The Fog of War

Robert S. McNamara was once a powerful player in American foreign policy. He communicates his experience to the viewer in the form of 11 simple tips. McNamara has played just about all the roles there are to play in the political arena. During the Second World War, he fought as an officer. During the Cuban crisis and the escalation of the Vietnam war, he was Secretary of Defense. Later, he became director of the Ford Motor Company and president of the World Bank. He is now 87 years old. Still very lucid, he looks back conscientiously on his stirring political life. The film maker spent 20 hours with McNamara, which provides a fascinating perspective on recent American history. The reflections of McNamara, now a considerably milder man, are livened up by film fragments, some of which have never been screened before. Instead of confronting him directly with the obvious moral questions, Errol Morris adopts a more subtle approach. Through meticulously chosen incidents -for instance the demonstrative self immolation of a dedicated Quaker in 1965 -he manages to persuade McNamara to say that he made gigantic mistakes and was adept at manipulating the media. Many have already passed judgement on McNamara, but the film maker is not looking for an easy option. He offers a subtle portrait of one of the most powerful men who recently trod the world stage.