The Unknown Known

Errol Morris's documentaries have always dealt—to some extent—with self-deception, but like The Fog of War (which featured a lengthy interview with Robert McNamara concerning Vietnam), The Unknown Known also dwells on national self-deception in a time of war, here spotlighting Bush administration Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld. Morris combines excerpts from a long interview with Rumsfeld together with archival autobiographical material. Rumsfeld sits before Morris's patented “Interrotron” camera, which uses mirrors that allow the subject to appear to be looking directly at the audience while maintaining eye contact with the filmmaker and responding to questions. But where McNamara was reflective and apologetic, Rumsfeld is pugnacious, averse to self-doubt or even self-examination, and absolutely unwilling to admit even to documented contradictions in the historical record, maintaining an attitude of coolly cheerful denial throughout. Rumsfeld's humanity can occasionally be glimpsed during reminiscences about his private life, but in terms of public policy he adopts a defensive stance designed to reject any hint of culpability while trumpeting his own sense of duty. What emerges here is a portrait of a man who is not so much opaque as impervious—a man so convinced he's right that it's literally impossible for him to consider any other alternative, even in hindsight. Another solid portrait in Morris's extraordinary gallery of self-delusional subjects, this is highly recommended. [Note: DVD/Blu-ray extras include audio commentary by director Errol Morris, the 1989 archival segment “Third Annual Report of the Secretaries of Defense” (57 min.), a conversation with Morris (8 min.), Morris's four-part op-ed “The Certainty of Donald Rumsfeld,” and trailers. Bottom line: a fine extras package for a provocative portrait.] (F. Swietek)