Tom Brokaw introduced Errol Morris’ new documentary on former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld as if it were a heavyweight bout Tuesday night.
“Tonight, Errol steps into the ring with Rummy, who displays the full arsenal of his verbal and philosophical holds,” the veteran NBC newsman said of “The Unknown Known.” “And as you’ll see in the film, [Rumsfeld] never reaches for the ropes.”
Brokaw further explained, “As an operative, [Rumsfeld] was smart, tough, willful and so good at protecting . . . his turf . . . Part of the thing you have to understand about Rumsfeld . . . is that he was a champion wrestler in high school, at Princeton and all-Navy. He knew all of the holds, and that really defined his life in so many ways.”
Morris previously directed the Oscar-winning doc “The Fog of War” about an earlier secretary of defense, Robert McNamara.
Also at the Museum of Arts and Design screening — where guests included Candice Bergen, Julie Taymor and Kerry Kennedy — spies overheard Morris telling Joel Coen he wants to cast John Goodman in his next, “Holland, Michigan,” with Bryan Cranston and Naomi Watts.
A source said Coen, who worked with Goodman on six films, “offered to help them connect.”
Morris’ doc is released by Harvey Weinstein’s Radius-TWC label.