All language subtitles for Good Night and Good Luck 2025 1080p NF WEB-DL DD 5 1 H 264-playWEB.eng

Okay. You wanna just lay this down?

[Ella] Ready when you are.

I'm ready.

[Ella] Are you recording?

I am now.

[Ella] ♪ When I fall in love ♪

♪ It will be forever ♪

♪ Or I'll never ♪

♪ Fall in love ♪

♪ In a restless world ♪

♪ Like this is ♪

♪ Love is ended before it's begun ♪

♪ And too many ♪

♪ Moonlight kisses ♪

♪ Seem to cool ♪

♪ In the warmth of the sun ♪

♪ When I give my heart ♪

♪ It will be completely ♪

♪ Or I'll never give ♪

♪ My heart ♪

♪ And the moment ♪

♪ I can feel ♪

♪ That you feel ♪

♪ That way too ♪

♪ Is when I fall in love ♪

♪ With you ♪

♪ Or I'll never fall ♪

♪ In love ♪

♪ And the moment ♪

♪ I can feel that ♪

♪ You feel ♪

♪ That way too ♪

♪ Is when I fall in love ♪

♪ With you ♪

This just might do nobody any good.

At the end of this discourse,
a few people may accuse

this reporter of fouling
his own comfortable nest.

And you all may be accused
of giving hospitality

to heretical and even dangerous thoughts.

It is my desire, if not my duty,

to try to speak to you with some candor

about what is happening in our mass media.

You should know at the outset

that I appear here voluntarily,
by invitation,

and that these remarks are strictly
of a do-it-yourself nature.

If what I have to say is responsible,

I alone am responsible
for the saying of it.

I've decided to express my concern

on the manner
in which we inform ourselves.

I am seized by an abiding fear
of what these instruments

are doing to our society,
our culture, our heritage.

Our history will be what we make of it.

And if any historians,
50 to 100 years from now were to look,

they would in there
find evidence of decadence,

escapism, and insulation

from the realities
of the world in which we live.

And surely we will pay a price.

We are currently fat,
comfortable, and complacent.

We have a built-in allergy to unpleasant
or disturbing information,

but unless we get off of our fat assets
and recognize that media in the main

is being used to distract, delude, amuse,

and insulate us,

then those who finance it,
those who profit from it,

those who work at it,
and those who consume it

may see a totally
different picture too late.

Good evening. Earlier tonight,
Adlai E. Stevenson

urged the United States
to take the initiative

-in peace talks with the Soviet Union.
-

The talks are aimed
toward worldwide disarmament

and assurances of non-aggression
for the Russians,

-as well as for the free world.
-

In a broadcast
from his globe-circling tour,

Stevenson warned
the Eisenhower administration

against shutting the door on conferences

with the Soviet leaders
and putting too much pressure...

I'll be right down.

...on the uncommitted bloc of nations
not linked with either...

Millie, this is the Annie Lee Moss
footage from yesterday.

Okay, I'll give it to Leo.
Wait, it's only two cans?

What? Oh, yeah, that's all it is,

but there's some notes with it
to go for Fred.

Oh, Fred's in with the guys.

[chuckles] Okay,
I'll give the film to Leo.

You can go ahead
and give the notes to Fred.

[both] He's in the writer's room.

-Yeah. Thank you, Palmer.
-Thank you, Millie.

Hi, Joe. Shirley, what's going on in here?

-[Joe] Hey, Palmer.
-[Shirley] Hello, Palmer.

-Just making some copies for the...
-[Shirley] Nothing.

Just making sure. Two attractive
people alone in a copy room.

-[chuckles] Okay, Palmer.
-I mean...

-Don't tell anyone.
-I, uh, certainly won't say anything.

Well, don't tell Fred. He'll fire me.

Well, I mean, both of us.
Shirley, it's the nepotism rule.

The nepotism rule.

You know, I think Joe would get the axe.

[chuckles] Well, uh,
rules are made to be broken.

You can afford to say that.

Oh, actually, Shirley, I think he's right.

What do you say?
You want to get a drink tonight?

Yeah, you know,
just a couple of guys trying to help.

The day I need dating advice
from you two knuckleheads is...

Ouch. All right.

-
-

Let me see this.

I don't know.

It's simply a loyalty oath.
I mean, there's nothing in there about...

-To CBS?
-To America.

-You promise to be a loyal American?
-All the reporters have it.

Who were you promising this to?

-Fred signed it.
-CBS, Paley--

And Murrow.

-Murrow signed it?
-Murrow signed it.

"Are you now, or have you ever been,

a member of these organizations..."

[Joe] I've had it for a while now.
I thought this was a joke.

...that appeared on the Attorney General's
list of subversive groups?

It's a lot of pressure.

I don't know.

All right, let's think about this.

What is it really saying?

Is it a civil liberties issue?
Is it censorship?

I don't know.

I mean, is it simply stating
to CBS that I'm not a Communist?

-Murrow signed it.
-And Fred.

-Maybe you should talk to Fred.
-Well, I talked to Fred.

He told me to sign it.

If you don't sign it,
are you and I a target?

If I don't sign it, they will fire me.

Well...

at least then
we can tell everyone the truth.

[chuckles] Okay, all right.

[Joe] Hey, they got the film?

Uh, yeah, it's all queued up
and ready to go.

Oh, Eddie, you're right.

I went through the D.C. phone book.

More than one
Annie Lee Moss in there, right?

-Oh, yeah, a lot more.
-See? I told you.

All right, here they are.
Hey, Joe, we got it queued up.

Hey, Fred, do you want a cigarette?

No, I'll just breathe the air.

[Palmer] Okay, thank you. All right.

-Ready? All right.
-Yeah.

On this reel, this woman, Annie Lee Moss.

This is the person McCarthy
has spent two weeks

claiming was a spy in the Pentagon.

Yeah, well, she was a clerk
in the communications office.

Right.

So, after all this buildup,
she finally comes in.

McCarthy only asks her four questions,
and he gets up and he leaves.

-Wait, wait, wait. He just left?
-

Well, he realized
he had nothing, so...

Uh, Leo, hit it.

[Palmer] Yeah, yeah, yeah...

[McCarthy] And, uh...

...you say you personally
did not know Robert Hall.

-No, sir.
-That you were

not there when he came to the house.

-That's right.
-Uh...

Do you know what business
Robert Hall had with your husband,

besides merely delivering
the copy of the daily work?

-No, sir. I do not.
-Uh...

I'm afraid I'm going
to have to excuse myself.

I've got a... uh, a rather important
appointment tonight,

which I've got to work on right now.
And I wonder if none of them are...

-
-[Charlie] Wait, wait, wait.

All right, look, and Charlie
gets a shot at the empty chair.

-[Cohn] Chairman...
-[Palmer] Right there!

...I have no further questions
of this witness at this time.

We have the testimony of Mrs. Markward,

the undercover agent for the FBI,

stating that Annie Lee Moss was a member,

a dues-paying member
of the Communist Party...

The Northeast Club of the Communist Party.

[Fred] Leo, that's enough. Turn it off.

[Eddie] Oh, that Roy Cohn's
a real charmer.

Ed, did you see that he just walked out?

She is not a spy.

You don't know that.

Boy, I'll take the odds on it, Fred.

-
-What do you think, Ed?

You haven't made your case.

He's lying.

What's your proof?

I... I think it's pretty obvious.

Is that our standard now, what you think?

McCarthy told the whole country
he found the spy

in the Pentagon, and it was her?

Meaning what?

[chuckles] I mean, Ed,
does she look like a spy to you?

What does a spy look like, Palmer?

He got up and left his own hearing.

Prove she's not a spy
and you have a story.

Until then, you haven't
made your case. File it.

Okay, fellas, let's save it with the rest
of the Senate footage. Thanks.

Fred, uh...

Did you guys look
at the Secretary Stevens stuff?

-We will, John. Not yet.
-Just watch it to the end.

-All the way to the end.
-Thank you, John.

-Thank you, John.
-It's worth it.

It's pretty good stuff, Ed.

You ever spent any time in Detroit, Fred?

We got 20 or so of these pieces filed.

There's a story here
in the Detroit Free Press,

Dexter, Michigan.

Kid named Milo Radulovich.

-Italian?
-Irish.

Air force kicked him out
'cause his dad read

some Serbian newspaper.

They called Milo a security risk.

-Is his dad a Communist?
-I don't know.

-Who brought the charges?
-The air force.

The charges were in a sealed envelope.

-Nobody saw them.
-Not even at the hearing?

He was declared guilty without a trial
and told that if he wants to keep his job

he has to denounce
his father and his sister.

So he told them to take a hike.

His sister, huh?

Let's send Joe and Charlie down there,
see if he's any good on camera.

Is he being brought before the committee?

-No.
-So it's not McCarthy.

Isn't it?

Milo Radulovich.

Lt. Radulovich.
Uh, Milo, let me ask you this.

What happens now to your two children,

that is your five-year-old
and your five-month-old,

in terms of you?

Yes. If I am being judged on my relatives,
if, uh...

Are my children
going to be asked to, uh,

denounce me? Are they going to be judged

on what their father was labeled?

Are they going to, uh,

have to explain
to their friends, et cetera,

why their father is a security risk?

I... I see, absolutely,
that this is a chain reaction

if the thing is let stand
as the first recommendation

was sent out by the board,
I see a chain reaction that...

[chuckles] ...has no end
to anybody, for anybody.

Well, that's new.

And I don't think you can
call this a neutral piece.

We tried to talk to the air force...

I think the other side's
been represented--

They haven't gone on record.

-Their lawyers won't unseal the envelope.
-Hey!

So you just want to forego the standards
you've stuck to for over 15 years?

Both sides, no commentary.

Hey, hey, hey, blah, blah, blah.

I'm just making sure we identify
what it is you're both doing.

I can't find any justification for this.

I can't accept that on every story
there are two equal and logical sides.

You want to call that editorializing?
We'll give them equal time.

-It is editorializing. Period.
-

You understand the position
you're putting us in?

We're all in it together.

If the Senate or the air force
asks for equal time...

Oh, Fred, do me this favor.

Avoid any speeches about how we're all
in a big boat together.

-
-Please, don't insult me.

I have to go back to ALCOA,

who sponsors your show
and also has military contracts,

and I gotta tell them
they might get caught

in a tough bind because you had
a beef with Joe McCarthy.

I'm not going at Joe McCarthy...

Well, you're starting a goddamn fire.

-I know what this is, Ed...
-You guaranteed me.

This goes back to Hear It Now.
You guaranteed that corporate

would have no influence
over news content.

What I'm saying is
please don't try to con me

into thinking this will be good for me.

Just do me that courtesy.

I-- I'm sorry, Mr. Paley, Mr. Murrow.

Fred, there's a Colonel Anderson
here to see you.

[Fred] Okay, Shirley.

-Where is he?
-He's in your office.

Sorry, gentlemen. Uh...

Maybe this guy loves the transcript

and is here to congratulate me.

-
-

Go after Joe Kennedy. We'll pay for it.

We got a great story about Hoover.

[chuckles] Do you know
how many Person to Persons

you'll have to do to make this up?

Oh, Judy and her daughter Liza next week.

No chance. You will be interviewing Lassie
and then Mr. Ed back to back.

ALCOA won't pay for it.

We probably won't either.
Nobody will stop you.

-How much are the ads?
-3,000.

I'll split it with Fred.

He just won't have
Christmas presents for his kid this year.

He's a Jew.

-
-Well, go tell Fred. He loves Christmas.

Colonel.

[Anderson] Mr. Friendly.

Please.

[Fred] I trust you've had a chance
to review the transcript.

We have,

but we've not been allowed
to see the footage.

We're still shooting it.

Charlie Mack is on a plane from Dexter
with the last of the interviews.

We'll be going right down to the wire.

Your show airs tomorrow.

How can we possibly comment
on what we're being accused of?

-You haven't given us the foot--
-Colonel...

With all due respect...

you have been invited
to comment on this piece.

Not to approve this piece.

We are going with the story
that says that the US Air Force

tried Milo Radulovich
without one shred of evidence

and found him guilty
of being a security risk

without the Constitutional right...

And you have also not seen the evidence
claiming he's not.

Wouldn't you guess that the people

that have seen the contents
of that envelope

might know a little more
about what makes a person

-a danger to his country?
-Who are these people?

-Are they elected, appointed?
-Should it just be you that decides?

Do they have an axe to grind?

-Is it you, sir?
-Mister Friendly.

Do you know even the contents
of that sealed envelope?

We have been a friend and ally
of Mr. Murrow and CBS News.

The story you intend to air
is without merit.

Now, before you take steps
that cannot be undone,

I urge you to reconsider your stand.

These are very dangerous waters
you're attempting to navigate.

Two minutes to air!

Damn it, Millie, unload
that thing before I crack.

-[Millie] A couple more seconds.
-All right.

[Millie] Ugh.

Okay.

-Is Don ready for this?
-I don't know.

Tell him I front-loaded the opening

with about five seconds extra.

Front-loaded, five seconds.
Thank you, Millie.

Oh, Millie, tell Joe he's gonna have

-to do the voiceover live.
-[Millie] Joe's on set.

-We ain't got time to sync it up.
-[Millie] No, you tell him.

We need a live mic on the floor.

[Millie] I'll get the mic set.

[Palmer] Hi, Don. It's front-loaded.

-How much?
-[Palmer] By about five seconds.

[Hewitt] I said it's too much!

-[Palmer] And it's missing the voiceover...
-Okay. Which piece is Joe gonna do live?

-[Palmer] His questions.
-Why don't we try to sync it up

-with the whole show on air?
-Yeah, Joe can do it live.

-I hate this.
-You love it.

Fred. Fred, did you time Ed's intro?

-I think we're gonna be long.
-Long is good, Don.

Remember, no commercial break.

Right. Right, I've gotta add two minutes.

Don, they're doing
a commercial in the booth.

What commercial?
We didn't have any commercial!

Okay. Yeah. Eddie, set up a mic.

[Millie] I got it, Don. I got it.

[Hewitt] And get that idiot
out of the booth!

[Eddie] Natalie...

[Hewitt] Joe, it's too loud in here.

-One minute.
-Three. Okay. Thank you.

[Fred] We got the film.

Will it be ready?

Yep.

What do you think, Freddie?

Every time you light a cigarette
for me, I know you're lying.

We'll have it. We'll have it.

What'd the colonel tell you yesterday?

[chuckles] He wasn't too pleased.

You're gonna get audited this year.

Not me, you.

I told him I didn't want to do the piece.

You always were yellow.

-Better than red.
-[Hewitt] Twenty seconds.

You know...

it occurs to me we might
not get away with this one.

[Hewitt] Ten seconds.

In five, four, three, two...

[announcer] Stand by now for See It Now
with Edward R. Murrow.

[announcer] ALCOA,
Aluminum Company of America,

in cooperation with CBS Television,

presents the distinguished
reporter and news analyst

Edward R. Murrow in See It Now,

edited and produced by Mr. Murrow
and Fred W. Friendly,

a weekly presentation
of Aluminum Company of America,

the nation's leading producer of aluminum.

Now speaking to you from the control room

of Studio 41 is the editor of See It Now,

-Edward R Murrow.
-[Hewitt] Live in five, four, three, two...

Good evening.

A few weeks ago there appeared
a few obscure notices

in the newspapers
about a Lt. Milo Radulovich,

a lieutenant in the Air Force Reserve.

And also something about
Air Force Regulation 35-62.

That is a regulation
which states that a person

may be regarded as a security risk

if he has close and continuing association
with Communists

or people believed
to have Communist sympathies.

The lieutenant was asked
to resign in August.

He declined. A board was called
and his case was heard.

At the end, it was recommended
that he be severed

from the air force,
although it was also stated

that there was no question whatsoever

as to the lieutenant's loyalty.

We propose to examine, insofar as we can,

the case of Milo Radulovich.

Our reporter, Joe Wershba,
cameraman, Charlie Mack.

[Joe] This is the town
of Dexter, Michigan,

population, 1,500.

This is the story of Milo Radulovich.

No special hero, no martyr.

He came to Dexter one year ago

after ten years in the air force.

The air force, uh...

...does not question my loyalty
in the least.

They have reiterated that
on several occasions.

Uh... They have presented me
with allegations

against my sister and father,

uh, that they have, uh...

To the effect that my sister
and dad have taken...

have read what are now called
subversive newspapers,

and that, um...

my sister and father's
activities are questionable.

That's the specific charge or allegation,

I prefer to call it, against them.

Lt. Radulovich was defended
by attorney Charles C. Lockwood,

and this is the report on the hearing.

The air force did not produce
a single witness.

We were not told who the accusers were.

We had no right to confront them

or to cross-examine them.

But at the conclusion of the trial,

although we had met the allegations,

the air force made findings

at the conclusion of the hearing

that every single allegation was true.

This is the sister,
Margaret Radulovich Fishman.

She neither defends nor explains
her political activities.

I feel that my activities,
well, be they what they may,

or my political beliefs,
are my own private affair.

And I feel that the charges, uh...

leveled against me
and by reason of which he is...

they are trying to purge him
from the army, are, uh,

just, you know, it just seemed to me to be

a fantastic trend in this country.

Milo, I guess a lot of people
must have asked you

from time to time.

Wouldn't it have been
a lot easier for you if you'd...

Well, just kept sort of quiet
about the whole thing?

Maybe resigned and nobody would
have known anything about it,

and all this trouble
wouldn't have come to you?

Yes, that's right.
I could have signed a, uh,

resignation form, which was titled

"A resignation in Lieu of
Elimination from the Service."

And this would have given me
an honorable discharge.

However, the honorable
discharge would have stipulated

that I had, you know, been discharged, uh,

because the air force could not trust me.

In other words,
because I have been discharged

as a security risk.

And what happens to your two children?

That is your five-year-old
and your five-month-old

in terms of you?

Yes, if I am being judged on my relatives,

if, uh, are my children
going to be asked to, uh...

denounce me? Are they going to be judged

on what their father was labeled?

Are they going to, uh,

have to explain
to their friends, et cetera,

why their father is a security risk?

I see absolutely
that this is a chain reaction

if... if the thing is let stand
as the first recommendation,

uh, was sent out by the board,
I see a chain reaction

-that has no end to anybody...
-Five, four, three, two...

...for anybody.

Perhaps you'll permit me to read
a few sentences just at the end

because I'd like to say
rather precisely what we mean.

We have told the air force
that we will provide facilities

for any corrections or criticisms

it should like to make
in the case of Milo Radulovich.

We are unable to judge the charges against

the lieutenant's father
or sister because neither we,

nor you, nor they, nor the lawyers

know precisely what was contained
in that manila envelope.

Was it hearsay, rumor, gossip, slander?

Or was it hard ascertainable fact
that can be backed by credible witnesses?

We do not know.

We believe the son
shall not bear the iniquity

of the father even
if that iniquity be proved.

And, in this case, it was not.

But we also believe that this
case illustrates the urgent need

for the armed forces
to communicate more fully

than they have so far done
the regulations and procedures

to be followed in attempting
to protect national security

and the rights of the individual.

In any case, whatever happens
in this whole area

of the relationship between the individual
and the state, we will do it ourselves.

It cannot be blamed
on Malenkov or Mao Tse-Tung

or even our allies. And it seems to us,
that is Fred Friendly and myself,

that this is a subject that should be
argued about endlessly.

Good night, and good luck.

[announcer] Friday's Edward R. Murrow

Person to Person,
on the CBS Television Network.

[Hewitt] And we're out.

-Are we in for it, Freddy?
-

-I think we're fine.
-

[Ella] Oh, I like the sound
of this.

What's this tune? Ah, all right.

I sure hope I remember these words.

It's been a while. Right here.

♪ I've got my eyes on you ♪

♪ So best beware
Where you roam ♪

♪ I... ♪

-♪ No, don't know the word ♪

[producer] Great.

♪ I thought I did
But I don't... ♪

Incidentally.

♪ Incidentally
I... ♪

Thank you, Lorain.

♪ Set my spies on you
I'm checking on all you do ♪

♪ From A to Z ♪

♪ So, darling, just be wise ♪

♪ Keep your eyes on me ♪

♪ Keep your eyes on me ♪

All right, let's take five.
Gotta learn these words.

Oh, that's all the room
we had on the fence for it.

Lee, how old are you?

I'm 35, Ed.

Well, at 35, looking back
at all that's happened,

what comes to your mind first?

Ed, I would say that God
has been very, very good to us

in making all of this happen
to our family.

And I suppose that nowhere
but in the United States

could this happen to an ordinary

American family like ours.

I'm very grateful.

Well, surely something must get under
your skin once in a while, doesn't it?

Well, about the only thing
that bothers me is

when people accuse me of...

of having a following
only of nice old ladies.

I have nothing
against the nice old ladies,

but I like nice young ladies, too.

-
-Well, Lee,

thanks so much for letting us
come and visit you.

And will you say goodnight
to the rest of your family for us?

-I certainly would.
-Thanks. Thanks a lot.

-Thank you so much. Good night, Ed.
-Good night, Lee.

Next week we'll take you
to Beverly Hills, California,

and the home of Mickey Rooney
and his new bride.

Until then, good night, and good luck.

[John] And we're out.

[cameraman] Good show, Ed.

Mr. Murrow.

Uh, Mr. Murrow, Mr. Paley was wondering
if you'd meet him for a drink.

When?

Uh, now. He's at the Pentathon Bar.

What's he doing there?

Will you just call him, Shirley,
will you, please?

-I'll let him know.
-Thank you.

-Hi, Don.
-Hi, Shirley.

Huh.

You're getting good at this, Ed.

They're gonna think you like it.

[chuckles] Pays the bills.
How are you, Don?

It's day to day.

Well, if she saw how good you
look right now, she'd be back.

Tell her that if you see her, will ya?

So I read the O'Brian piece.

Yeah, it's pretty tough.

I'm a pinko. I slant the news.

Just waiting for him to say
my wife left me too.

Well, nobody worth their salt reads him.

-You read him.
-Well, see, I rest my case.

Does Paley read him?

Bill Paley's not going
to do anything, Don.

Listen, Ed. Thanks.

I just came over because I wanted to say
how great the lieutenant piece was.

-Thanks.
-How's the fallout?

Mostly good, surprisingly.

Is this the start? Are you taking sides?

It's just a little poke
with a stick, see what happens.

Well, let me know if I can help.

-But you're a pinko, Don.
-I'll see you, Ed.

-Yeah.
-

[announcer] May I have your attention,
please, on track one.

The 8:30 train to New Haven
has been canceled.

We apologize for any inconvenience.

Hey, Joe, what's all this
Radwich junk you're putting out?

Oh, Don, I got nothing to say to you now.

We just gotta get this film
off to the lab.

What would you say if I told you

that Murrow was
on the Soviet payroll in 1934?

Uh, give us a sec, will you, Charlie?

Sure. I gotta use the head anyway.

Hey, Joe, watch yourself
with this guy.

Is, uh, McCarthy going
to the Eisenhower dinner?

No idea. I don't keep
the senator's calendar for him, Joe.

Oh, really?

[announcer] This is a track
change announcement.

The 8:45 Northeast Corridor
train to New York City

will be arriving on track two.

What, you don't watch
any spy films, Donald?

You can't just hand me
a classified folder.

You gotta slip it in my briefcase
when I'm not looking.

It's actually perfect.
I didn't know who to give

this information to, Paley or Murrow.

As you can imagine,
Fred and I aren't very friendly.

-No pun intended.
-No pun elocuted.

Elocuted. Is that a word
or did you just make that up?

You boys and your words.

Is Ed in New York right now
memorizing a thesaurus? Joe.

What's another word for thesaurus?

Oh, it must be awfully quiet
at the Algonquin now that you're gone.

Except for Harpo talking away.

All right, Donald, what do you got?

In short, Ed Murrow's
been a Communist sympathizer

since the 1930s.

Member of the Industrial Workers
of the World,

sponsor of educational trips to Moscow

and on the Soviet payroll
in 1934. It's all there.

Uh, you, uh...

You want to know why that's not possible?

Or why you're gonna lose this one, Donald?

Because everybody in the country knows

that, if nothing else,
Ed Murrow is a loyal American.

-He is a patriot.
-Hmm.

Did you know that the word gullible
isn't in the dictionary, Joe?

-Can I give this to Ed?
-I'd like you to.

I have copies.

I think you guys go too far.

Well, if it walks like a duck
and talks like a duck...

It's a terrible shame.

Murrow's brother being
a general in the air force.

What'd I miss?

Nothing.

Donald was just leaving. He's...

got a hole to crawl back into.

[Don chuckles] Give my best to Ed.

-Bill.
-Hello, Ed.

How's Janet? How's your boy?

-All well, how's babe?
-Fine. She's fine.

Well, her fundraiser got rained on.

Yeah, that's why I don't plan anything.

Really? You wouldn't know it.

-Reading fiction?
-I hope. [laughs] You tell me.

Well, we know
how they're gonna come at us.

That's just the first shot.
Somebody will go down.

Now, have you checked your facts?

-Are you on safe ground?
-It's time. Show our cards.

They're my cards.

You lose, what happens?
Five guys find themselves out of work.

I am responsible for a hell of a lot more
than five goddamn reporters.

Let it go.

McCarthy will self-destruct,
Cohn, all of them.

It's not like you to run from a fight.

-I'm not running from anything.
-Is that so?

Hey.

-I write your check.
-Yeah.

I put you in that country house.
I put your son through school.

And you should have told me about this
before it got so far down the road.

Is it an apology that you want?

We don't make the news, Ed.
We report the news.

99% percent of the time
he is wrong

about the people he labels
as being a Communist.

If he goes too far,
the Senate will investigate him,

-and we will report on that.
-But 100% of the time

he is wrong when he steps
on their civil liberties.

What are you doing, Ed?
You are trying him in the press.

No. You have decided on this,
and you're presenting it as fact.

So where do you wanna take this?

Every one of your boys has to be clean.
You understand? No ties.

If Aaron's mother went to a group
theater fundraiser in 1932, he is out.

Hewitt, too. Everyone in that room.
Make no mistake, I will cut them loose.

And Corporate will not interfere
with Editorial.

But Editorial will not jeopardize

the hundreds of employees
of the Columbia Broadcasting System.

-
-Yes?

[secretary] Mr. Paley,
Senator Symington is on the phone.

And we're not advertising it.

Hello, Stu. Right.

Well, yes, Senator, I do have a question.

The US military is said to have

better nuclear capabilities
with much smaller bombs.

But the Soviets have developed
longer-range missiles,

which pits the two powers
against each other

in a race to build the first
intercontinental rocket

capable of delivering a nuclear explosion.

The Soviets believe
they have the upper hand.

But military experts
here at home are confident

the US will win the race

to complete a full
and functioning missile...

[John] Is this about our sponsors?

Are we afraid
of losing our sponsors?

[Palmer] Have we lost sponsors?

-Come on.
-I don't understand...

Fellas, listen... Let me make it easier.

I just need to know,
for the good of the peace,

if any of you have any connection at all.

Read a Communist newsletter.
Traveled to St. Petersburg.

Was your mother dating
a socialist in 1922?

You know what,
why don't you leave my mother out of this?

Don't care. I just need to know.

You know, I had
a fling with a fascist once.

Oh, that must have been fun.

No, not after the war.
They were a little down.

[Fred] Knock it off. Knock it off.

Maybe it was you, Eddie.
It was definitely you, Eddie.

And I think I should excuse myself.

I'm gonna have to excuse myself.

No, really, let me get it out now.

-I don't wanna hurt us.
-Christ. Okay, that kills us.

Oh.

My ex was...

I... [sighs] I wouldn't say
she was a Communist, but...

she certainly attended meetings.

It was before we were married,

and it never came up
until after we were divorced.

It didn't matter then, we were...

We were all on the same side.

Look, I'm not telling you
anything you don't already know.

But the thing of it is,
somebody will find out

and they'll hurt us with it.

Hurt us? We can't do the story.

I should have told you sooner.

[sighs] I'm sorry, Fred. Ed...

Sit down, Palmer.

Sit down.

[chuckles] I...

If none of us ever read a book
that was dangerous

or had a friend that was different,

or joined an organization
that advocated change...

we would all be the exact kind
of person Joe McCarthy wants.

We're gonna go with the story...

because the terror is right here
in this room.

Our next report will be
about the junior senator

from Wisconsin and, Fred,
we use only his words,

you understand?

Okay, fellas, that's it.

All the footage we've banked. Everything.

John, you and Joe and Charlie
go through the HUAC hearings.

Eddie and Palmer, see what else we have.
Any speeches he gave or interviews.

His own words, boys, that's what we need.

Millie, give me those notes.

-[Ella] Yeah.
-

♪ There may trouble ahead ♪

♪ But while there's moonlight ♪

♪ And music and love and romance ♪

♪ Let's face the music and dance ♪

♪ Before the fiddlers have fled ♪

♪ Before they ask us to pay the bill ♪

♪ And while we still got a chance ♪

♪ Let's face the music and dance ♪

♪ Soon, we'll be without the moon ♪

♪ Humming a different tune and then ♪

♪ There may be teardrops to shed ♪

♪ But while there's moonlight and music ♪

♪ And love and romance ♪

♪ Let's face the music and dance ♪

♪ Let's face the music ♪

♪ And dance ♪

[Hewitt] Two minutes to air.

-Are we gonna make it?
-We lost a projector.

Yeah, we'll make it.

Excuse me, Mr. Murrow.
Uh, Mr. Paley's on the line.

Maybe he's gonna reimburse us for the ads.

-You'd like that.
-[Fred] I would like that.

This is Ed.

Hey, the Knickerbockers
are playing tonight

and I got front row seats.
Are you interested?

I'm a little busy bringing down
the network tonight, Bill.

Oh, is that tonight?

-The Knickerbockers you said.
-[Bill] Front row.

It's tempting.

So you know, we're covered.

All right.

I'm with you tonight, Ed.

And I'll be with you
in the morning as well.

Thanks, Bill.

[Shirley] What do you think, Joe?

I think we're ready.

I wish we could wait
till we get more footage.

I just don't think we can take the chance.

I think that we have to hit McCarthy
before he can come after Ed.

Well, they haven't gone
after The Alsops or Herb Block.

Yeah. [chuckles] The Alsops
and Herb Block didn't work

for the Institute of
International Education in 1934.

Then I guess it's time.

-Okay.
-[Shirley] Hi.

-Hi.
-Hi.

[Shirley] Bye.

-Bye.
-Bye.

You worried?

I didn't think I was. Uh...

I... I don't know why.
I was in the office on Friday.

I answered the phone.

It was Howard calling from London.

He asked me
what was going on with McCarthy

and before I answered him I turned

and looked over my shoulder
to see who was listening.

And who was listening?

-Chairman Mao.
-

-Ah, Joe, your ring.
-Jesus Christ.

Name me another wife
who reminds her husband

to take off his wedding ring
before he goes to the office.

-Ava Gardner.
-

[Hewitt] Thirty seconds.

[clears throat] Beautiful.

[Hewitt] Twenty seconds.

[Hewitt] Ten seconds.

[Hewitt] In five, four, three, two.

Good evening.

Because a report
on Senator Joseph R. McCarthy

is by definition controversial,
we wanna say

exactly what we mean
and request permission to read

from a script any remarks
Murrow and Friendly may make.

If the senator feels
that we have done violence

to his words or pictures
and he wishes to speak

to answer himself,

an opportunity will be afforded him
on this program.

Our working thesis tonight
is from this quotation,

"If this fight against
Communism has made a fight

between America's
two great political parties,

the American people
know that one of those parties

will be destroyed
and the Republic cannot endure

very long as a one-party system."

We applaud that statement.

We think Senator McCarthy should as well.
He said it 17 months ago in Milwaukee.

The American people realize
that this cannot be made a fight

between America's
two great political parties.

If the fight against Communism
is made a fight

between America's
two great political parties,

the American people know
that one of those parties

will be destroyed
and the Republic can't endure

very long as a one-party system.

On one thing the senator
has been consistent.

Often acting as a one-man committee,
he has traveled far, interviewed many,

terrorized some,
accused civilian and military leaders

of the past administration
of a great conspiracy

to hand over the country to Communism.

Well, may I say
that I was extremely shocked

when I heard that Secretary Stevens

told two Army officers
that they had to take part

in the cover-up of those who promoted
and coddled Communists.

As I read each statement, I, uh...
thought of that quotation,

"On what meat doth this our Caesar feed?"

And upon what meat
does Senator McCarthy feed?

Two of the staples of his diet
are the investigations

protected by immunity and half-truths.

You... You attended Columbia University

-in the early '30s?
-[Harris] I did, Mr. Chairman.

Will you speak a little louder, sir?

[Harris] I did, Mr. Chairman.

And were you expelled from Columbia?

[Harris] I was suspended from
classes on April 1st, 1932.

I was later reinstated.
And I resigned from the university.

[McCarthy] And you resigned
from the university.

Uh...

Did the Civil Liberties Union
provide you with an attorney

at that time?

[Harris] I had many offers
of attorneys, and one of those

was from the American Civil
Liberties Union. Yes.

The question is,
did the Civil Liberties Union

supply you with an attorney?

[Harris] They did supply an attorney.

-The answer is yes.
-[Harris] The answer is yes.

Uh, you know the Civil Liberties Union

has been listed as a front for,
and doing the work of,

the Communist Party.

[Harris] Mr. Chairman, this was 1932.

[McCarthy] Yeah, I know this was 1932.

Do you know that they
since have been listed

as a front for, and doing the work of,
the Communist Party?

[Harris] I do not know
that they have been listed.

So, sir, no, I do not.

-You don't know they have been listed?
-I have heard that mentioned...

or read that mentioned.

Now, you wrote a book in 1932.
I'm going to ask you again.

At the time you wrote this book,

did you feel that professors
should be given the right

to teach sophomores that marriage...

uh, let me quote... "should be
cast out of our civilization

as antiquated and stupid
religious phenomena?"

Was that your feeling at that time?

[Harris] My feeling was that professors
should have the right to express

their considered opinions on any subject,
whatever they were, sir.

[McCarthy] I'm going to make you
answer this.

I'll answer yes. But you put
an implication on it.

And you feature this particular
point out of a book,

which, of course is quite out of context,

does not give a proper impression
of the book as a whole.

The American public doesn't
get an honest impression

of even that book, bad as it is...

[Hewitt] Back in five, four, three, two...

The Reed Harris hearing illustrates
one of the senator's techniques.

Twice he said the American
Civil Liberties Union was listed

as a subversive front.

The Attorney General's list
does not and never has

listed the ACLU as subversive,

nor has the FBI or any other
federal government agency.

And the ACLU holds in its files

letters of commendation
from President Truman,

President Eisenhower,
and General MacArthur.

Earlier, the senator asked,

"Upon what meat
does this our Caesar feed?"

Had he looked three lines earlier

in Shakespeare's Caesar,
he would have found this line,

which is not altogether inappropriate,

"The fault, dear Brutus,
is not in our stars, but in ourselves."

No one familiar with the history
of this country can deny

that congressional committees are useful.

It is necessary to investigate
before legislating,

but the line between investigating
and persecuting is a very fine one.

And the junior senator from Wisconsin
has stepped over it repeatedly.

We must not confuse
dissent with disloyalty.

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,

if we dig deep
in our history and our doctrine,

and remember that we are not
descended from fearful men,

not from men who fear to write,
to speak, to associate,

or to defend the causes that are,

for the moment, unpopular.

We proclaim ourselves as indeed
we are the defenders of freedom,

wherever it continues
to exist in the world,

but we cannot defend freedom
abroad by deserting it at home.

The actions of
the junior senator from Wisconsin

have caused alarm and dismay
amongst our allies abroad,

and given considerable comfort
to our enemies.

And whose fault is that?

Not really his.

He didn't create this situation of fear.

He merely exploited it,
and rather successfully.

Cassius was right.

"The fault, dear Brutus,
is not in our stars,

but in ourselves."
Good night, and good luck.

[Hewitt] And we're out.

[Hollenbeck] Good evening.

I don't know whether all of you
have seen what I just saw,

but I want to associate myself
and this program

with what Ed Murrow has just said

and say that I've never been
prouder of CBS.

And now the news...

Feel like a scotch?

I think everybody could use one.

[Ed] Yep.

[Hollenbeck] Women have moved
into another male domain.

In 20 United States cities

they've proved themselves
highly efficient

in parking and traffic control.

[Ed] Fritz, what time is it?

Uh... 3:30. Early editions are out now.

[Ed] Oh, I'm not worried about that.

[chuckles] No, of course not.

Hey, Shirl, honey, run down
and pick up the early edition.

-[Shirley] All of them?
-All of them.

-Just get O'Brian.
-

-
-[Shirley] All right. Uh... Watch my drink.

Yeah, I'll go with you, Shirley.

I'm gonna have to fire Joe
so those two can date.

-Cigarette?
-I quit.

Good time to quit.

Yeah, but what could you do?

Well, first we want to see
if we have jobs tomorrow.

And if we still have jobs tomorrow,

then, uh, Tail Gunner Joe
gets to return fire.

What's he gonna say?

Uh, he's gonna say
we're, uh, a pinko organization

-with a leftist agenda.
-We used his own words.

It's, uh...

Well, we do have a leftist agenda.

I'm a pinko.

A little too loud there, Charlie.

It's got awfully quiet there, didn't it?

We've got Annie Lee Moss.

We can have that together
by next week if need be.

-Is that a whole show?
-It's close.

-Listen, Ed.
-

There's not gonna be
a shortage of material on him.

What we have to do now
is keep up the pressure

till his rebuttal...

and then move to Calcutta.

-Sure do miss radio.
-You've got a face for radio.

That's what my wife keeps telling me.

[Shirley] All right, here we go.
We've got all of them.

Um, The Post, The Times.

-Who wrote it?
-[Shirley] Jack Gould.

"Edward R. Murrow's television program

on Senator Joseph R. McCarthy
was an exciting and provocative

examination of the man and his methods.

It was crusading journalism
of high responsibility and courage.

For TV so often plagued
by timidity and hesitation,

the program was a milestone that reflected
enlightened citizenship."

Okay. He didn't like it.

[Eddie] Yeah, what's this guy's beef, huh?

[Shirley] Wait. Hold on. Hold on.

"The program was no less
an indictment of those who wish

the problems posed
by the senator's tactics

and theatrics would just
go away and leave them alone.

That was Mr. Murrow's
and television's triumph,

and a very great one."

-Hear, hear!
-

Fritz, send The New York Times
a bottle of scotch.

I already did. How do you think
we got that review?

-[Palmer] What about The Post?
-[Ed] Hmm.

-[Joe] It's pretty good.
-[staff] Yeah. Yeah.

-What about O'Brian?
-[Shirley] The same.

-
-Shirley, what did O'Brian say?

Oh, I don't have it.
Um, Joe, what about you?

Uh... I... No, it's here somewhere.

[Shirley] Okay, um...

Hang on. I... Okay.
[clears throat] Jack O'Brian.

"We can't say we were surprised
at Edward R. Murrow's

hate-McCarthy telecast last evening

when his explosively one-sided propaganda,
edited with deviously clever selectivity

for McCarthy's march against Communism,
was finished last evening.

By equally Machiavellian coincidence,

the following telecast featured
Murrow's PM protégé, Don Hollenbeck."

-
-What?

"Uh, in an obviously
gloating mood, Hollenbeck hoped

viewers had witnessed his patron's triumph
from and for the left."

Uh, and so on and so on.

Yeah, I guess O'Brian doesn't like scotch.

-It's okay, Shirley. Finish it.
-Shirley, read The Post, huh?

-That's it, Don. It's just--
-Shirley, finish it.

-[Shirley] That's it, Don.
-[Joe] Don, that's it.

Shirley.

Okay.

"The Columbia Broadcasting System

has been in a lengthy
clean-house of lefties mood.

The worst offenders on lesser levels

have been quietly
pushed out of the company.

Don Hollenbeck, a graduate
of the demised pinko publication

'PM,' attacked conservative newspapers
with sly and slanted propaganda.

He then proceeded through
an equally tilted review

of the day's events,
with McCarthy dominating

his words, actions, attitude and camera..."

[sighs] It's O'Brian.

I think I'll have that cigarette, Ed.

-
-Yep.

-[Fred] I'm heading out.
-Yeah.

Got a staff meeting in five hours.

[Joe] Whoa! Whoa, it is late.

[Fred] Hmm.

Do you... Do you wanna share a cab?

Oh, uh, yeah.

-You headed downtown?
-Yes.

But where do you live, Shirley?

-Oh, she lives downtown.
-Yes.

Hang in there, Don.

[Hollenbeck] See ya, boys.

-[Charlie] See ya.
-[Palmer] See ya, Ed, Don.

-I appreciate it.
-[Joe] Big day tomorrow.

Yeah. Today, you mean, huh?

[staff] We're drinking. We're drinking?

Sorry I missed you the other night, Don.

I need to ask you something, Ed.

It's about O'Brian.

-O'Brian doesn't matter.
-He's killing me.

He doesn't make
a bit of difference in the news.

It's not just him.
We have to let this guy have it.

We're not gonna go after O'Brian.

I'm not gonna take on McCarthy and Hearst.

I can't beat them both.
Don't read the paper, Don.

Or don't read O'Brian, anyway.

No.

No. I guess not.

I wake up in the morning...

and I don't recognize anything.

I feel like I went to sleep
three years ago

and somebody hijacked the...

As if all the reasonable people
took a plane to Europe

-and left us behind.
-

Huh?

-Uh, I was always...
-

I was always an optimist. Really.
I always thought things work out.

Half full.

Yeah.

I believe in the system, Don.

As disastrous as it can seem
at times, I believe in it.

We designed it to fix it.

Madison built it into the Constitution,
for Christ's sake. It's a...

I was talking about my divorce.

So was I.

Well, I'm glad the forefathers understood
the term "dissolution of a union."

[chuckles] Sure, they had
their difficulties with the opposite sex.

I'm talking about McCarthy.

So was I.

Well, I thought I'd try.

Sorry, Don.

We never had this conversation, okay?

If it's okay with you, Senator.

Don't laugh. I've thought about it.

-
-[announcer] From Studio 41

in Grand Central Station, New York City...

-
-...The Morning Show.

-How long for that new copy?
-Just give me an hour.

Uh, it's gonna need an hour.

-You've been here all night?
-Yeah. We got a deadline.

-Yeah...
-We just got back from D.C.

McClellan just took an axe to McCarthy
at the Pentagon Hearing.

-[Charlie] He called McCarthy evil.
-[Palmer] Wait, who did?

Senator McClellan, sitting two seats
down from McCarthy...

I've gotta get this to the land.

...gets up, calls him evil.

-Wait, who's evil?
-Did you get it on camera?

-Yeah, I think we did.
-Wait, who is evil?

-Oh, Eddie...
-I can hear you.

What are they doing there?

Uh, rewriting the Constitution.

They were there for the original.

Uh, hold on, Joe.
Palmer, can I talk to you for a minute?

-[Palmer] Yeah. Sure, Fred.
-[Fred] Uh, just a second one.

-Fred.
-[Fred] Yeah?

Uh, fellas, uh,
McCarthy's office just called.

-He wants equal time.
-When?

-April 6th.
-In studio?

He wants to film it in his office.

Who?

McCarthy.

[Palmer] Jesus Christ.

They... They told me
Buckley wanted to respond.

No. Uh...

It's McCarthy.

Yeah, but are they gonna
let Charlie shoot it?

What's he gonna say?

I know what it's gonna be.

He's gonna come after me.
It's the only thing he can do.

He's gonna bet that a Senator
trumps a newsman.

-Ha. He'll lose.
-

Maybe.

[sighs] Okay, fellas, here we go.

Joe, call Stanton and let him know.

-You got it.
-John, uh, let's see

all the Eisenhower footage you've got.

We'll need to prep for his spots.

-Okay, Fred. Yup.
-Um, Palmer.

Phil in Legal wants
to have a word with you.

-Okay. Now?
-Uh, yes, now is best.

Never very good news, is it?

Not often.

[on phone] Operator.

Can you connect me with Phil in Legal?

Right away.

-Mr. Williams.
-Guilty.

-
-Let's hope not.

There isn't a lot of time,
so I'll be brief.

This network is under
a tremendous amount of pressure.

-These stories aren't helping.
-I... I understand.

I'm not sure you do.

There's a great deal of concern
about your past positions.

-My wife's past position?
-That's right.

HUAC has a file on you.

-How do you know?
-A file was sent to Mr. Paley yesterday.

Well, that's interesting timing.

Well, when you strike at a king...

Or a junior senator from Wisconsin?

CBS is prepared to make an offer.

-Uh-oh.
-If you submit your resignation,

CBS will cover any legal expenses
you might incur on this subject.

-That's awfully kind of you.
-No, it isn't.

-No, it isn't.
-

These guys don't play around.
They're relentless.

They will cost you everything you have.

I understand.

Do you?

Palmer...

take the deal.

If these guys decide to call you in,
we will cut you loose.

And then no one will be there to help.
Not CBS, not Murrow.

No one.

Phil, you're a good guy.

And I... I appreciate that this is your job...

but what you're asking me to do,
I could never do.

I understand.

It's funny how your life can be upended

-just for telling the truth.
-And marrying a communist.

-Oh, yeah. There is that.
-

Be careful.

Yeah.

[Hewitt] Ed. It's 28 minutes.

I could clip a little off the ends.

I think we have to leave it alone.
Very smart. No time for comment.

Came in ten minutes ago and we put it up,
saw the first couple of minutes...

-You're right.
-He's coming after me.

Okay. Thanks.

Charlie, have you seen the latest polls?

The most trusted man in America
is Milton Berle.

Maybe he should do the story.

[Ed] Hey, Fred.

What say we grab
a little dinner after the show?

-The 21 Club?
-Sure.

Forty-five seconds to air.

Look...

there's nothing fun about this one.

You just gotta put your gloves down,
stick your chin out,

and just take it for a whole round.

-Next week's our round.
-If I make it up off the mat.

-You will.
-[Hewitt] Thirty seconds.

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[Hewitt] In five, four, three, two...

Good evening.

One month ago tonight we presented
our report on Senator Joseph R. McCarthy.

We labeled it as controversial.
Most of that report

consisted of words and pictures
of the senator.

At the time, we told the senator

that if he feels that we have
done violence to his words

or pictures and he wishes
to speak to answer himself,

an opportunity would be
afforded him on this program.

The senator sought that opportunity,

asked for a three-week delay
because he said he was very busy

and wished adequate time
to prepare his reply. We agreed.

We placed no restrictions
on the method or manner

of the presentation of his reply,

and suggested that we would not take time
for comment on this program.

Here now is Senator Joseph R. McCarthy,
junior senator from Wisconsin.

Uh, good evening.

Mr. Edward R. Murrow, Educational Director
of the Columbia Broadcasting System,

devoted his program
to an attack on the work

of the United States Senate
Investigating Committee

and on me personally as its chairman.

Now, ordinarily... ordinarily,
I would not take time out

from the important work at hand
to answer Murrow.

However, in this case,
I feel justified in doing so

because Murrow is a symbol,

the leader and the cleverest
of the jackal pack,

which is always found at the throat
of anyone who dares to expose

individual Communists and traitors.

I am compelled by the fact
to say to you that Mr. Edward R. Murrow,

as far back as 20 years ago

was engaged in propaganda
for Communist causes.

For example, the Institute
of International Education,

of which he was the acting director,

was chosen to act as a representative
by a Soviet agency

to do a job which would normally be done
by the Russian Secret Police.

Now, Mr. Murrow, by his own admission,
was a member of the IWW,

that's the Industrial Workers
of the World,

a terrorist organization
cited as subversive

by an Attorney General
of the United States.

Now, Mr. Murrow said
on this program, and I quote,

he said, "The actions
of the junior senator from Wisconsin

have given considerable
comfort to the enemy."

That is the language of our Statute
of Treason, rather strong language.

If I am giving comfort to our enemies,
I ought not to be in the Senate.

If, on the other hand,
Mr. Murrow is giving comfort

to our enemies, he ought not to be brought
into the homes of millions of Americans

by the Columbia Broadcasting System.

This is a question...

which can be resolved
with very little difficulty...

I have to go to Philadelphia
in the morning.

-What time is your train?
-Uh, 8:00.

-Is Charlie going with you?
-Mm-hmm.

[Joe] I don't...

-
-uh... want to say...

what I'm about to say.

-Uh-oh.
-Yeah.

You want a divorce?

No. Do you?

Depends on what you're about to say.

I just keep having this nagging thought...

that we might be wrong.

About what?

Well...

-there are Communists here.
-Yes.

[chuckles] And hey don't always
have our best interests at heart.

-Probably not.
-Yeah.

-Does McCarthy?
-Well...

The argument could be made...

it's for the greater good.

-That's one argument.
-Like Alger Hiss... was.

Alger Hiss had a trial.

[chuckles] Alger Hiss faced his accusers.

-He went to jail.
-That's right.

That's how this works.

So, we're not gonna look back and...

say we protected the wrong side?

-You're right, Joe.
-Yeah?

-I want a divorce.
-

Yeah, wouldn't blame you.

When did you start smoking?

-Fifteen minutes ago.
-

Good evening.

Last week, Senator McCarthy appeared

on this program to correct
any errors he might have thought

we made in our report of March 9th.

Since he made no reference
to any statements of fact,

we must conclude that he found

no errors of fact.

He proved, once again, that anyone
who exposes him, anyone who does not share

his hysterical disregard
to decency and human dignity

and the rights guaranteed
in the Constitution

must be either a Communist
or a fellow traveler.

I fully expected this treatment.

The senator added this reporter's name

to a long list of individuals
and institutions

that he has accused of serving
the Communist cause.

His proposition is a very simple one.

Anyone who criticizes
or opposes McCarthy's methods

must be a Communist. And if that be true,

there are an awful lot
of Communists in this country.

For the record, let us consider briefly
some of the senator's charges.

He claimed, but offered no proof,

that I was a member of the
Industrial Workers of the World.

That is false.
I never was a member of the IWW.

Never applied for membership.

The senator charged
that Professor Harold Laski,

a British scholar and politician,
dedicated a book to me.

That is true. He is dead.
He was a socialist. I am not.

He was one of those civilized individuals

who didn't insist upon agreement
with political principles

as a precondition
for friendship or conversation.

I don't agree with his political ideas.

Laski, as he makes clear
in the introduction,

dedicated the book to me
not because of political agreement,

but because he held my wartime broadcasts

from London in high regard,
and the dedication so reads.

I believed 20 years ago,
and I believe today,

that mature Americans
can engage in conversation,

controversy, a clash of ideas
with Communists anywhere

in the world without becoming
contaminated or converted.

I believe that our faith, our conviction,

our determination
are stronger than theirs,

and that we can compete, and successfully,

not only in the area of bombs,
but in the area of ideas.

I have worked for CBS for 19 years.

The company has subscribed fully
to my integrity

as a broadcaster and as a loyal American.

I require no lectures
from the junior senator from Wisconsin.

Having searched
my conscience and my files,

I cannot contend that I have
always been right or wise.

But I have attempted to pursue the truth

with some diligence
and to report it, even though,

as in this case,
I had been warned in advance

that I would be subjected
to the attentions

of Senator McCarthy.

We should hope to deal with matters

of more vital interest
to the country next week.

Good night, and good luck.

And we're out.

-
-[singer] ♪ Use new White Rain ♪

♪ Shampoo tonight ♪

♪ And tomorrow your hair
Will be sunshine bright ♪

-
-♪ Sun, rain, sun, rain ♪

Good morning.

[Ella] How are you feeling?

How am I... [laughs] How are you feeling?

What time did you leave last night?

[Imani] She didn't leave last night.

I didn't leave this morning.

- Uh, it's just this today.
-Oh, just this.

Yes, ma'am.

♪ Somewhere there's music ♪

♪ How faint the tune ♪

♪ Somewhere there's heaven
How high the moon ♪

-
-Uh...

Uh, what time are we going till today?

Oh, uh... I'll get back
to you in a minute.

[scoffs] We'll be here.

"In the last analysis,
the senator was perched

on the television high dive
and all prepared

to make a resounding splash.

He jumped beautifully,
but neglected to che...

...to check first
where he was going to land."

"It must have been something

of a shock to discover that Mr. Murrow
had drained the water out of the pool."

-[Charlie] Jack Gould.
-[Joe] The Times.

Yeah, The Times.

[Joe] He's a... hell of a writer.

We should hire him away from The Times.

Yeah. Well, uh, CBS has got
a public opinion survey here

that, uh, Elmo Roper put together.

-Uh-oh.
-Says,

"Thirty-three percent of all households
believe McCarthy proved you're a Commie..."

[Palmer] Only 33 percent?

Listen, listen, listen.

The Senate is investigating McCarthy.

Oh, oh, you'll be all right, Palmer.

-You'll be all right.
-Palmer!

Fritz, did you hear?

The Senate's investigating McCarthy.

We're a hit.
We're up there with Howdy Doody.

[Fred] Hold on, Ed.

[Ella] ♪ Somewhere there's music ♪

♪ How faint the tune ♪

♪ Somewhere there's heaven ♪

♪ How high the moon ♪

♪ There is no moon ♪

♪ Above ♪

♪ When love ♪

♪ Is far away too ♪

♪ Until it comes true ♪

♪ That you love me ♪

♪ As I love you ♪

One of the best programs I ever heard

was called CBS Views the Press.

A great many people liked it, some didn't.

But no one would say
it was anything but honest.

It was the work of an honest
reporter, Don Hollenbeck.

He also worked occasionally on See It Now.

He did the 11:00 p.m. news
over some of these stations.

He'd been sick lately,
and he died this morning.

The police said it was suicide.

Gas.

Not much of an obit...

but at least we got our facts straight,
and it was brief.

That's all Don Hollenbeck
would have asked.

Good night... and good luck.

[Ella] ♪ Until you will ♪

♪ How still my heart ♪

♪ How high the moon ♪

Son of a bitch.

[John clears throat] Here.

See It Now.

Uh, yeah. Circulate that memo to 41.

Yeah. Circulate to Stanton.
Circulate to Sig.

Um, everybody gets that memo. Got it?

Yes. Well, Sunday, 4:30.

Yes. 4:30, Sunday. Yes.

[John] All right.

[John] Yep. Okay. Thanks. Yep. Thank you.

Joe. Shirley.

Can I talk to you both?
Let's use the editing room.

Millie, could you excuse us for a minute?

Shirley...

-how are you?
-

Fine, Fred.

Is there a... Is there a problem, Fred?

I wanna ask you both
a question...

...but I don't want you to answer it.

Just consider it.

I know you two are married.

Everyone knows. That's not my question.

In the next few weeks...

I have to lay a couple of people off.

We're making some significant
cuts across the board.

I... I wanted you to know that because, uh...

if you have any intention
in the near future

of starting a family...

I would say to you that you could save
someone else from being fired.

I'm...

asking you to consider making
this decision a little easier.

I don't need an answer now.
Just think about it.

Well...

Mrs. Wershba...

We're really going to miss you
around here, Joe.

-Everybody knew.
-

[Bill] Yeah. The problem
isn't simply that you lost your sponsor.

Even with ALCOA,
See It Now still loses money.

The fee is $50,000.

Last week's show
we did for less than the fee.

We'll find another sponsor.

$64,000 Question brings in
over 80,000 in sponsors,

and it costs a third of what you do.

Ed, I've got Tuesday night programming.

It's number one.

Because people just want
to enjoy themselves.

They don't want a civics lecture.

-Well, what do you want, Bill?
-Well, I don't want

a constant stomachache
every time you take on a...

controversial subject.

That's a price you have
to be willing to pay.

Careful, Ed.

Let's walk very carefully
through these next few moments.

The content of what we're doing
is more important

than what some sponsor
in Cincinnati, Ohio thinks.

No, no. What you're doing.

Not me, not CBS. You.

CBS News, See It Now,
they all belong to you.

-Well, you wouldn't know it.
-Is it credit that you want?

I never censored a single program.

-Oh, my...
-I've kept our affiliates

who just wanted entertainment from us.

And I fought to keep our license

with the same politicians
you were working to bring down.

And I never said no to you.

-Not once.
-I would argue that we have

-done well by one another.
-[Bill] Never!

I would argue that this network is defined

by what the news department
has accomplished.

I would also argue not saying "no"

is not the same as not censoring.

Really?

You should teach journalism.

No, let me ask you this.

Why is it that you always refer to him

as the junior senator from Wisconsin?

Because he's the junior senator
from Wisconsin.

Not likely.

You taunt him, Ed, like a cat
with a ball of string.

But now, you see, you've opened the door.

News with a dash of commentary.

What happens when it isn't
Edward R. Murrow minding the store?

[sighs] I...

What do you wanna do, Bill?

[sighs] I'm gonna take your show
from half an hour to an hour.

But it won't be a weekly program
and it won't be on Tuesday night.

-When would it be?
-Sunday...

afternoon.

How many episodes?

Five.

[scoffs] Why don't you just fire me, Bill?

Well, Ed, I don't think
it's what either of us wants.

You owe me five shows.

You won't like the subject matter.

No, probably not.

[Fred] He wants me
to lay a few people off.

Hmm.

I'm sure.

Let's do the next show
about the downfall of television.

So, if the Senate votes
to censure McCarthy,

-what happens then?
-

He sits in the back row.

-But they don't kick him out?
-No, he stays.

He'll just... just lose all of his power.

He's already lost all of his power.

[chuckles] Right.

Now, they just teach him a lesson.

Yeah.

They're moving See It Now
to Sunday afternoons.

Uh-oh.

-How many episodes?
-Five.

[smacks lips] Well...

might as well go down swinging.

We'll do the story
about the migrant farm workers.

-Make a couple of enemies.
-

The most trusted man
in America is Milton Berle.

See? Maybe you should have worn a dress.

-Hmm.
-

My legs are too skinny.

-Feel like a scotch?
-Scotch is good.

Did you know that Joe
and Shirley were married?

Sure.

Did everyone know?

-Pretty much.
-

Oh, it's nothing.

I meant to do you no personal injury.

-[Cohn] No?
-And if I did,

I beg your pardon.

Let us not assassinate
this lad further, Senator.

-[McCarthy] Let's... Let's...
-You've done enough.

Have you no sense of decency,
sir, at long last?

Have you left no sense of decency?

[McCarthy] I know this hurts you,
Mr. Welch.

I'll get the scotch.

[Mr. Welch] I'll say it hurts.

[McCarthy] If I may say, Mr. Chairman,
as a point of personal privilege,

I'd like to finish this.

[Mr. Welch] Senator,
I think it hurts you too, sir.

[McCarthy] I'd like to finish this.

Mr. McCarthy, I will not
discuss this further with you.

You have sat within six feet
of me and could have...

and could have asked me about Fred Fisher.

You have seen fit to bring it out,

and if there is a God in
heaven, it will do neither you

nor your cause any good.

I will not discuss it further.

I will not ask, Mr. Cohn,
any more witnesses.

You, Mr. Chairman, may, if you will,
call the next witness.

[chairman] Are there any questions to come
from the members of the chair?

I begin by saying our history will be
what we make of it.

If we go on as we are,
then history will take its revenge

and retribution will not limp
in catching up with us.

Just once in a while
let us exalt the importance

of ideas and information.

Let us dream to the extent of saying

that on a given Sunday night,
the time normally used

by Ed Sullivan, is given
over to a clinical survey

on the state of American education.

And a week or two later,
the time normally used

by Steve Allen

is devoted to a thoroughgoing study
of American policies in the Middle East.

Would the corporate image
of their respective sponsor be damaged?

Would the stockholders rise up
in their wrath and complain?

Would anything happen
other than a few million people

would have received a little
illumination on subjects

that may well determine
the future of this country?

To those who say people wouldn't look,
they wouldn't be interested,

they're too complacent, indifferent...

insulated,

I can only reply there is...

in one reporter's opinion,

considerable evidence
against that contention.

But even if they are right...
what have they got to lose?

Because, if they are right
and these instruments are good

for nothing but to entertain,
and amuse, and insulate...

then the tube is flickering now...

and we will soon see
that the whole struggle is lost.

-
-

[instructor] One, two, three,
a change, a one, two, three...

Ladies and gentlemen,
here he is, Fats Domino.

Good evening, I'm Mike Wallace.

This is a program of fact,
news, information, and observation.

-Thank you very much.
-[MLK Jr.] Now is the time

to make real the promises of democracy.

Our goal is not the victory of might...

[Cronkite] From Dallas, Texas...

...but the vindication of right...

[Cronkite] ...the flash,
apparently official,

President Kennedy died at 1:00 p.m...

[Armstrong] One small step for man,
one giant leap...

Sock it to me, sock it to me,
sock it to me, sock it to me?

Ladies and gentlemen,
the Beatles. Bring them on.

[reporter] What happened here
at Kent State University defined a name.

Your president's a crook.
Well, I'm not a crook.

[announcer] The space shuttle Challenger
has exploded.

Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!

It doesn't fit. If it
doesn't fit, you must acquit.

They're supposed to be
married in three weeks.

-What are you doing?
-

-You are not the father.
-Yeah!

Weapons of mass destruction...

Didn't the media get rolled
by the Bush administration?

We got him. We got him. We got him.

[reporter] Look at New York City.
This is at the World Trade Center.

[reporter 2] A big explosion
has just occurred.

What exactly happened on 9/11?

Conspiracy theories continue
to saturate the internet.

Terrorist fist jab...

He was wearing this tan suit...

For all you kids watching at home,

-Santa just is white.
-The big lie.

-...on Dominion Voting...
-...company is called Dominion...

Another in a series of stolen elections...

President Biden has a photographic memory...

-He's totally focused.
-He's very sharp at meetings.

-Forget about the evidence.
-Alternative facts to that...

FBI operatives were organizing
the attack on the...

The FBI had 26 of their people
on the inside.

-...false flag operation...
-Obtain millions of dollars

and apologizing to the president-elect...

-
-

Please raise your right hand
and repeat after me.

These instruments...

can teach,

they can illuminate,

they can even inspire.

But they can do so only
to the extent that humans

are determined to use them to those ends.

Otherwise...

they're merely wires and lights in a box.

There is a great...

and perhaps decisive battle to be fought,

against ignorance,

intolerance,

indifference.

It's a fight for the very soul
of this Republic.

And so the question is a very simple one.

Not what power unchecked can do.
We have seen that answer.

No.

The question is...

what are you prepared to do?

The fault, dear Brutus...

Good night,

and good luck.

♪ Let's take a boat to Bermuda ♪

♪ Let's take a plane to Saint Paul ♪

♪ Let's grab a kayak to Quincy Or Nyack ♪

♪ Let's get away from it all ♪

♪ Let's take a trip in a trailer ♪

♪ No need to come back at all ♪

♪ Let's take a powder
To Boston for chowder ♪

♪ Let's get away from it all ♪

♪ We'll travel 'round from town to town ♪

♪ We'll visit every state ♪

♪ I'll repeat that I love you sweet! ♪

♪ In all the forty-eight ♪

♪ Let's take a boat to Bermuda ♪

♪ This time we'll keep dig the Fall ♪

-♪ Let's leave our hut, dear ♪
-♪ Get out of our rut, dear ♪

♪ Let's get away, love ♪

♪ Let's fly away, love ♪

♪ Let's get away from it all ♪