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Past is prologue in 'Good Night, And Good Luck'

To present the historic confrontation between broadcast journalist Edward R. Murrow and Sen. Joseph McCarthy, writer-director George Clooney required exceptional acting from his two leading men.

David Strathairn gave him that and more: His portrayal of Murrow is nothing short of stunning in Good Night, And Good Luck, the title of which comes from the Murrow's own sign-off in his weekly 1950s television show. Strathairn becomes Murrow on screen the way George C. Scott became Gen. George Patton in the Academy Award-winning 1970 role. It's that good.

Warner Independent Pictures 'Good Night, And Good Luck' A The verdict: A compelling story for audiences of all ages, with a stunning performance in the lead role. Director: George Clooney Starring: David Strathairn, George Clooney, Rose Abdoo, Robert Downey Jr., Patricia Clarkson Run time: 90 minutes Release date: Oct. 7, 2005 Rating: PG for mild thematic elements and brief language. See showtimes On the web Official movie site View the trailer    Trailers require Quicktime Rate 'Good Night, And Good Luck'   Go see it   Make it a matinee   Wait to rent   Don't bother Voter Limit: Once per Hour View Poll Results

But McCarthy? Who could possibly depict the bombastic, larger-than-life senator from Minnesota whose anti-Communist campaign of the early 1950s divided the nation?

If Clooney's casting for Murrow was excellent, his selection for McCarthy was exquisite: He let the senator play himself.

Seamlessly weaving newsreels, archival films and early television coverage into the movie, the director delivers a tale that is compelling whether or not you know the story by heart.

But in case you don't: The film begins in 1953, when McCarthy's aggressive U.S. Senate investigations of suspected Communist infiltrators were already well underway. Among his targets was an obscure lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force Reserve, Milo Radulovich, cashiered for refusing to disavow his own father, who had been accused — without trial or evidence — of Communist Party ties.

Murrow, by this time an American broadcasting icon whose World War II reports from London had made him a household name, investigated the case in his weekly CBS television documentary program, "See It Now." The show led to a showdown, drawing McCarthy's ire and wrath both on Murrow and on his network colleagues.

Good Night, And Good Luck presents the story as CBS itself did, in stark black-and-white, which merely adds to the film's air of authenticity. A strong ensemble cast, including Clooney himself as legendary CBS newsman Fred Friendly, explores the risks, the fear, the anguish and the resolve of the journalists and television executives as they debated how the story should air.

The issues they raise are as valid today, which is clearly Clooney's motivation in bringing the story to the screen. In an age of war and terrorism, questions about the limits of government investigation, the right of public dissent and the role and responsibility of the news media are all as fresh as they were in the McCarthy era. The articulate Murrow, whose television scripts Strathairn brilliantly reproduces verbatim in the movie, makes a venerable teacher for our age.

Younger audiences, for whom McCarthy and Murrow are figures from a history book, may have some difficulty distinguishing the minor characters in the movie. Clooney expends no energy in explanations nor scene-setting. But the context is clear; even the uninitiated will follow the story.

Those whose memories extend a little father will appreciate some of the touches that lend atmosphere. Contemporary jazz singer Dianne Reeves beautifully performs period songs that serve as bumpers between scenes, always meticulously selected to reflect the mood. And television ads from the times, particularly one for Kent cigarettes, exact outright guffaws from audiences of all ages today.

But the focus of the film — and it is focused like a laser — is on the power of government and media, the balance of individual rights and national security, and the choice between safety of silence and risk of speaking out.

A half-century later, that's every bit as relevant to us.

Good Night, And Good Luck, indeed.