Newsroom Thriller and a Conversation on Ethics
DIRECTED BY TIM FEHLBAUM/2024
September 5th, 1972. Millions upon millions of viewers had their televisions set on one channel: ABC. Within less than 24 hours the history of broadcasting, and the world, was permanently altered. Now, viewers get a front-row seat inside the master control room as these tragic events unfold.
At the 1972 Olympic Games, the event we now refer to as the Munich massacre was aired on live television for the entire world to view. Beginning in the early hours of the morning, the Israeli Olympic team was held hostage by a Palestinian terrorist organization identified as Black September. The following police operation to deescalate the situation was televised live for the entire world, courtesy of the ABC sports crew stationed in Munich. Young ABC news producer Geoffrey Mason (John Magaro) is the inexperienced captain tasked with navigating these uncharted waters. Overseen only by seasoned executive Roone Arledge (Peter Sarsgaard), Mason is forced to make quick decisions that are destined to have resounding consequences.
Director Tim Fehlbaum should be praised for his laser focused vision if nothing else. There is no space for filler material within September 5’s roughly 90-minute runtime. The entire execution is cut-throat and utilizes every moment of screentime to deliver a more in-the-trenches account of the team behind the screens. Part thriller, part procedural, Fehlbaum nails the frantic energy and gritty realism typical of these genres. Though far from the first to dabble in examining this piece of history – Speilberg’s Munich being the most notable – Fehlbaum carves out his own place among the lineup. The detailed attention to the period setting must be applauded as well. September 5 is the wet dream of every tech-geek as it shamelessly includes shot after shot of decades old equipment.
Magaro carries a substantial amount of the emotional weight of this film as Mason. He is granted the center stage to flex his talents, and Magaro does not squander the chance. At his side in equally solid supporting roles are Leonie Benesch as Marianne Gebhardt, a fictionalized German interpreter, and Ben Chaplin as Marvin Bader, the operations manager. If Mason is our moral compass, then Bader and Gebhart are there to steer him as best they can. The dialogue between each crew member is exquisite and grounded. Every terse discussion is fueled by the fear of making the wrong call, which is ultimately unavoidable.
History cannot be rewritten, and this film was never going to have a happy ending. This skeleton team is operating in an unfamiliar situation and are deeply out of their depth. Their story concludes with a devastating statement delivered by Jim McKay: “They’re all gone”. Just like that, it’s all over. Every previous moment of elation previously felt is instantly tainted with a resounding sense of dread. They got the story, but at what cost?
Admittedly, it is hard not to leave with a bitter taste in your mouth and a pit in your stomach. Considering the current political climate, this project absolutely suffers from a case of unfortunate terrible timing. If you are searching for any thrilling political commentary here about the conflict between Israel and Palestine, there is little to none to be discovered. That is not to say that this film is not still engaging in an intriguing conversation here. Instead of politics, the central focus shifts to the ethical dilemma of media. The role of a journalist is flayed down to the bone. The job is to bring in viewers and, in this case, to make tragedy profitable. Within a day, a terrorist event became a spectator sport and millions tuned in to watch the final result. At the end of the day, Mason gets into his car to go home. The silence here is haunted by the ghosts of the athletes who never will.