Oscar winning documentary filmmaker Errol Morris (The Fog of War, The Thin Blue Line) has made a documentary focusing on Donald Rumsfeld’s life in government, largely, though not exclusively, on his role as Secretary of Defense in the George W. Bush administration.

(Morris’ The Fog of War: Eleven Lessons from the Life of Robert S. McNamara, won an Academy Award as Best Documentary in 2003. I did not see it, but by many accounts it was an insightful, powerful film in which Morris was able to draw out McNamara about his role in the Vietnam War. One reviewer, Fred Kaplan, The Lies of The Fog of War, praised Morris for his ability to capture McNamara’s introspection, However, Kaplan also writes about the many “instances of McNamara’s mendacity” in that documentary.)

Along with Ellen and several friends, last night we saw a pre-release of Morris’ new film, The Unknown Known. If you plan to see this documentary, soon to be released nationwide, stop reading now as there are spoilers in what follows.

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