'The Unknown Known' has nothing new from Donald Rumsfeld
When Errol Morris interviewed Robert McNamara for 2003鈥檚 鈥淭he Fog of War,鈥� he encountered a man who was, to a surprising degree, contrite about his decisions in carrying out the Vietnam War as Nixon鈥檚 former secretary of Defense. No such contriteness is on view in Morris鈥檚 new documentary, 鈥淭he Unknown Known,鈥� featuring Donald Rumsfeld, George W. Bush鈥檚 former secretary of Defense.
Although the movie goes way back into Rumsfeld鈥檚 career, it is the Iraq section that is the most noteworthy 鈥� and disappointing. Morris elicits virtually nothing revelatory from Rumsfeld. Whether he is denying that the military ever waterboarded prisoners or insisting that the Bush administration never claimed Saddam Hussein had anything to do with 9/11, Rumsfeld is eerily unflappable. Morris is too polite, or too something, to push back on Rumsfeld. Crucial questions go unasked or else hang in midair. 鈥淲hy are you talking to me?鈥� Morris asks Rumsfeld at the end. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 a vicious question. I鈥檒l be damned if I know,鈥� he answers. That makes two of us. Grade: B- (Rated PG-13 for some disturbing images and brief nudity.)
