Directed by Errol Morris • 2003 • United States
Starring Robert S. McNamara

This Oscar-winning documentary is a twentieth-century fable, the story of an American dreamer who rose from humble origins to the heights of political power. Robert S. McNamara was both witness to and participant in many of the crucial events of his lifetime: the crippling Depression of the 1930s; the industrialization of the war years; the development of a different kind of warfare based on air power; and the creation of a new American meritocracy. He was also an idealist who saw his dreams and ideals challenged by the ambiguous role he played in history. Filmmaker Errol Morris lets McNamara tell his story in his own words, letting his subject draw lessons from the successes and failures of his career.