Stunning movie, with a lot of current day relevance

Rating: 9/10 (9 March 2006)

I was moved by this film. Not just by the expert-direction (the set and the moods created) and the superb lead acting (Strathairn). I think the most impressive element of the movie was the dialogue as delivered by Strathairn. McMurrow had to tread very carefully and not resort to gutter tactics to take out McCarthy. The threat that McCarthy posed was massive. He used the fear of Communism to smear anyone who didn't agree with him. 40 years on and Fox News' Bill O Reilly is using precisely the same tactics to smear anyone who doesn't agree with his rabid Republican views ! He is analogous to the journalist who repeatedly smeared CBS in the movie. (Phrases like we are at war, accusations of unpatriotism etc). I was moved by the monologues to camera given by McMurrow. They represent the core ideals of democracy. Someone should nail them to the forehead of Rupert Murdoch.