Devastating. American Embassy staff, and yet did not divulge this realization to Age: 14+; MPAA Rating R for language and some violent images; Film Study Worksheet for a Work of Historical Fiction, Discussion Questions for Use With any Film that is a Work of Fiction, Discussion Questions Relating to Ethical Issues, Assignments, Projects, and Activities for Use With any Film that is a Work of Fiction, How the CIA Used a Fake Sci-Fi Flick to Rescue Americans From Tehran. He also agreed to go along with the CIA's film production cover story to get the Americans out of Iran. And so it was hard, sitting at the swanky Los Angeles premiere the other day, not to see John in the movie. How can two fathers and two sons divide three automobiles among themselves with each rec eiving one? There's nothing more a Canadian can say after the president says it. The film is true to the spirit of what happened to the six hostages that Tony Mendez led out of Tehran during the . Taylor said there would be no movie without the Canadians. When Tony Mendez arrived on Jan. 26, 1980, we were ready to leave. But the film itself, I felt, didnt blindly encourage that rah-rah feeling. All opinions are acceptable. He had been suffering from Parkinson's Disease. Ex-CIA agent Tony Mendez, who inspired the Oscar-winning film Argo, has died at the age of 78. 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 take the Americans in. There are no easy answers. 3. Who was the primary audience for the Argo cover used in this exfiltration? Your email address will not be published. Continue Learning about Movies & Television. I think a lot of Middle Eastern roles are often associated with the publics narrow view of Middle Easterners. The voiceover from Jimmy Carter at the end. First, and most importantly, we bought the idea that Hollywood people would be so presumptuous as to think they could walk into the middle of a revolution and shoot a movie. February 23, 2013 / 5:16 PM He has been honored elsewhere, written about in books by myself, Tony Mendez, and the historian Robert Wright. In the discussion, note that all of these except perhaps for the first two are fictional. John called the Brits. Among the many good wishes for newlyweds Katherine Schwarzenegger and A-lister Chris Pratt online, one message stood out the most.. Joseph Baena the love child of Katherine's father, Arnold . By: Natalie Barelli. The boat sinks! You are planning an exercise that will include the m16 and m203. [8] Boost your self-discipline by keeping all of your devices out of sight. Ben Affleck's film Argo tells the bizarre story of how in 1980 the CIA - with Canadian help - sprang a group of Americans from Iran after they escaped a US embassy overrun by protestors. I have a friend who is 10 years older than me and 10 years more experienced than me who told me, I hate to break it to you, youre never going to feel like youve arrived, she said. Arnold Schwarzenegger and Maria Shriver's marriage has, from the outside, seemingly unraveled at lightning speed this week, with news of a split quickly followed by an admission of an affair, an . As time permits, topics can include the following: Either through direct instruction or by way of a report from students, describe for the class what is accurate and inaccurate about the movie. 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. 2. Her appearance is so brief and unnoted that I dont even remember if we learn her name. She represented those who saw the potentially damaging We went. Sahar and her family were given a U.S. or Canadian passports (neither of whic Continue Reading 16 2 Sponsored by The Penny Hoarder By the way, Jimmy Carter, who was President during this period and gave the final go-ahead for the operation, agrees. It wasnt until I looked this up on Wikipedia and saw that it was based on a true story that I realized I had to see the film. We spent one night at the British residential compound. Click here for instructions on how to enable JavaScript in your browser. Bob, the only one in our group with money, offered some to Sam. 2023 Iran Times - An Independent newspaper. The 66 other diplomats were subsequently held hostage for 444 days, while these lucky six made it to the residence of the Canadian ambassador to Iran, Ken Taylor, where they secretly lived for 79 days before they were effectively rescued with the help of the CIA, using the most unlikely cover story of being in Iran to scout out the location for a Canadian film project. 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. Now, more than ever, its important for Americans to understand the difference between the majority of Iranians and this cruel, Machiavellian regime that holds their country hostage. Filch usually wandered around the school corridors with his cat Mrs Norris, trying to catch students breaking the school rules and complaining about Peeves the Poltergeist. They will never know she saved them. This is precisely the case for the true story behind Ben Affleck's film, Argo. She said, I feel lucky that Ive never been asked to play a terrorist. Most likely there was torture involved to extract additional information. A woman hires a housekeeper to care for her aging parentsonly to watch as she takes over their lives in this riveting novel from the New York Times bestselling author called "an ingenious master of domestic suspense" (Samantha M. Bailey). We never made it there, because a demonstration blocked the way. The primary historical error in the story is the focus on the CIA and the minimization of the role played by the Canadian government in the rescue. Two days, she lies. Sixty. The story itself, even if it is only loosely based on history (as Affleck took pains to point out), is fantastic and timely. Study now. Read Joshua Bermans WIRED article dated 2007 and entitled How the CIA Used a Fake Sci-Fi Flick to Rescue Americans From Tehran. Write an essay in which you note how the information presented in Bermans piece is presented in Argo. It . "In general it makes it seem like the Canadians were just along for the ride. The housekeeper in the movie named Sahar (Sheila Vand) is based largely on John Sheardown's housekeeper, a Filipino woman named Lolita, who did not expose the secret about John and his wife's new houseguests, despite knowing the truth. The Associated Press contributed to this report. In order to post comments, please make sure JavaScript and Cookies are enabled, and reload the page. The landlord was trying to sell the house, so she had to contend with him and with visits from potential buyers. The entire episode at the bazaar was fictional. Taylor's wife, Pat, said Ken died Thursday after. Each day we stayed in Iran added to the risk of capture. Vand also narrates the first few minutes ofArgo, which recap the events that led up to the Iran hostage crisis. In the movie, which premiered recently to great acclaim at the Telluride Film Festival, Affleck plays Antonio. I think Jimmy Carter has it about right, it was 90 percent Canada, 10 percent the CIA.". But those applause made me wonder how many people would actually remember Sahar. The theater of the make-believe film and the theater of the demonstrations and hostage situation are juxtaposed in one very effective scene, and it left me gnawing on a lot more questions than answers. Taylor became a hero in Canada and the United States afterward. I'm the one who let her in. What elements in the film create the suspense that keeps viewers on edge even though they know the outcome of the story? I've registered it now for six months and President Jimmy Carter's remarks back it. The other was Bobs Canadian counterpart, John Sheardown. Conclude with a judgment on the accuracy of the adaptation from magazine to film. Heroine of 'Argo' is Iranian housekeeper Sahar is the housemaid in the home of the Canadian ambassador and his wife. "What I said is still valid. Ambassador Taylor, with the support of his wife, went far beyond his obligations and job description to help people of another country, putting his life and that of his wife in danger in order to protect the Americans. John and his wife, who sheltered four of the six Americans, are not represented in the movie. The Staffords recall an embassy meeting to talk about local repercussions from the decision to let the shah come to the U.S. for medical care. Were going to deliver them some bicycles and have them bike out of Iran! (this was a real plan presented at this meeting, in real life as well as this fictionalized version). Elizabeth Taylor's "lucky charm" Oscar dress found in suitcase in London, "Argo," "Zero Dark Thirty" win at Writers Guild Awards. 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. Sahar about broke my heart. I have a vivid memory of a relative of mine telling me nonchalantly that they were among the crews that carted weapons over to both Iraq and Iran during the war. Some students will decide that the historical overview lends support to the Iranian revolution; others will feel that it explains but does not excuse or lend support to the violent overthrow of the Shaw. What will you say or suggest or what will you do if you see hundred of paper floating on the river? The prime minister, Joe Clark, had personally approved the offer of sanctuary, Taylor told us, and he said it was to the finish. Is the commanders estimate of the situation is a clear and concise expression of the purpose of the operation and the military end state? Discussion Questions Even so, we knew that both the foreign ministry and our embassy had records of houses leased by U.S. employees. In the email, he said the dispute doesn't reflect on Affleck's skills as a director and wished him luck on Sunday. "I saw the movie Argo recently and I was taken aback by its distortion of what happened because almost everything that was heroic, or courageous or innovative was done by Canada and not the United States," Carter said. The camera zooms close to her frightened eyes, we watch her hesitate for a fraction of a second before she decides to cover for them. But the movie is more substantially interested in the nature . It takes attention away from more important stories including: (1) the American intervention in Iranian affairs which led to the brutal and repressive 25 year reign of the Shaw, an intervention that continues to be a major factor in the long-lasting hatred of the U.S. by many people in Iran; and (2) the plight of the 52 American diplomats who were held hostage and sometimes tortured for 444 days after the embassy take-over. 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. When I found out itd only been declassified in the 90s, I felt a little better about my ignorance, but only just. Ellen Penketh, whose time as housekeeper at Erddig Hall, north Wales, ended in scandalous circumstances. "I would hope he would. Sam told us she did not understand the hostage situation, and he had decided that explaining it to her would make things worse. The Argo exfiltration operation went off very smoothly. At first, she doesnt know who they are or that they are in hiding, but she eventually begins to wonder why they never leave the house, puts two and two together, and figures out just how deeply in trouble they are. "I'm not conceding anything," Taylor told the AP. While wed backstopped the cover story to the hilt, the people we really wanted to convince were those six American diplomats. 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. The Argo II was destroyed when Zeus launched them to Camp Half-Blood . Maid Marian is a fictitious character from the folklore of Robin The Canadians played a major role in the rescue, issuing six fake passports for the diplomats (this required a secret act of the Canadian Parliament), creating Canadian identities for the American diplomats, and smuggling into Iran via diplomatic pouch materials to make the escape possible, such as the false passports, other false identification, disguise kits provided by the CIA, and movie paraphernalia to support the Argo cover story. The icon's housekeeper, Eunice Murray, allegedly discovered her naked body surrounded by empty pill bottles. Sahar doesnt take long to figure out that the six guests of the ambassadorwho never leave the houseare not ordinary guests. Ken Taylor, the Canadian ambassador to Iran who concealed a group of Americans at his home during the 1979 Iranian hostage crisis, died Thursday. Our living arrangements were comfortable. On Nov. 4, 1979, when the American Embassy was overtaken, we did not stroll directly to the Canadian ambassadors residence. situation to their well-being and safety, yet continued to respond Etc. Justify your conclusion. 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? I feel a little silly being another actor trying to write, she said. 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. He said it was news to him that Affleck had agreed to narrate the documentary and looked forward to working on it with him. But holy crap, crazy). Bibliography. My friends are tired of that. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. Lewis recently revealed his former housekeeper Zoila Chavez has returned to work as a part-time nanny to his daughter Monroe. A Twisted Psychological Thriller. Its true that Mossaddegh was overthrown in a U.S.- and British-led coup, but he and the shah had already both been in power, the latter since 1941, when the shah inherited the throne from his father. Evaluate how accurately the actors in the film portrayed the characters who were actually involved in the events themselves. Our primary characters are all men, and we focus heavily on the arcs for the mens stories Mendezs wife doesnt even get any lines- and Sahar, oh Sahar! After accepting his payment for her services, she disclosed that Morte was the only player who had joined the Dragon Knights Brigade (DKB) since the opening of the 3 rd Floor. The stairway up to the bedrooms had a tall glass wall. The Staffords went to the Taylor residence. Categories. One, an Australian, was willing to help but lived in a small apartment. 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. I was eager to learn more about the most outlandish, and perhaps least known, rescue of Americans in historyand see it play out on the silver screen. I figured it was just a good excuse for the media to fuel itself up for Argo, and the Inconvenient Truth of Sahar Read More 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. But give Argo its due. Since the vast majority of adults do not read history books but instead learn about the past from movies based on historical events, instruction in the proper use of historical fiction will be a lasting benefit for most students. The Argo II is a flying Greek trireme (that could also sail if the aerial controls are damaged) built by the Hephaestus' Cabin for the journey of the seven demigods of the Prophecy of Seven to Greece. Make sure you give me enough time to clean everything properly . There's nothing much right from Day 1 I could do about the movie. The story of her group's escape has been made into a blockbuster movie, "Argo" directed by and starring Ben Affleck. But this new house that Sam suggested was a guarantee of capture. Teachers can modify the movie worksheets to fit the needs of each class. But knowing that this is what sold the cover story to the houseguests in the first place. At the end of the film, while the six Americans are popping champagne bottles on the airplane on their way home, their Iranian maid is seen fleeing the country into Iraq. That night, lying in bed, it was still Sahar and her shattered life I thought about, though. Film Study Worksheet for a Work of Historical Fiction note that discussion questions #s 1 & 2 are derived from this worksheet; and. Dangerous. Why did the CIA go into such depth as creating a fake production company, manning offices in Hollywood, having the Canadians create fake identities for the houseguests? As a housekeeper, you'll have to persevere day after day, performing each duty to the best of your ability. 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