Histroy Repeats Itself.

Rating: 8/10 (1 June 2006)

Ed Murrow, I believe, was an intellectual! Accused by many of taking sides. This may be true but as the film stated, the other side is well represented. The political environment of America is one that fascinates and confuses me. Like all things in this world it appears to repeat itself.
"We must remember always, that accusation is not proof, and that conviction depends upon evidence and due process of law. We will not walk in fear, one of another, we will not be driven by fear into an age of unreason." In recent times, this statement is once again completely untrue in America. Accusation is proof. Look at Iraq and the accusation of WMDs with no solid proof. The majority of ordinary decent citizens in the McCarthy era, the ones that lived in fear, most likely had no idea what communism was. When you think about it, communism would be something to embrace except that it is too theoretical to put into practice. The thing to fear is a suppressive political regime. And if the paranoia created by the fear creates another suppressive political regime then who is the enemy? As far as I can see, America still lives in fear, still paranoid. The new word for communist is unpatriotic. The very thing that Ed Murrow prided himself on, reporting the truth, challenging the status quo and "bouncing ideas" has been abandoned in American journalism. An industry given over to sensationalism and "insulating society from reality".
I know there is very little about the actual film written here. The fact of the matter is that this is not a very visual film, it is a dialog based intellectual film. What is said is as important as what is not said and the most important thing is the thought and words of the viewer afterwards. George Clooney is no ground breaking director. This film won't blow your mind. It will fascinate you and make you think. It is amazing how in your face propaganda can be, and then a film like this comes along that deliver a subtle message. No even necessarily the truth, but to question yourself as to what is the truth!
Some minor criticisms: the quality of the sound was a bit lacking and I felt the story could have gone on for much longer. It was difficult to figure out if this was a film about Ed Murrow or just about his battle with the junior senator from Wisconsin.