ERROL Morris's latest film won the Oscar as Best Documentary Feature at this year's ceremony.

Robert McNamara was a key figure in the Ford Motor Company when President Kennedy sensationally hired him as Secretary of Defense to oversee the protection of America from its various enemies.

He would become embroiled in some of the key moments in 20th-century history, including the Cuban missile crisis and the Vietnam war, which brought McNamara into fierce conflict with the then-president Lyndon Johnson.

In a series of interviews, Morris recalls secret conversations and meetings from his high-profile political career and his own role in the shaping of modern America.

The film, which is roughly divided into 11 chapters, also examines McNamara's involvement in the 1945 firebombing of Japan during World War II and his thoughts on the tensions in the Middle East which now threaten his beloved country.

Harbour Lights Picture House, Ocean Village, Southampton. Box office: 023 8033 5533.