The Bottom Line
Pros
- Fascinating look at the life and times of former U.S. Defense Secretary Robert S. McNamara
- Worthwhile perspectives on Vietnam War, Cuban Missile Crisis, World War II
- Documentarian Errol Morris proposes thought-provoking lessons learned from McNamara’s experiences
Cons
- Documentary provides little counterbalance to McNamara’s views
- McNamara comes off as slippery and not entirely forthcoming
- A working knowledge of 20th-century American history is needed to follow the documentary
Description
- DVD containing feature-length documentary "The Fog of War" (2003)
- Created by Errol Morris, movie won Academy Award for Best Documentary
- Documentary is about former U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert S. McNamara
- Documentary features original music by Philip Glass
- DVD contains 24 additional scenes (approx. 38 min.)
- DVD contains McNamara’s 10 lessons from his life in politics (text feature)
- Excellent picture and sound quality
- MPAA Rating: PG-13 for images and thematic issues of war and destruction
- Feature run time: 1 hour 47 minutes
- DVD release date: May 11, 2004
Guide Review - "The Fog of War" DVD Review
I sometimes had to struggle to keep up with the nimble-minded 85-year-old Robert S. McNamara in "The Fog of War," but I found Errol Morris’s documentary about him enthralling. While the film centers around McNamara talking, I think Morris did a brilliant job of coming up with accompanying visual images. Also, the somber and edgy music by Philip Glass underscores the gravity of the subject matter. I certainly can see why this movie won the Academy Award for Best Documentary.
McNamara is best known as the U.S. Secretary of Defense during the 1960s, particularly during the early years of the Vietnam War. It seems to me McNamara is not entirely forthcoming in the documentary about his role in that war, although I think that’s understandable. Still, I found a lot of the material fascinating, especially the rift between McNamara and President Lyndon Johnson that led to McNamara’s firing.
I found the section in the documentary about the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis interesting. Also, I was riveted by McNamara's discussion of American firebombing during World War II that burned to death a million Japanese civilians, and he remarks that both he and his boss, General Curtis LeMay, might have been prosecuted as war criminals had the other side won.
"The Fog of War" DVD includes 38 minutes of additional scenes that round out the portrait of the controversial McNamara, including some material on his work at the World Bank.
