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The Fog of War: Eleven Lessons from the Life of Robert S. McNamara

2003

Errol Morris

Documentary, Self: Robert McNamara

7.4

1,522

Documentary Documentary about Robert McNamara, Secretary of Defense in the Kennedy and Johnson Administrations, who subsequently became president of the World Bank. "Fog of War" combines an interview with McNamara discussing some of the tragedies and glories of the 20th Century, archival footage, documents, and an original score by Philip Glass.

	Media	Author	Review
		Stephen Holden The New York Times	"If there's one movie that ought to be studied by military and civilian leaders around the world at this treacherous historical moment, it is 'The Fog of War'."
		Roger Ebert rogerebert.com	"Morris is uncanny in his ability to bring life to the abstract, and here he uses graphics, charts, moving titles and visual effects in counterpoint to what McNamara is saying (…) Rating: ★★★★ (out of 4)"
		Kenneth Turan Los Angeles Times	"Never one to shy away from challenges, Morris has come up with one of the best documentaries of this or any year"
		Time Out	"It's brilliantly realised and should be mandatory viewing for politicians on both sides of the Atlantic"
		Todd McCarthy Variety	"A compelling, thoughtful and entirely involving documentary (...) [It] has lots to say and will provoke considerable comment"
		Fred Kaplan Slate	"A great biography waits to be written about Robert Strange McNamara (...) [This documentary] conveys a brilliant glimmer of where that biography might go."
		Jonathan Rosenbaum Chicago Reader	"There's something undeniably masterful about the film (...) it's a capacity to say as little as possible while giving the impression of saying a great deal"
		Marjorie Baumgarten Austin Chronicle	"'The Fog of War' offers a couple of hours of brilliant clarity amid the noise and chaos (…) Rating: ★★★★½ (out of 5)"

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User history

Christian

2004

Stuart Hazeldine