Edward R. Murrow Movies

In the 1950s and 1960s, the United States (and the world) stood on the brink of nuclear annihilation, but that didn't stop the government and Madison Avenue from promising wonderful new consumer goods -- and dubious tips on how to survive an A-bomb attack. This video presents a compilation of short films of the era -- advertising in the guise of informational films, and propaganda offered as safety instructions. In addition to forecasts of computerized kitchens and videophones being the norm by 1980, highlights of this program include the mind-boggling, amusing, and chilling civil defense film Duck and Cover (1950), narrated by honored newsman Edward R. Murrow. The animated star, Burt the Turtle, taught a generation of American kids to climb under their desks and assume the fetal position whenever they heard the air raid siren that meant Soviet atom bombs might be on the way. ~ Steve Blackburn, All Movie Guide

Razzle-dazzle showman Michael Todd hocked everything he had to make this spectacular presentation of Jules Verne's 1872 novel Around the World in 80 Days, the second film to be lensed in the wide-screen Todd-AO production. Nearly as fascinating as the finished product are the many in-production anecdotes concerning Todd's efforts to pull the wool over the eyes of local authorities in order to cadge the film's round-the-world location shots--not to mention the wheeling and dealing to convince over forty top celebrities to appear in cameo roles. David Niven heads the huge cast as ultra-precise, supremely punctual Phileas Fogg, who places a 20,000-pound wager with several fellow members of London Reform Club, insisting that he can go around the world in eighty days (this, remember, is 1872). Together with his resourceful valet Passepartout (Cantinflas), Fogg sets out on his world-girdling journey from Paris via balloon. Meanwhile, suspicion grows that Fogg has stolen his 20,000 pounds from Bank of England. Diligent Inspector Fix (Robert Newton) is sent out by the bank's president (Robert Morley) to bring Fogg to justice. Hopscotching around the globe, Fogg pauses in Spain, where Passepartout engages in a comic bullfight (a specialty of Cantinflas). In India, Fogg and Passepartout rescue young widow Princess Aouda (Shirley MacLaine, in her third film) from being forced into committing suicide so that she may join her late husband. The threesome visit Hong Kong, Japan, San Francisco, and the Wild West. Only hours short of winning his wager, Fogg is arrested by the diligent Inspector Fixx. Though exonerated of the bank robbery charges, he has lost everything--except the love of the winsome Aouda. But salvation is at hand when Passepartout discovers that, by crossing the International Date Line, there's still time to reach the Reform Club. Will they make it? See for yourself. Among the film's 46 guest stars, the most memorable include Marlene Dietrich, Charles Boyer, Jose Greco, Frank Sinatra, Peter Lorre, Red Skelton, Buster Keaton, John Mills, and Beatrice Lillie. All were paid in barter--Ronald Colman did his brief bit for a new car. Newscaster Edward R. Murrow provides opening narration, and there's a tantalizing clip from Georges Méliès' A Trip to the Moon (1902). Offering a little something for everyone, Around the World in 80 Days is nothing less than an extravaganza, and it won 5 Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Cinematography. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

The prestigious CBS dramatic anthology Studio One launched its tenth season on the air with this elaborate dramatization of the nationwide panic which ensued after Orson Welles' famous War of the Worlds radio broadcast of October 30, 1938. Welles had chosen to update the H.G. Wells science fiction classic and present the drama in the form of an actual newscast, replete with special bulletins, on-the-scene reports of the Martian invasion of Grover's Mills, NJ, and moments of "spontaneous" (actually carefully scripted and directed) horror. Unfortunately, the listening public, many of whom tuned into the dramatization in progress and as such were unaware that it was all make-believe, were convinced that America was indeed under siege from hordes of invading Martians -- and, as everyone now knows, chaos ensued. Like the later made-for-TV movie The Night That Panicked America, this TV recreation alternates between the War of the Worlds performance in progress at CBS's New York studios with vignettes of the reactions of the listeners -- reactions which generally ranged from plain terror to stark, raw terror. The huge cast includes several stars-to-be, among them Ed Asner, James Coburn, Vincent Gardenia, Warren Oates, and, as a youthful poker player, Warren Beatty. Narrated by legendary newscaster Edward R. Murrow and originally telecast live, "The Night America Trembled" has happily been preserved in kinescope form and is available on videotape from several sources. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Edward R. Murrow is largely responsible for the cult of personality surrounding modern news anchors, establishing the position through the sheer force of his own personality. Aware of his own status, Murrow often took it upon himself to find and present news he thought important, including this look at the harsh world of migrant farm workers, picking their way from Indiana to Florida in the wake of the crops. ~ Rob Ferrier, All Movie Guide

This documentary examines the career of legendary journalist Edward R. Murrow, whose frontline coverage of World War II and courageous confrontation of J. Edgar Hoover during the height of McCarthyism made him a heroic figure in his field. CBS correspondent Charles Kuralt narrates the film as it explores the new paths that Murrow forged in news and investigation. ~ Cammila Albertson, All Movie Guide

Edward R. Murrow: The Best of 'Person to 'Person is a CBS News documentary that features excerpts from the television broadcasts of journalism legend Edward R. Murrow. Hosted by Connie Chung, the 90-minute program highlights interviews with Marilyn Monroe, President John F. Kennedy, Jacqueline Onassis Kennedy, Marlon Brando, and Frank Sinatra. ~ Kathleen Wildasin, All Movie Guide