Todays news from the fifties

Rating: 9/10 (2 March 2006)

At last the Dutch had the opportunity to see this film. I waited 3 months after its opening premiere in the USA. My expectations were high and they were met to the full. The atmosphere in the old Amsterdam Tuschinsky theater was one of complete silence both during the film and after it closed. Everybody watched this film if it was their last. The last time I experienced that was with Fincher's Seven. A lot has been said already here about this marble so I will focus on David Strathairn's (in my opinion a highly underrated actor) performance, the impact the film should have on todays life and the Oscars. David Strathairn's performance is outstanding. He is impressive without his lines, let alone with his lines. His eyes tell you how his character Murrow was. Meticulous in finding the truth and striving for the execution of democratic ideals whilst applying the journalist rules of fair play. 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 foresight. David Strathairn's performance should be awarded with an Oscar. He suffers heavy competition but he deserves it.
Now if he is at the top-list of the Academy than I think another issue comes into play. A political issue. To me and lot's of others (read the US newspapers at the time of the premiere) there is not only the actual issue of todays TV constantly blurring your mind, but also the strong resemblance between the tactics of the administration then and the current Bush administration now. I truly hope that the "liberals" in Hollywood can stand the pressure (we've seen some opposite in the past).
For the journalists on TV, radio and the written press (anywhere) honor Murrow and shake things up. For the listeners and readers, it's not in the stars, its in ourselves. Cassius was right after all.