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In this grimly compelling film, documentary filmmaker Errol Morris tackles one of his most perplexing and ambiguous subjects: former defense secretary Robert McNamara, widely identified (and in many quarters reviled) as the architect of the Vietnam War. The octogenarian McNamara, a former head of Ford Motor Co. whose government service began during World War II, is filmed via Morris's invention, the "Interrotron," a device that allows interviewer and subject to look into each other's eyes while also staring directly into the camera lens. This enables the subject to maintain eye contact with the audience, and given the frequently disturbing nature of McNamara's revelations, it makes for quite an eerie viewing experience. He discusses at length the Allied campaign against Japan in WWII, the Cuban Missile Crisis, and the costly, protracted conflict in Vietnam. From his musings Morris extrapolates 11 "lessons," which are presented one at a time to impose film structure. McNamara initially comes across as completely candid and forthright, yet some of his assertions don't stand up under scrutiny, and he refuses to apologize for his role in the Vietnam War -- even though Morris rather pointedly encourages him to do so. Nonetheless, there is a great deal of truth and wisdom in the old bureaucrat's remarks, and Morris draws an impressive picture of this fascinating, if flawed, character. Stock footage, photos, and charts supplement McNamara's reminiscences, and their interpolation makes this Fog a lot clearer than it might have been had the filmmaker relied solely on the "talking head" approach. The 2004 Academy Award winner for Best Documentary Feature, The Fog of War is clearly a movie for its moment, even if it reflects upon past events. Ed Hulse

All Movie Guide

Former Secretary of Defense Robert S. McNamara is the sole focus of documentarian Errol Morris's The Fog of War, a film that not only analyzes McNamara's controversial decisions during the first half of the Vietnam War, but also his childhood upbringing, his education at Berkley and Harvard, his involvement in World War II, and his later years as president of the World Bank. Culling footage from almost 20 hours of interviews with the Secretary, Morris details key moments from McNamara's career, including the 1945 bombing of Tokyo, the Cuban Missile Crisis, and President Kennedy's suggestions to the Secretary that the U.S. remove itself from Vietnam. Throughout the film, the 85-year-old McNamara expounds his philosophies on international conflict, and shows regret and pride in equal measure for, respectively, his mistakes and accomplishments. Michael Hastings

Product Details

• UPC: 043396019164
• Source: SONY PICTURES
• Region Code: 1
• Aspect Ratio: Alternate Wide Screen (1.78:1)
• Presentation: Wide Screen
• Sound: Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround
• Language: English
• Subtitles: Français, Portugais, Español, Japanese
• Time: 1:47:00
• Sales Rank: 6,007

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