It is said that the 1950s were some of the most prosperous times in American history. It is completely reasonable when you look at our current economic situation: the 1950s were a more profitable time for Americans, however our security was not so secure. “The Red Scare,” a period that everyone knows as a time when war with Russia was likely and security measures were as serious, if not more so, than today's anti-terrorism efforts. Through Good Night and Good Luck the audience is able to see today's problems through past events and the music involved in the film plays a prevalent role in how the story is told. Dianne Reeves sings most of the songs in the film and has a distinctly soothing, '50s-style voice that helps shape the scenes in which her songs take place. The film begins with "TV is the Thing This Year" and continues throughout the film with "I've Got My Eyes on You" and "How High the Moon". Each of these songs has some sort of meaning in the film which helps create the behind-the-scenes atmosphere and a real 1950s feel. Good Night and Good Luck begins with Edward Murrow (Strathairn) giving a speech in front of which the audience discovers that they are his friends and colleagues. Then the audience is thrown back to the early 1950s, when Edward Murrow begins his assault on Joseph McCarthy. This first scene sees Natalie (Borstein) and Millie (Abdoo), two CBS secretaries, enter the news studio with the song "TV is the Thing This Year" (Reeves) playing in the background, while information regarding the search for the communists is broadcast. presented. Although the film is all in black and white, this open scene with the upbeat music to complement it gives the feeling of prosperity, which turns out to be......half of paper......throughout the film Good Night and Good Luck, the music is a defining quality in how the film progresses in the fight against communism and McCarthy, and aids in the development of the characters and the emotion the audience is meant to feel. With the country's security in question, America needed a defender against unnecessary charges and Murrow was that defender. These three songs presented give an acceptable representation of the growth of the media, of the fear of having not only the "eyes" of enemies but also of friends focused on us, of the instability that the country has had to face over the years and of America in the 1950s . Works Cited Good Night and Good Luck, dir. George Clooney. Perf. David Strathairn, George Clooney and Patricia Clarkson. Warner Bros. Pictures, 2005. Film.Dianne Reeves. Goodnight and good luck album. Warner Bros., 2005. CD.