In a world dominated by censorship and conformity, open discussion has been ostracised, and our perspective on the world has narrowed. However, literature’s ability to explore alternate perspectives, allows us to unfold the reality of our own. An example of this is Clooney’s docu-drama GNGL, which is set in the context of 1950’s McCarthyism, a time when fears from the recent Cold War, brewed a strong communal hysteria against communism, and this communal fear plagued the justice system. A system that was meant to assess evidence from both parties, had devolved into one that gave authority to the communist accuser. Thus Clooney’s framing of the film from the perspective of independent, brave journalists, subverts the fear of non-conformity that…show more content… Clooney’s film details the way fear and authoritarian conformity can plague our ability to uphold justice. In the scene where Fred Friendly is conversing with the military, Clooney emphasises the unjust termination of Radulovich through the contrasting costuming of characters. The military officers are outfitted in black, while Fred wears a white shirt. These contrasting colours symbolise Fred’s honest representation of the case, in contrast to the Army general’s dishonest agenda-driven view. This dishonesty is reinforced through the closed body language demonstrated by the generals, the concealment of their hands implying a hidden agenda. This fear-driven agenda is emphasised through the metaphor of sailing “Dangerous waters you are attempting to navigate”, a fear-inducing line that affirms Clooney’s overarching implication that authority figures strike fear to censor the representation of truth. Finally, Clooney uses set dressing to demonstrate the inherent irony of the justice system. As Fred surrounds himself with piles of folders of evidence, he inadvertently divides himself from the state, demonstrating how the very tools of justice can be rendered ineffective by a corrupt system. This concept of individual vs. the state, and
