On Nov. 4, 1979, when the American Embassy was overtaken, we did not stroll directly to the Canadian ambassadors residence. Would we have gone with Tony at 50 percent? Taylor called it a good movie and said he's not rooting against it, but said it is far from accurate. In 2010, Vand helped createSneaky Nietzche, an interactive steampunk-themed musical performance featuring a 40-person ensemble and a full band. Sahar and her family were given a U.S. or Canadian passports (neither of whic Continue Reading 16 2 Sponsored by The Penny Hoarder If Iran had supported the overthrowing of our democratically elected leader, wed be pretty pissed off at them, too. Teachers can modify the movie worksheets to fit the needs of each class. Our living arrangements were comfortable. A housekeeper can help you keep track of a busy schedule, make sure the kids have done their homework, run errands, and prepare delicious, home-cooked meals for the whole family each night. In the case of Argo, the audience was not the Iranians but the houseguests [the 6 employees of the embassy] themselves. Of course, if any Iranian officials had actually checked, their story would have seemed legitimate. The British and New Zealand diplomats in Iran were also helpful. Quote from the interviews and cite action or dialogue in the film to support your opinions. Argo already had more characters than a typical thriller, and adding the Sheardowns would not have enhanced the drama. Argo How the CIA and Hollywood Pulled Off the Most Audacious Rescue in History, by Antonio Mendez and Matt Baglio, Viking, 2012, page 298. For example, the film states that Irans prime minister, Mohammad Mosaddegh, was replaced by the shah in a coup dtat orchestrated by the U.S. and Britain in 1953. Theyre capable of so much more., Of her role in that crucial nail-biting scene, Vand says, She [Sahar] has a moment of decision, and, for me, its really important that this scene exists. People are more forgiving when youre 26 than when youre 36, so now is the time to jump off that cliff. Roman Haller owes his life to a 20-year-old housekeeper. As the climax approaches, a suspicious revolutionary intelligence officer drives up to the ambassadors house and questions Sahar through the gate, very politely. And though I lamented this loose thread, I realized it was a purposeful one. Taylor was having drinks with Johns wife Zena. All those left on the other side of events can do is react to the mess thats left behind. We never made it there, because a demonstration blocked the way. Besides, a traditional thriller cant be overpopulated with all the people who play sometimes small but essential roles in a situation like ours. Make sure you give me enough time to clean everything properly . There is a close call at the bazaar and at the airport, and the phone call to the supposed studio is nearly missed. This is precisely the case for the true story behind Ben Affleck's film, Argo. Because while all of the hostages are eventually brought home, and yay rah-rah America, theres Sahar still out there, displaced, walking into a war that will be perpetuated by the very people she chose to shelter. silently to avoid the deaths of those involved. SUBJECTS U.S./1945 1991 & Iran The Iran Hostage Crisis; MORAL-ETHICAL EMPHASIS Caring & Citizenship. Hood. She said, I feel lucky that Ive never been asked to play a terrorist. The hostage crisis was no closer to resolution. There was lots to appreciate in this film, though. For me, this young womans character represents the courage shown by ordinary people when they simply do the right thing, despite the consequences. what type of danger zone is needed for this exercise. 2012 Academy Awards: Best Picture, Best Editing, Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material Previously Produced or Published; 2012 American Film Institute Awards: Movie of the Year; 2012 Academy Awards Nominations: Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures, Original Score; Best Achievement in Sound Editing; Best Achievement in Sound Mixing; Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role (Alan Arkin); Ben Affleck as Tony Mendez; Bryan Cranston as Jack ODonnell; Alan Arkin as Lester Siegel; John Goodman as John Chambers; Victor Garber as Ken Taylor; Tate Donovan as Bob Anders Clea DuVall as Cora Lijek; Scoot McNairy as Joe Stafford; Rory Cochrane as Lee Schatz; Christopher Denham as Mark Lijek; Kerry Bish as Kathy Stafford. The people in this house are all friends of Iran, she continues, thereby saving their lives. In 1992, after Mrs Norris was petrified by Salazar Slytherin's Basilisk, Filch was furious; however, his cat was . AGE:Age: 14+; MPAA Rating R for language and some violent images; Drama; 2012; 120 minutes; Color. [Students who want to go further can read the book written by Tony Mendez, the CIA spymaster who planned and carried out the operation, Argo How the CIA and Hollywood Pulled Off the Most Audacious Rescue in History.]. He added that he had sent Affleck an email on Saturday, saying he was pleased to hear that "Argo" has received international acclaim even though the debate still continues about the role Canada played. There was no call by a Revolutionary Guard to Hollywood (although an office had been set up and the call would have been answered) and there was no chase of the plane by gun toting revolutionaries on the tarmac. An average housekeeping session costs about $100 for a one-bedroom apartment, while cleaning a 2,600-square-foot home costing about $130 to $390. I think it captured a lot of the fear and chaos at the time and importantly, not just the fear and chaos for Americans, but for the Iranians themselves. In addition to websites which may be linked in the Guide and selected film reviews listed on the Movie Review Query Engine, the following resources were consulted in the preparation of this Learning Guide: This is Learning Guide was written by James Frieden with assistance from Mary RedClay. She smiles and says, Two days, not the five months they have actually been there. Any time is a tricky time to make a film about the 1979 Iranian hostage crisis, but at this particular moment, the stakes are as high as ever. We went. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. The film can serve as the basis for discussion and writing with respect to the risks and benefits of using movies as historical fiction. In order to post comments, please make sure JavaScript and Cookies are enabled, and reload the page. With careful scaffolding, the film can also be a platform from which students can explore lessons about the risks of causing regime change in other countries and U.S./Iranian relations since WWII. Teachers can introduce the film and place the escape of the six American diplomats in context by providing direct instruction covering the following topics. Historical fiction is still fiction and uses the techniques of fiction. Among the new additions are memories of the Oct. 4 opening screening of "Argo" at the Sam Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills, Calif. I usually cant stand him because he comes across as some stupid jock, but I bought him in this role. Like others, I was also disappointed that a Hispanic actor didnt play the part of an actual Hispanic historical figure. They believed in it, which gave them the confidence to carry it off. In most of the tails the story ends when Robin and Marian end See also TWMs Historical Fiction in Film Cross-Curricular Homework Project. Additional questions are set out below. Devastating. Gloria Satterfield was a longtime housekeeper of the Murdaughs. Finally, he asks here how long the guests have been staying with the ambassador. Your email address will not be published. So for days we had put off accepting Johns offer. As you may know by now, Mendez cooked up a fake movie production and suggested we pose as location scouts considering Iran for our film. Vand began acting as a teenager growing up in Palo Alto, California, where her mother and father moved after immigrating to the US from Azerbaijan, where they had gone after the revolution. Tate Donovan, Rory Cochrane, Clea DuVall, Scoot McNairy, Joe Stafford, Christopher Denham and Kerry Bish in, movie about the rescue of six Americans from Iran. The housekeeper is in deep trouble should she not be able to flee to Iraq, a feat she barely accomplishes. Speaking fluent Thai to his part-time cook and housekeeper, nicknamed Sam, the deputy chief of mission in Iran, Vic Tomseth, arranged a transfer from the Brits to the house of another of Sams employers, who was already a hostage. That would make sense, right? What elements in the film create the suspense that keeps viewers on edge even though they know the outcome of the story? In the movie, which premiered recently to great acclaim at the Telluride Film Festival, Affleck plays Antonio. This might pose a problem for the Iranians, who presumably would have wanted to claim that they had interrogated all of the hostages before letting them go. MC said: "I'm of the belief we could all do with a Mrs Hall in our lives." Victoria Hudson added . Ive talked before about how the Iran/Iraq war was some of the inspiration for the conflict in Gods War, and it was that story of my relatives nonchalant gunrunning that made me realize that wars could be perpetuated almost indefiniately by outsiders, and that this was actually a very common occurence. All contents 2023 The Slate Group LLC. Etc. During the next week we changed locations five times. "I'm not conceding anything," Taylor told the AP. 1 title per month from Audible's entire catalog of best sellers, and new releases. Friends of Taylor were outraged last September when "Argo" debuted at the Toronto International Film Festival. SalingersFranny and Zooey, told through animation, film and water. For all the good it does her. The Daily Beast obtained a letter written to SLED, in which Hampton County . 4. The Staffords went to the Taylor residence. It was clear the organization and energy was focused on the Hollywood option. Furthermore, our presence was becoming an impediment to a possible negotiated hostage releasebecause if somehow there had been a breakthrough in the negotiations, the United States would have had to acknowledge our existence and ask us to be released, too. I myself witnessed this same courage from other political prisoners in my ward, many of whom shouted words of love and encouragement to me down the hall, and from our incredibly brave lawyer, Masoud Shafii, who currently cant practice law or leave the country because of his work on our case. How can two fathers and two sons divide three automobiles among themselves with each rec eiving one? See Note at the beginning of the Guide. Anna Madeley, the actress who plays her, answered a slew of Season 2 fan questions with the same . Two other high-profile best-picture nominees this year, Kathryn Bigelow's "Zero Dark Thirty" and Steven Spielberg's "Lincoln," have also been criticized for their portrayal of some factual issues. They said it was treated as routine on both ends both by the people who gave them the orders and by the Iranians and Iraqis who signed for the weapons on the other end. after. Taylor said it was Sheardown who took the first call from the American diplomats who had evaded capture when Iranian militants seized the U.S. Embassy in November 1979, and agreed right away to. Lastly, the plan allowed the six of us to travel as a group, and support each other. Anyone whos ever been captured knows the punishing fantasy of rescue. Write an opinion essay about which group you determine to have been most responsible for the success of the exfiltration plan. / CBS/AP. The political climate was simply too dangerous. The four "Golden Girls" were originally supposed to be accompanied by a live-in gay housekeeper named Coco who would have been be in charge of the cooking, the cleaning, and his share of the sassy comebacks. When I found out itd only been declassified in the 90s, I felt a little better about my ignorance, but only just. However, Mendez was just doing his job. The studio had a limo pick up the couple in Anacortes, flew . Bikes! Afflecks version of events is not only a well-told tale, but a useful story, a necessary and enjoyable mechanism for introducing a younger generation to the origins of our confrontation with Iran. I think a lot of Middle Eastern roles are often associated with the publics narrow view of Middle Easterners. He's shown here in 2012 in Washington, D.C., at the premiere of Argo, a film . In fact, I didnt realize just how much I expected evil-Arab-terrorists until I actually sat down in the theater and realized my whole body was taut and I was clasping my hands tightly, prepared to get through it with some nasty teeth gnashing over the pollution of historic events. See also Discussion Questions for Use With any Film that is a Work of Fiction. The book, along with Bearman's article in Wired, served as the source material for "Argo," which won the Oscar for best picture. September 24, 2012, 12:14 AM. The kitchen was exposed to the front sidewalk. The possibilities ranged from nothing to seizure of . We would have failed. It was hard saying goodbye to Sam. "What I said is still valid. Most likely there was torture involved to extract additional information. Conclude with a judgment on the credibility of the film in terms of the principals involved. Spoilers: The hostages get away! I left the theater sweatingjust as when I exited the airport bus to board a Swissair flight out of Tehran in January of 1980, one of the six Americans who were rescued by Tony Mendez, the CIA employee Affleck plays. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading The Housekeeper: A twisted psychological thriller. He gives the Canadians 90% of the credit for saving the hostages. Discussion Questions Slate is published by The Slate Group, a Graham Holdings Company. The Arab-terrorists-chasing-planes-waving-guns thing was over the top even for them, tho). What are the two applications of bifilar suspension? Given the fact that the audience will take away from this film a vivid impression of the 1979-1981 Iran hostage crisis, do you think that, on the whole, this film improves the viewers understanding of the important historical events as they actually occurred? The story of Ben Affleck's "Argo" concerns the real-life rescue of six fugitive American embassy employees from Ayatollah "Salman Rushdie Fatwa" Khomeini's Iran in 1980. Most of the tension stems from the race against time. How did you use the result to determine who walked fastest and slowest? The voice-over at the beginning of the film, which outlines the nature of the U.S./Iran conflict, serves to provide background information for the story. In the midst of all this, Vand landed her first major stage role, pulling double duty as the younger sister of a soldier and a prostitute in Rajiv JosephsBengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo. His house was raided four days after we left. Without his enthusiastic welcome we might have tried to survive on our own a few more days. There's no dispute that it is historically inaccurate and ignores a larger tragedy to focus on a tiny sliver of success associated with a humiliating chapter in the nation's history. Whatever, Hollywood. But Argo wasnt going to sugar coat why exactly these Americans were in this situation. In the other, I think we were meant to be teachers looking for employment at an international school. What happened to the maid at the Canadian embassy in Argo? Immigration chief Bob Anders (played by Tate Donovan in Argo) suggested we go instead to his nearby apartment. And I wont lie, that stuff was gleeful for me too. 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