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'Unknown White Male,' Unveiling Truth and a Life

The documentary Unknown White Male chronicles the struggles of a man trying to rebuild his life after suffering complete amnesia. The film's strange tale has led a handful of critics to question the movie's truthfulness.

The story is indeed difficult to believe: On July 3, 2003, Doug Bruce -- a successful stockbroker who retired at 30 to study photography -- found himself on a subway car bound for New York's Coney Island, with absolutely no idea of who he was.

An army of psychologists and doctors believe Bruce was struck by retrograde amnesia, the rarest and most disturbing type of memory loss. But the cause of the malady is still being debated. The film follows Bruce as he reconstructs his life and learns about the stranger in the mirror.

Madeleine Brand speaks with Rupert Murray, director of Unknown White Male, about filming Bruce's odyssey of loss and re-discovery.

Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.