Murrow

Tough, gritty -- this film is a great inside look into the workings of network news broadcasting, from the earliest days of radio into the modern era of television. It goes beyond a mere biography of Edward R. Murrow, although this phase is fascinating in itself. The film touches heavily on the inherent conflicts that influence (and sometimes quash) the dedicated journalist. Daniel Travante does a fine believable job of portraying Murrow as an insightful professional who does his best to excel in a business guided primarily by the profit motive. Dabney Coleman's portrayal of CBS chairman William Paley is a masterpiece of understatement. The primary value of "Murrow" lies in its tantalizing look at the ways in which radio and early television evolved into media powerhouses. Using actual clips of historical events -- notably those involving Sen. Joseph R. McCarthy -- the film nicely depicts the journalist's battle to bring hard news to the viewer, even when the effort upsets sponsors and politicians. Money is the bottom line, and "Murrow" leaves the viewer with a sense of sadness at the way journalists are forced to dance to the tune of the dollar bill. In all, "Murrow" is a fine piece of work. It's not for those who want only to be entertained. But it's must-see for anyone who cares about how the opinion-makers operate.

I only saw this film once when it first came on HBO, but I still remember Travanti's great performance as the chain-smoking newsman who gave radio a voice and tv a conscience. Travanti does an excellent job capturing Murrow's courage and integrity especially in taking on Senator McCarthy. People don't realize this but back then most Americans were in favor of what McCarthy was doing. The best part of the film is the re-creation of "See It Nows" attack on him and Murrow's masterful editorial (he didn't create this situation of fear...he exploited it...the fault dear Brutus is not within our stars but ourselves") In an age of tabloid journalism and trash tv, we need to re-examine Murrow's life and what he stood for. He would be appalled if he could see journalism today! The terrible irony is that Murrow had the courage to attack McCarthy and do so many other things, but yet he foolishly surrendered to a four pack a day cigarette fix that killed him at only 57.

People were not especially fascinated with early television when this first came out in 1986. America had become a bombastic, boastful place and "ethics" were something to be sneered at. Maybe that's why this did not create the buzz that came decades later with "Good Night and Good Luck." My, did we all take ourselves seriously back then! We were just discovering that television was not going to be a great teacher after all, but a circus on the air. This takes place mostly in offices, which is always dull, and the cast is mostly middle-aged, all white men in period suits. There is not really that much about the television industry itself -- very little that is colorful or entertaining except the then-perplexing rise of game shows. Daniel J. Travanti is an odd choice, not very interesting as Murrow, but it was his year. The rest of the cast is lackluster. The most exciting moment comes when the phones ring after an anti-Joe McCarthy broadcast. Now, *that's* television!

A young Edward Herrman as Fred Friendly, Dabney Coleman picking up where he left off in "Nine to Five" in a non comic role. The Man from Uncle as FDR!

I sure don't remember a whole lot of Made for TV productions in the 1980s that were this good. Anybody who respects "Good Night and Good Luck" should go out of their way to see this. Made when a lot of people who still remembered the story line intimately were still alive and they didn't fudge on anything. I don't think there is a better representation of what it was like from the inside to go after McCarthy out there than this.

Completely agree with all the previous comments about the portrait of the dawn of the TV industry too. How THAT world has changed since this film was made?