Edward Wilson (Matt Damon) graduates from Yale University and joins the Office of Strategic Services, the intelligence unit that preceded the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). His career unfolds during World War II and into the 1960s. Wilson’s strong work focus and shallow family focus develop many issues for him that he does not easily resolve. The film’s centerpiece is Wilson’s task of finding why the Bay of Pigs invasion of Cuba has failed. Many strong performances and unusual intercutting of scenes from various periods make an engaging cinematic experience.

Information Technology

These scenes appear in two parts with a title screen separating Part I from Part II. You can view the scenes continuously or pause after Part I to consider the questions below.

Part I: Beginning the Information Development.

This scene is part of DVD Chapter 7, “Uses of Information.” It begins with the Photography Technical Officer (Christopher Evan Welch) saying to Edward Wilson, “The photograph is particularly dark.” The scene ends after the Sound Technical Officer (Tuc Watkins) says, “We are going to keep playing with it.” The film holds a shot on Wilson and then cuts to a 1941 London air raid.

Part II: Continuing the Information Development. 

This scene begins with a shot of Wilson and two lines of titling that read, “C.I.A. Technical Services April 23, 1961.” A woman’s voice-over says her lover is safe with her. This scene ends after Wilson’s question about their schedule and the answer of going as fast as possible. The film cuts to an aerial shot of the Soviet sector of Berlin with a German voice-over.

What to Watch for and Ask Yourself

1. Which parts of these scenes show data? Which parts show information?

2. These film scenes show the information technology used during the 1960s at the CIA. Compare it to this chapter’s discussion of modern information technology. What are the similarities and differences?

3. The chapter described knowledge management as efforts to systematically gather and organize knowledge for an organization. Identify the activities in this scene that show knowledge management activities.