Movies

CNN will broadcast a Broadway performance of George Clooney in ‘Good Night, and Good Luck.’ Don’t miss it

BBG News

Upon its Broadway debut this spring, “Good Night, and Good Luck” sparked a fair share of skepticism initially. People criticized that the production by George Clooney and Grant Heslov was essentially replicating the 2005 movie, which narrated CBS newsman Edward R. Murrow’s brave stand against Sen. Joseph McCarthy’s anti-communist investigations.

Was the expensive price of Broadway tickets another reason for criticism? Some questioned if Broadway was priced too high for its main audience to attend. The success of “Good Night, and Good Luck” breaking box office records highlighted the fact that those who couldn’t afford a ticket were being excluded by a theater culture that seemed to favor the wealthy over the less fortunate.

During the Broadway season, “Good Night, and Good Luck” became an easy scapegoat for those critical of Hollywood, as it played alongside a less successful adaptation of “Othello” starring Denzel Washington and Jake Gyllenhaal, and a “Glengarry Glen Ross” revival that some felt would have been more impactful without Kieran Culkin’s performance.

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Amidst the Broadway season’s offerings of a less impressive “Othello” with Denzel Washington and Jake Gyllenhaal, a potentially weaker “Glengarry Glen Ross” revival led by Kieran Culkin, “Good Night, and Good Luck” was an opportune focal point for anti-Hollywood criticism.

Upon reaching Winter Garden on a Saturday afternoon in April for a matinee, my expectations weren’t exceptionally high given I hadn’t watched the movie for almost 20 years. However, the somberly elegant staging, skillfully directed by David Cromer with George Clooney portraying Murrow (originally played by David Strathairn in the film), turned out to be not just one of the most compelling shows of the Broadway season but also one of the most essential.

After exiting the theater, I found myself longing to purchase tickets for my loved ones to see it. Fortunately for my wallet, CNN is airing a live performance of “Good Night, and Good Luck” from the Winter Garden this coming Saturday. Remarkably, this will be the first time a Broadway play is televised live, and the timing couldn’t be more ideal.

In light of media organizations being subjected to an aggressive bullying tactic by the Trump administration, Murrow’s steadfast stance against demagogic opposition serves as a powerful model of bravery that we should emulate in the present moment.

Watching “Good Night, and Good Luck” reminded me of what it might have been like to attend a play in ancient Greece. Back then, citizens would gather in an open-air theater as a privilege and duty of democracy. Instead of dramatizing current events, playwrights presented stories from mythology and history that encouraged critical thinking about contemporary issues.

Clooney and Heslov aren’t penning dramatic verse; instead, their style leans toward docudrama. Although it differs somewhat from traditional forms, it reinforces our understanding that we, as a society, are one unified entity.

On the night before the Tony Awards, CNN will air the second-to-last showing of “Good Night, and Good Luck.” This production has been nominated for five Tonys, one of which is for George Clooney in the Best Actor in a Play category. Regardless of how the Tonys turn out, Clooney’s performance has already earned him accolades. Much like Edward R. Murrow, he serves as a reminder that integrity continues to be a significant aspect of American identity.

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2025-06-06 13:33

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