The Man Nobody Knew: In Search of My Father, CIA Spymaster William Colby
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User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 2 out of 3
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 3
  3. Negative: 0 out of 3

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  1. richardrad
    Oct 15, 2011
    9
    Absolutely riveting. Anyone with even a mild interest in the Vietnam War and the controversial secretive career of spymaster William Colby should see this film. The cinematography and soundtrack are first rate. The movie covers a great deal of ground using an elegant, forceful narrative. What gives this documentary a true sense of personal drama is the way Carl Colby goes in search of his dad's true character. Perhaps the most interesting person we see and hear from is Colby's mother, who is as bewildered about her husband's inner self as anyone else. Donald Rumsfeld makes a chilling appearance. Other key players in Colby's life come off as more sympathetic and introspective.… Collapse
  2. CitizenCharlie
    Nov 1, 2011
    5
    The only person who would have ever thought about making a film documentary of former CIA Director William Colby must be related to him. In fact, his son Carl Colby did just that. William Colby was a driven individual who lived during interesting times and ended up in a fascinating job; however, this does not increase his suitability to carry an entire documentary. Intercutting very intriguing historical film vignettes, nostalgic and archived pictures, and one-on-one interviews with some very famous and influential public servants from the last few decades, The Man Nobody Knew: In Search of my Father CIA Spymaster William Colby charts the course of Colbyâ… Expand

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
71 out of 100

Generally favorable reviews - based on 11 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 10 out of 11
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 11
  3. Negative: 0 out of 11
  1. Philadelphia Inquirer
    Reviewed by: Steven Rea
    Jan 19, 2012
    88
    At once a deeply personal film and an important historical document, The Man Nobody Knew leaves us with an incomplete portrait of a man. Did Colby have a moral core? Did he know what was truth, and what was a lie? Did he sanction assassination plots? Did he love his family? Was he even capable of love?
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  2. San Francisco Chronicle
    Reviewed by: Amy Biancolli
    Dec 1, 2011
    50
    Even his wife barely knew him, recalling for her son the peculiarities of raising a family amid Daddy's cloak and dagger - and if she's baffled by his behavior, what hope is there for anyone else?
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  3. Boston Globe
    Reviewed by: Mark Feeney
    Nov 17, 2011
    63
    The family snapshots are more revealing. The sight of Colby wearing a tie at family picnics really says something about the sort of man he was. But they're not that much more revealing.
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