The Fog of War (2003)
Produced and Directed by Errol Morris.
The Fog of War, last year’s Oscar winner for Best Documentary, is a film that has much resonance in these times. The film is basically a long conversation with Robert McNamara, former Secretary of Defense under President’s Kennedy and Johnson. McNamara goes into great detail about how he has learned from his past, and gives warnings to the leaders of the world today.
The subtitle of the film is “11 Lessons Learned.” Each lesson is presented more or less in the historical order it happened. McNamara regretted the actions taken in World War II against the Japanese, as well as actions from the Vietnam War. These lessons could be taken and applied to the Iraqi War of today. After seeing the film, one would hope that those in the White House, making the decisions, would see the film.
Some of the most interesting parts of the film are when McNamara talks about the Cuban Missile Crisis. McNamara states that a group of very rational leaders, JFK, Castro, and others, were so close to nuclear war it is amazing. It is also interesting to hear his comments of when he returned to Vietnam in 1995, in order to learn from what happened, to see if so many had to die for so little.
Hindsight is 20/20 of course, even McNamara admits it, but that doesn’t take away from the importance of what is said in the film. Errol Morris, one of the most respected documentary filmmakers of all time, does an excellent job of trying to get into the mind of McNamara during these important historical times. It also seems clear Morris is trying to makes parallels to today’s political environment. He pushes McNamara to admit that what they did in Vietnam was worth it, and to what extent he feels responsible. McNamara doesn’t want to talk in depth about it, saying he’s damned if he does and damned if he doesn’t, and he’d rather be damned if he doesn’t.
Every aspect of the film is excellent. Morris and his editors have put together an amazing visual display. Philip Glass added a score that enhances everything. And McNamara seems very open and wanting to tell the world what he thinks. In an age when documentary films seem to be increasing in popularity, this is a real gem.
Grade: A+
Written by David Bohnert