigarette smoke, use of silhouettes, use of blinds/windows to obstruct views

Effect of Chiaroscuro lighting

Chiaro scuro (spelling) means the strong contrasts between light and dark

1. Reinforces feelings of paranoia, fear, unknown

2. Sets up 1950’s zeitgeist

3. Sense of drama and tension

Effect of internal setting

1. Creates vacuum chamber of ideas - where everyone in CBS has similar ideals and morals

2. Stark contrast in scenes externally set - very noticeable and a break in the morals of GNGL

3. Shows audiences that there will always be opposition to journalism and every opinion

Eg: Bar Scene which reveals that the direct address on McCarthy did not only get positive reviews

Eg: Mccarthys attacks back on Murrow are external (McCarthy is external and creates tension by opposing the morals of the vacuum chamber of CBS)

Quote in Murrows Office: We are gonna go with the story

“Cause the terror is right here in this room”

• shows Murrows integrity even at the real threat of McCarthy

• Truth and helping others over saving and preserving his image

Quote about the sealed envelope motif

“(Radulovich’s) Charges were in a sealed envelope, nobody saw them”

• creates questions about the validity and credibility of claims agaisnt McCarthy

• Questions of truth in the government and ethics around accusations

Quote about colours

M - “You were always yellow” F - “better than red” - Yellow = fear, red = communism

• despite valid fears and real threat of McCarthy Murrow knows he must speak agaisnt Mcarthy

• Symbolism of colours

Evidence: Murrow sitting at desk

• Alone, camera ‘pushes out’ to reveal empty office

• Shows Murrows integrity and independence - he is isolated by his convictions and determination to report the truth

Quote of Murrows about McCarthy that almost defends Mcarthy

“(McCarthy) didn’t create this situation of fear, he merely exploited it“

• shows Murrows integrity and his belief in himself and his address

  • As this quote would be extremely detrimental in giving power back to McCarthy unless Murrows arguments were airtight

Intertextuality reference to Shakespeare

“Cassius was right; the fault dear Brutus is not in the stars but in ourselves”

• Exemplifies that McCarthy and other leaders are not the sole instigators but instead just successful exploiters of the pre-exisiting corrupt governments and social structures

Quote from Murrows speech using inclusive language

“We are currently wealthy, fat, comfortable and complacent”

Succinct but good intro to context of film

The ‘red scare’ spread throughout the US in the 50’s engrossing the entire country into a frenzy that was provoked by fear and condoned by figures of authority.

The spreading of misinformation and anti-communist propaganda throughout media allowed an ideology to prevail that criminalised the expression of controversial opinions and arguments denying the right to freedom of speech and civil Liberties.

Clooney contradicts this ideology through Edward Murrows famous justice battle on his show “Good Night and Good Luck” broadcast by CBS with the intent of putting an end to Mccarthys tyranny.