History
War documentary
The Fog of War: Eleven Lessons from the Life of Robert S. McNamara (2003): Cast & Ratings
The Fog of War: Eleven Lessons from the Life of Robert S. McNamara is a 2003 war documentary directed by Errol Morris, starring Richard Nixon, John F. Kennedy and Fidel Castro. It runs 1 hour 35 minutes and earned $5 million worldwide. It won 1 Oscar, including Documentary (Feature), and 2 awards in all. Critics gave it 87 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 8.1/10.
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- Released
- Runtime
- 1h 35m (95 min)
- Director
- Errol Morris
- Genres
- War , Documentary
- Original language
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English - Studio
- Sony Pictures Classics
- After the credits
- No No extra scene
The story
What Is The Fog of War: Eleven Lessons from the Life of Robert S. McNamara About?
The premise of The Fog of War: Eleven Lessons from the Life of Robert S. McNamara without spoilers.
This powerful documentary examines the life and career of Robert S. McNamara, U.S. Secretary of Defense during the Vietnam War. Through a series of interviews, McNamara reflects on his decisions and the U.S. government's involvement in the conflict. The film explores the complexities of warfare, the impact of political ideology, and the personal toll of leadership in times of crisis, offering a profound meditation on responsibility and the consequences of decisions made during wartime.
The Fog of War: Eleven Lessons from the Life of Robert S. McNamara Themes & Keywords
· 37 tags- cold war
- national film registry
- vietnam
- vietnam war
- politics
- cuban missile crisis
- 1960s
- political superpower
- politics documentary
- military and war documentary
- military strategy
- john f. kennedy assassination
+25 more Show fewer
- cabinet officer
- military
- bombing
- war propaganda
- post world war two
- politician
- long title
- period in title
- retrospective
- skull
- self immolation
- dominoes
- anti war protest
- bomber
- auto industry
- world war two
- washington d.c.
- president of the united states
- spin doctor
- soviet union
- pentagon
- nuclear threat
- harvard university
- communism
- character name in title
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Cast & crew
The Fog of War: Eleven Lessons from the Life of Robert S. McNamara Cast
Richard Nixon leads the cast, with John F. Kennedy and Fidel Castro. Directed by Errol Morris; 4 actors are credited in all.
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Director Errol Morris
From the director
More from Errol Morris
More films directed by Errol Morris, best-rated first: The Thin Blue Line, A Brief History of Time, Mr. Death: The Rise and Fall of Fred A. Leuchter, Jr. and The B-Side: Elsa Dorfman's Portrait Photography.
Ratings
The Fog of War: Eleven Lessons from the Life of Robert S. McNamara Reviews & Ratings
Critics gave The Fog of War: Eleven Lessons from the Life of Robert S. McNamara 87 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 8.1/10.
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IMDb 8.1 /10
See on IMDb -
Metacritic 87 Metascore
User score 7.1
See on Metacritic -
TMDB 77% User score
See on TMDB
Box office
The Fog of War: Eleven Lessons from the Life of Robert S. McNamara Box Office
The Fog of War: Eleven Lessons from the Life of Robert S. McNamara grossed $5 million worldwide. $4.2 million came from the US and Canada and $840,275 (17%) from the rest of the world.
Worldwide gross
$5M
- US & Canada
- $4.2M
- International
- $840.3K
US & Canada 83%
Rest of the world 17%
Awards
The Fog of War: Eleven Lessons from the Life of Robert S. McNamara Awards & Nominations
The Fog of War: Eleven Lessons from the Life of Robert S. McNamara won 1 Oscar, including Documentary (Feature), and 2 awards in all.
2 wins4 nominations4 ceremonies
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Spirit Awards 2004 1 win · 1 nomination- Won Best Documentary Feature
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Oscars 2004 1 win · 1 nomination- Won Documentary (Feature) – Errol Morris
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DGA Awards 2004 1 nomination- Nominated Documentaries – Errol Morris
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Critics' Choice 2004 1 nomination- Nominated Best Documentary Feature
Videos
The Fog of War: Eleven Lessons from the Life of Robert S. McNamara Trailers & Videos
2 videos: 2 trailers.
- Trailer The Fog Of War
Seen The Fog of War: Eleven Lessons from the Life of Robert S. McNamara?
More like this
Movies Like The Fog of War: Eleven Lessons from the Life of Robert S. McNamara
Films with a similar story, tone or audience, including The Fog of War, Path to War and The Vietnam War.
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The Fog of War 2003 -
Path to War 2002 -
The Vietnam War 2017 -
The Most Dangerous Man in America: Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers 2009 -
Vietnam: A Television History 1983 -
Fahrenheit 9/11 2004 -
The Most Dangerous Man in America 2009 -
The Unknown Known 2014 -
Hearts and Minds 1974 -
Why We Fight 2006 -
McCarthy 2020 -
Vietnam: The War That Changed America 2025
From the blog
Articles About The Fog of War: Eleven Lessons from the Life of Robert S. McNamara
3 articles about The Fog of War: Eleven Lessons from the Life of Robert S. McNamara. The latest: “Exploring the Evolution of War Documentaries”.
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HistoryUncovering the Art of Documentary Narration
Delve into the intricate art of documentary narration, exploring its history, techniques, and impact on storytelling in our latest ATM blog post. 9 min read -
AwardsExploring Documentary Films: The Power of Real-Life Storytelling
Delve into the captivating world of documentary films and discover how real-life storytelling shapes public opinion, overcomes challenges, and achieves recognition through festivals and awards. 9 min read
FAQ
The Fog of War: Eleven Lessons from the Life of Robert S. McNamara FAQ: Cast & Box Office
Runtime, release date, director, cast, box office, ratings, awards and post-credit scenes of The Fog of War: Eleven Lessons from the Life of Robert S. McNamara, each answered in a sentence.
How long is The Fog of War: Eleven Lessons from the Life of Robert S. McNamara?
The Fog of War: Eleven Lessons from the Life of Robert S. McNamara runs 1 hour 35 minutes (95 minutes).
When was The Fog of War: Eleven Lessons from the Life of Robert S. McNamara released?
The Fog of War: Eleven Lessons from the Life of Robert S. McNamara was released on December 19, 2003.
Who directed The Fog of War: Eleven Lessons from the Life of Robert S. McNamara?
The Fog of War: Eleven Lessons from the Life of Robert S. McNamara was directed by Errol Morris.
More films by Errol Morris Who is in the cast of The Fog of War: Eleven Lessons from the Life of Robert S. McNamara?
The Fog of War: Eleven Lessons from the Life of Robert S. McNamara stars Richard Nixon, John F. Kennedy and Fidel Castro, among 4 credited actors.
How much did The Fog of War: Eleven Lessons from the Life of Robert S. McNamara make at the box office?
The Fog of War: Eleven Lessons from the Life of Robert S. McNamara grossed $5 million worldwide ($4.2 million domestic, $840,275 international).
How is The Fog of War: Eleven Lessons from the Life of Robert S. McNamara rated?
The Fog of War: Eleven Lessons from the Life of Robert S. McNamara has 8.1/10 on IMDb, 87 on Metacritic and 77% on TMDB.
What awards did The Fog of War: Eleven Lessons from the Life of Robert S. McNamara win?
The Fog of War: Eleven Lessons from the Life of Robert S. McNamara won 2 awards from 4 nominations, including Best Documentary Feature at the Spirit Awards 2004.
Does The Fog of War: Eleven Lessons from the Life of Robert S. McNamara have a post-credit scene?
No. The Fog of War: Eleven Lessons from the Life of Robert S. McNamara has no extra scene during or after the credits.
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