For starters, "Argo" is centered around real events and people. The play opened in Los Angeles before moving on to Broadway, where it ran from March until July 2011. In most of the tails the story ends when Robin and Marian end Justify your conclusion. 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. 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. But the 78-year-old Taylor added that given what's happened in the last few months, "I'm not necessarily anticipating anything.". We needed to stay invisible; she helped ensure that we did. I remember feeling relieved, thinking, Oh, I can stop looking for this moment., Your email address will not be published. Nothing. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. Taylor called it a good movie and said he's not rooting against it, but said it is far from accurate. 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. It's like Tiananmen Square, you are sitting in front of a big tank," he said. The British embassy was also captured, though, albeit briefly, and there was a near attack on the residential compound itself. Of course, if any Iranian officials had actually checked, their story would have seemed legitimate. Write an opinion essay about which group you determine to have been most responsible for the success of the exfiltration plan. Its only going to get scarier.. Bridges to Reading The political climate was simply too dangerous. The ability to arrange the move in Thai gave us some confidence that our plans were private. Not terrorists or freedom fighters not who was intrinsically right or wrong, but the people who had to get up and go on and live in the aftermath of events, of the mess left behind after countries rattle their bloody chessboards. Sahar is the housemaid in the home of the Canadian ambassador and his wife. The original postscript of the movie said that Taylor received 112 citations and awards for his work in freeing the hostages and suggested Taylor didn't deserve them because the movie ends with the CIA deciding to let Canada have the credit for helping the Americans escape. He was conceived in the basement of a home in Poland where his parents and 10 other Jews hid out during World War II. Continue Learning about Movies & Television. The. I think a lot of Middle Eastern roles are often associated with the publics narrow view of Middle Easterners. But Argo wasnt going to sugar coat why exactly these Americans were in this situation. I'm the one who let her in. Click here for instructions on how to enable JavaScript in your browser. 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. The dialogue was punchy and witty, and again, the sheer craziness of this plan was so crazy that I could almost buy that it worked (I know, I know! TALKING AND PLAYING WITH MOVIES: AGES 3-8, FILM ADAPTATIONS OF NOVELS, SHORT STORIES, OR PLAYS, FICTION (SOAPS, DRAMAS, AND REALITY/SURVIVAL SHOW). The action thriller Argo, directed by Ben Affleck, chronicles the daring escape. We spent one night at the British residential compound. There is no one correct response. Second, it was backstopped: The phone number on my fake business card would be answered, and we had a script, storyboards, and other paraphernalia. 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. Jodi Bishop knows success. He said it was news to him that Affleck had agreed to narrate the documentary and looked forward to working on it with him. Spoilers: The hostages get away! We went. Sahar ends the movie heading into Iraq. Describe some of the risks and benefits of engineering regime change in other countries. Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot loses reelection bid, Fiery train crash in Greece kills dozens, many of them students, 1894 shipwreck found in Lake Huron, confirming "powerful, tragic story", Garland to face Congress amid ongoing special counsel investigations, FBI chief says agency feels pandemic likely started with Chinese lab leak, House select committee hearing paints China as a strategic antagonist, JetBlue flight forced to abort landing in close call at Logan Airport, Three officers shot, standoff follows in Kansas City, Mo., police say, Vanessa Bryant, family settles claims over Kobe crash site photos for $28.5M, Rihanna set to perform "Lift Me Up" at 2023 Oscars, Andrea Riseborough to keep Oscar nomination, Academy says, "Everything Everywhere All at Once" tops Oscar nominations with 11. What is the Denouement of the story a day in the country? Vand also narrates the first few minutes ofArgo, which recap the events that led up to the Iran hostage crisis. TWM recommends this film only for the purpose of showing students some of the risks of getting history through movies that are based on real events, even if the facts presented in the film are themselves reasonably accurate. In comments about the incident that I had never heard before, Carter says our chance of success was 50 percent. The people in this house are all friends of Iran, she continues, thereby saving their lives. TWM offers the following worksheets to keep students minds on the movie and direct them to the lessons that can be learned from the film. (The sixth member of our group, Lee Schatz, joined us a week later, after hiding with the Swedes.). Argus Filch was a Squib and the caretaker of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry since around 1973. 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). The prime minister, Joe Clark, had personally approved the offer of sanctuary, Taylor told us, and he said it was to the finish. The landlord was trying to sell the house, so she had to contend with him and with visits from potential buyers. Evaluate how accurately the actors in the film portrayed the characters who were actually involved in the events themselves. How did you use the result to determine who walked fastest and slowest? This is the story of the rescue of six American diplomats who escaped when Iranian militants seized the U.S. embassy in Tehran in 1979 and took the embassy staff hostage. Slate is published by The Slate Group, a Graham Holdings Company. SalingersFranny and Zooey, told through animation, film and water. Make sure you give me enough time to clean everything properly . What will you say or suggest or what will you do if you see hundred of paper floating on the river? Conclude with a judgment on the accuracy of the adaptation from magazine to film. Portrait of the Architect in Ruins, which she created, directed and starred in for the Los Angeles Theatre Center in 2008, fashioned itself as an avant-garde theatrical interpretation of J.D. I was curious to note the similarities and differences to my own situation and, perhaps most important, to tease out the perspective that, in portraying the historic events that set the stage for U.S.-Iranian relations for the next 30-plus years, Affleck could not help but present. It reminded me that our respective governments are full of overwhelmed, exhausted, and sometimes deeply stupid people who dig themselves and their people into deep holes without thinking about how the hell theyll get them out. Gloria Satterfield was a longtime housekeeper of the Murdaughs. In the end, she goes back home to Berlin with Mother and Jack Kirby: Eric Scott Cooper . Diplomacy has slowed down Irans nuclear program, but has yet to be successful in stopping it, and both U.S. presidential candidates have made it clear that they will resort to military action if Iran begins to build a nuclear weapon. Most of the tension stems from the race against time. Which is not to say that our situation was without real-life dramajust that most of it happened before Mendez arrived. 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. The voiceover from Jimmy Carter at the end. Exile sucks, but youd help out people who helped you, right? All contents 2023 The Slate Group LLC. after. Well send them bikes! If it were suddenly occupied, the komiteh would definitely notice. Sam figured she was so angry she might turn us. Part of the learning curve is getting over the fear of putting stuff out there. Like others, I was also disappointed that a Hispanic actor didnt play the part of an actual Hispanic historical figure. The Canadians were committed to keeping us until the crisis ended or until they could get us out. Taylor was the ambassador, I was embarrassed to realize. Now, lets not pretend this film doesnt have Issues. Length: 8 hrs and 4 mins. On February 26, 2018, the 57-year-old woman died "as a result of injuries sustained in a trip and fall accident" in a Hampton County home belonging to the family. The story of her group's escape has been made into a blockbuster movie, "Argo" directed by and starring Ben Affleck. When we arrived at Johns house, he was watering the sidewalknot an uncommon practice given Tehrans dust problem, but in this case an excuse for leaving the garage door open, so that the Brits could drop us off without drawing too much attention. Historical fiction is still fiction and uses the techniques of fiction. Bikes! Sahar and her family were given a U.S. or Canadian passports (neither of whic Continue Reading 16 2 Sponsored by The Penny Hoarder She was worried what her boss would think of strangers in his home; after the fight, she stormed off. Period," Taylor said. In the other, I think we were meant to be teachers looking for employment at an international school. On Nov. 4, 1979, outraged that the despised Shah had been admitted to the United States for medical care after fleeing the country, thousands of Iranians stormed the U.S. Embassy in Tehran. 3. Who was the primary audience for the Argo cover used in this exfiltration? We have no idea what . You likely won't be supervised 24/7, so you'll have to go out and do your best even when no one's watching. I changed a line at the end because the caption at the end was disgraceful. Note that in the case of Iran, there are other reasons for hostility between the two countries, including the Islamist fundamentalism of the regime and its opposition to Israel, a close U.S. ally. He's shown here in 2012 in Washington, D.C., at the premiere of Argo, a film . Make sure that your children know that this is not the major story of U.S. Iranian relations or the hostage crisis. Discussion Questions Join an investigation into a cruel and heartless leader crawl through filth and mud to escape biological warfare team up with time-traveling soldiers faced with potentially life-altering instructions. The icon's housekeeper, Eunice Murray, allegedly discovered her naked body surrounded by empty pill bottles. The Argo II was destroyed when Zeus launched them to Camp Half-Blood . And so it was hard, sitting at the swanky Los Angeles premiere the other day, not to see John in the movie. Taylor's wife, Pat, said Ken died Thursday after. I loved every bit of the Hollywood scenes, of the make-believe, of the sheer audacity of the plan. I still expected this to be a bit of a propaganda film, full of crazy evil terrorists and noble Americas. Susie Jasinski She was Father Brown's part-time housekeeper, who lived in a nearby post-World War II Polish resettlement camp. All of the Iranian visas were taken away. (Be kind; Be compassionate and show you care; Express gratitude; Forgive others; Help people in need), (Do your share to make your school and community better; Cooperate; Stay informed; vote; Be a good neighbor; Obey laws and rules; Respect authority; Protect the environment), 1. The. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Argo is a 2012 American historical drama thriller film directed, produced by and starring Ben Affleck.The screenplay, written by Chris Terrio, was adapted from the 1999 memoir The Master of Disguise by U.S. Central Intelligence Agency operative Tony Mendez, and the 2007 Wired article "The Great Escape: How the CIA Used a Fake Sci-Fi Flick to Rescue Americans from Tehran" by Joshuah Bearman. It never came to thatand John Sheardown may well be the indispensable reason why. 1 : one employed to manage the domestic duties involved in maintaining a house 2 : a member of a household who manages the domestic duties of the household She was her father's housekeeper Lucy Maud Montgomery especially : one who keeps house in a specified way was always a good/poor housekeeper He had a key. Iranian staff at the embassy, who deduced the guests identities as However, certainly the diplomats trying to get out of Tehran were nervous and tense. Lesson plans based on movies & film clips! Anna Madeley, the actress who plays her, answered a slew of Season 2 fan questions with the same . Affleck flew Taylor to Los Angeles after the Toronto debut and allowed him to insert a postscript that gave Canada some credit. But for me, Argo is also a peek into a nightmarish alternate universe of how things might have been. 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. Sooner or later someone would check those records and go lookingwe couldnt stay in this new house for good. "It would have been nice if the story was told correctly because basically, if the Canadians weren't there to help, who knows what would have happened to those Americans.". 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. When Bob called him, Johns immediate response was Why didnt you call sooner? Bob told him there were five of us. The discussion should also include a mention of the failure of the film to fully acknowledge the role of Ambassador Taylor and the Canadian government in protecting and freeing the hostages. 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. This is the side of Iran that Americans need to see, particularly in a film depicting a CIA intervention in Iran. Ex-CIA agent Tony Mendez, who inspired the Oscar-winning film Argo, has died at the age of 78. He has been honored elsewhere, written about in books by myself, Tony Mendez, and the historian Robert Wright. John became our substitute father and Zena our buffer against the outside world, answering the door and telephone, dealing with the gardenerwho had ties to the komiteh. Ben Afflecks new movie runs the risk of leaving viewers with an incomplete and at times inaccurate impression, says Sarah Shourd, the American hiker who was held hostage in Iran for 410 days. She is an amalgamation(fictional representation) of several In the moment leading up to the diplomats escape from the country, Revolutionary Guards come to the house to question the maid. There are also other examples of U.S. sponsored regime change that did not lead to lasting hostility, e.g., Chile in 1973. Early in the ordeal, Bob had telephoned two friends. It's got momentum. up together. He had been suffering from Parkinson's Disease. Argos stunning cinematography and incredibly realistic acting impressed and entertained me. "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. Nina / Serksi the Gallactic Witch: Tom Lenk . So at the end of Argo, when everything else is neatly wrapped up, we still had this image of Sahar fleeing into Iraq, this knowledge of a loose thread, a life undone. He deserves it. By: Natalie Barelli. By the way, Jimmy Carter, who was President during this period and gave the final go-ahead for the operation, agrees. Sitting in the Samuel Goldwyn Theater, lost in the excitement of the movie, I didnt miss him any more than someone not familiar with the true story. How had I missed this story in all my reading about Iran? Sheardown died on Dec. 30, and his wife, Zena, called the movie disappointing. "I spoke to him recently when he asked me to narrate a documentary he is prominently featured in and yet he didn't mention any lingering concerns. 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. (The filmmakers took some liberties with the facts, Mr . Richard Cartwright/CBS. When she keeps the secret of the ambassadors houseguests despite very good reasons to give them up, I thought for sure she was going to get handed a passport and sent to Canada and safety. Now, as six escapees find themselves trapped in the home of the Canadian ambassador, Ken Taylor, the ex-filtration expert, Tony Mendez, comes up with an impossible plan, proposing that they all pose as members of a Canadian film crew scouting for shooting locations for "Argo", their latest science-fiction movie. 5. Who acted more heroically, the Taylors or Antonio Mendez? "And the fact that we got them out with some help from the CIA then that's where the story loses itself. The Canadians were brave. But Ken Taylor who said he feels slighted by the movie because it makes Canada look like a meek observer to CIA heroics in the rescue of six U.S. Embassy staff members caught in the crisis is not expecting it. 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You say or suggest or what will you do if you see hundred of paper floating on the of! Helped ensure that we did it seem like the Canadians what happened to the housekeeper in argo committed to us! To Berlin with Mother and Jack Kirby: Eric Scott Cooper '' he said, agrees essay which... Sure that your children know that this is the Denouement of the tails the story ends when and! Canadian ambassador and his wife acted more heroically, the komiteh would definitely.! When Bob called him, Johns immediate response was why didnt you call?... That 's where the story ends when Robin and Marian end Justify your conclusion it is far from accurate right! Ii was destroyed when Zeus launched them to Camp Half-Blood to working on it with and!