The Man Nobody Knew
Encyclopedia
The Man Nobody Knew: In Search of My Father, CIA Spymaster William Colby is a 2011 American documentary film
exploring the life and career of former CIA
director William Egan Colby
. It is narrated and directed by Carl Colby and produced by David Johnson.
William E. Colby, The Man Nobody Knew traces the elder Colby's career in the U.S. intelligence community
, along with and in contrast to his home life, including the secrets he kept from his family. The film begins with Colby's service in World War II
as an officer and paratrooper with the OSS
, and follows his rise through the Central Intelligence Agency
, where his roles included political covert action to oppose the Communist Party
in Italy
, later counterinsurgency actions and involvement in the 1963 coup
in South Vietnam
(in concert with President John F. Kennedy
) during the Vietnam War
, and later as Director of Central Intelligence
in the 1970s. During Colby's brief, tumultuous tenure leading the agency, he revealed the existence of documents describing illegal activities by the CIA, known as the "Family Jewels
", in an effort to reform the agency. The film concludes with Colby's disappearance and death in April 1996.
, Brent Scowcroft
, James R. Schlesinger
, Donald Rumsfeld
, Bob Woodward
and Seymour Hersh
, among others. William Colby's former wife and Carl Colby's mother, Barbara Colby, is also interviewed regarding Colby's public career and private life.
. The film will premiere at Lincoln Plaza Cinemas in New York City
on September 23, 2011, followed by a national theatrical release.
stated that the film's "thorough investigation transcends [director Colby's] personal catharsis to become an enduring treatise on how character flaws affect policy". The Man Nobody Knew was designated a "Critics' Pick" by The New York Times
film reviewers.
Documentary film
Documentary films constitute a broad category of nonfictional motion pictures intended to document some aspect of reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction or maintaining a historical record...
exploring the life and career of former CIA
Central Intelligence Agency
The Central Intelligence Agency is a civilian intelligence agency of the United States government. It is an executive agency and reports directly to the Director of National Intelligence, responsible for providing national security intelligence assessment to senior United States policymakers...
director William Egan Colby
William Colby
William Egan Colby spent a career in intelligence for the United States, culminating in holding the post of Director of Central Intelligence from September 1973, to January 1976....
. It is narrated and directed by Carl Colby and produced by David Johnson.
Synopsis
Narrated by Carl Colby, son of the late Director of Central IntelligenceDirector of Central Intelligence
The Office of United States Director of Central Intelligence was the head of the United States Central Intelligence Agency, the principal intelligence advisor to the President and the National Security Council, and the coordinator of intelligence activities among and between the various United...
William E. Colby, The Man Nobody Knew traces the elder Colby's career in the U.S. intelligence community
United States Intelligence Community
The United States Intelligence Community is a cooperative federation of 16 separate United States government agencies that work separately and together to conduct intelligence activities considered necessary for the conduct of foreign relations and the protection of the national security of the...
, along with and in contrast to his home life, including the secrets he kept from his family. The film begins with Colby's service in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
as an officer and paratrooper with the OSS
Office of Strategic Services
The Office of Strategic Services was a United States intelligence agency formed during World War II. It was the wartime intelligence agency, and it was a predecessor of the Central Intelligence Agency...
, and follows his rise through the Central Intelligence Agency
Central Intelligence Agency
The Central Intelligence Agency is a civilian intelligence agency of the United States government. It is an executive agency and reports directly to the Director of National Intelligence, responsible for providing national security intelligence assessment to senior United States policymakers...
, where his roles included political covert action to oppose the Communist Party
Italian Communist Party
The Italian Communist Party was a communist political party in Italy.The PCI was founded as Communist Party of Italy on 21 January 1921 in Livorno, by seceding from the Italian Socialist Party . Amadeo Bordiga and Antonio Gramsci led the split. Outlawed during the Fascist regime, the party played...
in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, later counterinsurgency actions and involvement in the 1963 coup
1963 South Vietnamese coup
In November 1963, President Ngô Đình Diệm of South Vietnam was deposed by a group of Army of the Republic of Vietnam officers who disagreed with his handling of the Buddhist crisis and, in general, his increasing oppression of national groups in the name of fighting the communist Vietcong.The...
in South Vietnam
South Vietnam
South Vietnam was a state which governed southern Vietnam until 1975. It received international recognition in 1950 as the "State of Vietnam" and later as the "Republic of Vietnam" . Its capital was Saigon...
(in concert with President John F. Kennedy
John F. Kennedy
John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy , often referred to by his initials JFK, was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963....
) during the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
, and later as Director of Central Intelligence
Director of Central Intelligence
The Office of United States Director of Central Intelligence was the head of the United States Central Intelligence Agency, the principal intelligence advisor to the President and the National Security Council, and the coordinator of intelligence activities among and between the various United...
in the 1970s. During Colby's brief, tumultuous tenure leading the agency, he revealed the existence of documents describing illegal activities by the CIA, known as the "Family Jewels
Family Jewels (Central Intelligence Agency)
The Family Jewels is the informal name used to refer to a set of reports that detail activities conducted by the United States Central Intelligence Agency. Considered illegal or inappropriate, these actions were conducted over the span of decades, from the 1950s to the mid-1970s...
", in an effort to reform the agency. The film concludes with Colby's disappearance and death in April 1996.
Production
The Man Nobody Knew was produced by Carl Colby, with David Johnson and Grace Guggenheim, for Act 4 Entertainment. The film combines archival footage with new interviews, including Zbigniew BrzezinskiZbigniew Brzezinski
Zbigniew Kazimierz Brzezinski is a Polish American political scientist, geostrategist, and statesman who served as United States National Security Advisor to President Jimmy Carter from 1977 to 1981....
, Brent Scowcroft
Brent Scowcroft
Brent Scowcroft, KBE was the United States National Security Advisor under Presidents Gerald Ford and George H. W. Bush and a Lieutenant General in the United States Air Force. He also served as Military Assistant to President Richard Nixon and as Deputy Assistant to the President for National...
, James R. Schlesinger
James R. Schlesinger
Dr. James Rodney Schlesinger is an American politician. He is best known for serving as Secretary of Defense from 1973 to 1975 under Presidents Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford...
, Donald Rumsfeld
Donald Rumsfeld
Donald Henry Rumsfeld is an American politician and businessman. Rumsfeld served as the 13th Secretary of Defense from 1975 to 1977 under President Gerald Ford, and as the 21st Secretary of Defense from 2001 to 2006 under President George W. Bush. He is both the youngest and the oldest person to...
, Bob Woodward
Bob Woodward
Robert Upshur Woodward is an American investigative journalist and non-fiction author. He has worked for The Washington Post since 1971 as a reporter, and is currently an associate editor of the Post....
and Seymour Hersh
Seymour Hersh
Seymour Myron Hersh is an American Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative journalist and author based in Washington, D.C. He is a regular contributor to The New Yorker magazine on military and security matters...
, among others. William Colby's former wife and Carl Colby's mother, Barbara Colby, is also interviewed regarding Colby's public career and private life.
Release
U.S. distribution rights were acquired by First Run FeaturesFirst Run Features
First Run Features is an independent film distribution company based in New York City. First Run was founded in 1979 by a group of filmmakers in order to advance the distribution of independent film...
. The film will premiere at Lincoln Plaza Cinemas in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
on September 23, 2011, followed by a national theatrical release.
Reception
Reviews for The Man Nobody Knew have been favorable. Time Out New York called it a "tour of queasy, morally questionable intelligence endeavors over the last 50 years from the perspective of the spook community’s grand pooh-bah". A review in The Village VoiceThe Village Voice
The Village Voice is a free weekly newspaper and news and features website in New York City that features investigative articles, analysis of current affairs and culture, arts and music coverage, and events listings for New York City...
stated that the film's "thorough investigation transcends [director Colby's] personal catharsis to become an enduring treatise on how character flaws affect policy". The Man Nobody Knew was designated a "Critics' Pick" by The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
film reviewers.
External links
- The Man Nobody Knew: In Search of My Father, CIA Spymaster William Colby book published by United States Naval InstituteUnited States Naval InstituteThe United States Naval Institute , based at the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, is a private, non-profit, professional military association that seeks to offer independent, nonpartisan forums for debate of national defense issues...