The Unknown Known (Donald Rumsfield, 2013): USA

Reviewed by Sofie Larsson. Viewed at AFI Film Fest, Hollywood 2013.

Errol Morris ”The Unknown Known” with Donald Rumsfeld,  congressman and Secondary of Defends in Washing D.C, is a documentary about conflicts in the world that has happens during his career, in the early 1960 to 2006 when he resigned. I watch the documentary at AFI film fest, Hollywood. It’s a really well made movie and the editor Steven Hathaway has done an incredible job. I personally thinks that documentaries can become boring to watch but thanks to Steven Hathaway’s skillful methods of editing the documentary became exciting and interesting. It was also interesting to see and listen to Donald Rumsfeld because he is an incredible speaker who use convoluted rhetoric to capture the audience attention and he does this really well.

The Unknown Known according to Rumsfeld means ”Things that you think you know that it turns out you did not.”  He talked about Known Knowns, Known Unknowns, Unknown Unknowns and Unknown Knowns. He has during his career tried to find the answer to the question ”how could we know?”. Could we do something to prevent bad things to happen? the answer is we can’t, stuff just happens, sometimes things workout, sometimes it don’t. If it don’t, it’s a lesson. Rumsfeld talked about how important it’s to reach out to our enemies, in order to figure out what is going on in their mind.  He talked about world conflicts that he has tackled, about iraq, pear harbor, world trade center and Bin Laden. When he looks back in time, conflict, black mail and killing seems to be the only thing lasting. With tears in his eyes, he tells the audience that people who served our country life will be at risk because ”if you wish for peace, prepare for war”. Rumsfeld flashed his insidious grin during almost the whole interview, he seems to be a smart happy man who loves his wife. With clear ambitions he became at age 43 U.C youngest secondary of defense and an incredible successful media speaker.

The unknown known is an modern documentary. Compare to earlier documentary that I have watch, it had a new creative different type of editing. The editor Steven Hathaway reinforces the beginning of the film by showing a black picture and let Rumsfeld voice speak to the audience. During the movie he mix cuts from the interview with Donald Rumsfeld with a creative  kind of ”newspaper” of words flying in the air while the world is passing by. He highlights the most important words and use external sounds to reach the audience. By using blurred pictures and old fashion paper when Rumsfeld is talking about the past and clear bright colors as well as white papers when he is talking about the future really makes the message more effective. Just the fact that he chooses to play the Christmas song ”I’m dreaming of a white christmas” when Donald Rumsfeld talks about world peace is the icing on the cake that shows what a skillful editor Hathaway is.

The unknown known is documentary that I recommend everyone to see. The aged between 30-60 will probably find it more interesting than younger people, like me, who doesn’t know who Donald Rumsfeld is. But it’s an well made film that covers important aspects of the world history and it’s therefore an educational film to watch.