Clooney Cites Praise from Safer, Cronkite, and Brokaw for Latest Movie

October 25th, 2005 5:38 PM

[An update to my colleague Tim Graham's posts on Good Night and Good Luck co-star and director George Clooney found here and here.]

CBS Early Show host Harry Smith today interviewed George Clooney in the last half hour of the program. At one point Smith---who apparently from the interview really liked the film---notes he saw a screening of the film in New York City, with other journalists and asks Clooney for the reaction he received from his colleagues:

Harry Smith: "I saw it at a screening here in New York. Every newsperson in the city was in the room. You were there. What did they tell you afterwards?"



Smith: "Got it right, got it right. It's interesting because the battle in the newsrooms. We think of that time back then as being simpler in some way, because here is Murrow who is clearly on a crusade. But he's fighting with his bosses, he's fighting with Bill Paley. Let me run this clip, and it shows that, were it ever thus. Things never change. Take a look at this."

Smith went on later in the interview to lament the lack of modern day Murrows willing to "sacrifice" what Murrow was when airing the McCarthy documentary:

Smith: "Honestly, I watched the movie and I sat there and I felt ashamed. Because, he fought, he literally fought. He was willing to sacrifice himself to this in order for an important story, for the truth, to come out. And I'm not so sure there are enough of us around anymore, or any of us around, who are willing to do the same thing."