The Trials of Henry Kissinger

Henry Kissinger: college professor, distinguished author, diplomat, war criminal. Is it possible that Kissinger, a Jewish refugee from Nazi Germany and winner of the Nobel Peace Prize, could be a war criminal? Author Christopher Hitchens (The Trial of Henry Kissinger) thinks so, and this documentary, directed by Alex Gibney and Eugene Jarecki, examines the merits of the case against Kissinger. Hitchens claims Kissinger's worldview on power politics and his manipulative strategies blinded him to the human cost of the Cold War, but former colleagues, scholars, and commentators look back to a different era--25 years past--and arrive at various conclusions (former Kissinger aide General Alexander Haig--perhaps not the most objective of observers--dismisses Hitchens as a "sewer pipe sucker"). Chronicling Kissinger's life, the film touches on his childhood in Germany, his stint in U.S. Army intelligence during WWII, and his bright postwar academic career, which gained the attention and sponsorship of Nelson Rockefeller. However, in a typical bit of political maneuvering, Kissinger transferred allegiance to 1968 presidential candidate Richard Nixon, and then parlayed this into an appointment as Secretary of State. The most damning evidence against Kissinger concerns the early '70s crisis in Chile, when the CIA plotted to overthrow the Marxist regime of Salvador Allende, ultimately leading to Allende's death and a prolonged right-wing reign of terror by General Augusto Pinochet, with thousands of Chileans killed and imprisoned. In the end, the case against Kissinger is less than clear cut, and the post 9/11 government's return to covert operations makes it highly unlikely that Kissinger or anyone else will be prosecuted for previous "war crimes." Still, this is one of those rare documentaries that has made the art film circuit, garnering critical notices in magazines such as Entertainment Weekly, and enfant terrible Hitchens (whose caustic commentary is a fixture in The Atlantic) has a considerable following. A strong, optional purchase. Aud: C, P. [Note: DVD extras include audio commentary by filmmakers Alex Gibney and Eugene Jarecki, a four-minute interview with Gibney and Jarecki, a five-minute Sundance AfterEffect featurette, a Kissinger photo gallery, weblinks to related reading (including declassified documents), and trailers. Bottom line: a solid extras package for a sure to be popular documentary.] (S. Rees)