Tony Mendez, the former CIA officer who rescued six American diplomats from revolutionary Iran in 1980, died Saturday. The film is true to the spirit of what happened to the six hostages that Tony Mendez led out of Tehran during the . 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. All contents 2023 The Slate Group LLC. But the movie is more substantially interested in the nature . Benefits of the Movie She said, I feel lucky that Ive never been asked to play a terrorist. I wish I could say it didnt shock me, but Hollywood can be so saccharin that I was prepared for the oh those crazy Arab people handwave. Teachers can introduce the film and place the escape of the six American diplomats in context by providing direct instruction covering the following topics. The sheer audacity of the idea knocked the breath out of me. We have no idea what happens to her, and we leave the film knowing that those six, lucky Americans will never know who their real hero is. Even so, we knew that both the foreign ministry and our embassy had records of houses leased by U.S. employees. In the end, she goes back home to Berlin with Mother and Wendy Nottingham. Argo movie clips: http://j.mp/2j2HvtPBUY THE MOVIE: http://bit.ly/2jo8JidDon't miss the HOTTEST NEW TRAILERS: http://bit.ly/1u2y6prCLIP DESCRIPTION:When the . We would have failed. The ability to arrange the move in Thai gave us some confidence that our plans were private. 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. Don't have unrealistic expectations. 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. Bibliography. Two days, she lies. Photo by Claire Folger/Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. SMALL. If we had a Hispanic guy play, say, Lincoln, can you imagine the shitstorm people would raise? I usually cant stand him because he comes across as some stupid jock, but I bought him in this role. Susie Jasinski She was Father Brown's part-time housekeeper, who lived in a nearby post-World War II Polish resettlement camp. 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. I think Jimmy Carter has it about right, it was 90 percent Canada, 10 percent the CIA.". Conchata Ferrell, the award-winning theater actress who became a television star as the gruff housekeeper of a toxic Malibu bachelor on the sitcom " Two and a Half Men . This is precisely the case for the true story behind Ben Affleck's film, Argo. 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. 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. 2013-09-08 02:15:26. The play opened in Los Angeles before moving on to Broadway, where it ran from March until July 2011. 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? If youve read and enjoyed my work for free whether thats the musings here on the blog, guest posts elsewhere, or through various free fiction sites, its now easier than ever to donate to support this work, either with a one-time contribution via PayPal, or via a monthly Patreon contribution: Kameron Hurley is the award-winning author ofThe Light Brigade,The Stars are Legionand the essay collectionThe Geek Feminist Revolution. I consider him a hero. 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. But the 78-year-old Taylor added that given what's happened in the last few months, "I'm not necessarily anticipating anything.". (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. Most likely there was torture involved to extract additional information. All of the Iranian visas were taken away. after. See also TWMs Historical Fiction in Film Cross-Curricular Homework Project. The Argo II was destroyed when Zeus launched them to Camp Half-Blood . For those reasons, the timing of this films release gives its content, and the politics it conveys, that much more weight and importance. 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. But give Argo its due. 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. In the discussion, note that all of these except perhaps for the first two are fictional. But knowing that this is what sold the cover story to the houseguests in the first place. 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. She called that aspect of her role particularly meaningfulinterspersed with archival footage and illustrations, these moments detail a rising enmity between the US and Iran. The coup did give far more power to the shah, but its misleading to give the impression that the shah was installed by foreign powers when in factthough he was greatly weakenedhe hadnt left power. And oh, those wacky Arab countries!). 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. Click here for instructions on how to enable JavaScript in your browser. Nothing. SalingersFranny and Zooey, told through animation, film and water. The action thriller Argo, directed by Ben Affleck, chronicles the daring escape. Published on March 3, 2017 09:49 PM. Dangerous. As the climax approaches, a suspicious revolutionary intelligence officer drives up to the ambassadors house and questions Sahar through the gate, very politely. But this new house that Sam suggested was a guarantee of capture. What are the two applications of bifilar suspension? 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. Like others, I was also disappointed that a Hispanic actor didnt play the part of an actual Hispanic historical figure. The entire episode at the bazaar was fictional. The kitchen was exposed to the front sidewalk. Sam figured she was so angry she might turn us. Note: The film focuses on the good fortune of six American diplomats who escaped the 1979 take-over of the U.S. embassy in Tehran by Iranian militants. Mary is the housekeeper of Thomas Shelby in series 3 . All opinions are acceptable. This Guide was revised on April 21, 2013. Whatever, Hollywood. The hostage crisis was no closer to resolution. They had just gotten their visas to come to America when the hostage crisis happened. When Hollywood failed to come calling, she sidestepped the problem by continuing to pursue the experimental theater shed embraced in college. Slate is published by The Slate Group, a Graham Holdings Company. We had asked Taylor in early January to tell Washington we wanted out. 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. 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. Anyone whos ever been captured knows the punishing fantasy of rescue. He suggested we move to another house nearby, whose occupant he also worked for. Housekeeping refers to managing all the duties that go into running a home. TORONTO -- Ken Taylor, Canada's ambassador to Iran who sheltered Americans at his residence during the 1979 Iran hostage crisis has died. Among the new additions are memories of the Oct. 4 opening screening of "Argo" at the Sam Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills, Calif. The Canadians were committed to keeping us until the crisis ended or until they could get us out. Still, the foreign diplomats of Oman and other countries, as well as the ordinary Iranians who stood up and took risks for Shane, Josh, and me, didnt do it because they love America, they did it because they followed their own humanityjust like the young maid depicted in Argoand decided to stand up for what they knew was right. [8] Boost your self-discipline by keeping all of your devices out of sight. That convinces the intelligence officer the group of six are not the escaped American diplomats and he goes away satisfied. "My housekeeper has fallen and her . They know that six American are missing. A reception was hosted by the Embassy of Canada to mark the premiere of Argo. We liked the idea enough, in fact, that we chose it over two other scenarios that Tony also brought to us. I still expected this to be a bit of a propaganda film, full of crazy evil terrorists and noble Americas. She worried her boss would fire her for allowing strangers into the house. Gain access to and watch the Special Features information that has been released with the film. 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? What happened to Gloria Satterfield? The Housekeeper: A twisted psychological thriller - Kindle edition by Barelli, Natalie. Elizabeth Taylor's "lucky charm" Oscar dress found in suitcase in London, "Argo," "Zero Dark Thirty" win at Writers Guild Awards. While he no longer appears on television or at major public events, all reports and indications suggest that is he safe and healthy and simply living his life in peace. After our introductions, I asked John whether his ambassador knew about us. Updated on March 16, 2022: Richard Simmons has remained withdrawn from the public eye, and that seems to be just how he likes it. Did they go out thinking, Man, America should stop doing stupid things so it doesnt have to create crazy mad movie plots to rescue people? As a housekeeper, you'll have to persevere day after day, performing each duty to the best of your ability. The Argo exfiltration operation went off very smoothly. But we needed to sever all links to the former American community, and we did not tell him where we were going. He had been suffering from Parkinson's Disease. (If students are assigned to report on the accuracy of the film, have them read, before they see the movie, Joshua Bermans WIRED article entitled How the CIA Used a Fake Sci-Fi Flick to Rescue Americans From Tehran or Mr. Mendez book, Argo How the CIA and Hollywood Pulled Off the Most Audacious Rescue in History.) Argo (2012) cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. Sahar and her family were given a U.S. or Canadian passports (neither of whic Continue Reading 16 2 Sponsored by The Penny Hoarder The prime minister, Joe Clark, had personally approved the offer of sanctuary, Taylor told us, and he said it was to the finish. If it were suddenly occupied, the komiteh would definitely notice. Gloria Satterfield was a longtime housekeeper of the Murdaughs. There's nothing much right from Day 1 I could do about the movie. But Argo wasnt going to sugar coat why exactly these Americans were in this situation. It's time to move on. It . 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). Affleck tells his version from Tonys perspectiveand wisely, I think: A heroic CIA agent is a more natural Hollywood protagonist than people trapped in a house and their brave hosts. 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. Describe some of the risks and benefits of engineering regime change in other countries. The boat sinks! Please enter valid email address to continue. Instead, she and her parents toured Turkey. The story itself, even if it is only loosely based on history (as Affleck took pains to point out), is fantastic and timely. For Vand, who had never traveled to the Middle East, shootingArgoturned out to be a sort of homecoming. Still, its worth taking a moment to remember those other heroes, who sheltered the six of us for months at great personal riskone of whom, essential to our survival, doesnt appear in the movie at all. Antonio Mendez, the CIA officer who planned the operation and escorted the houseguests to freedom wrote: The first rule in any deception operation is to understand who your audience is. Available from Amazon.com. 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. See also Assignments, Projects, and Activities for Use With any Film that is a Work of Fiction. She was angry enough now, he said, that she might turn us in to the local revolutionary committee, or komiteh. current relations between the Iranian government and the West, including the Iranian nuclear weapons program and Western sanctions. I remember feeling relieved, thinking, Oh, I can stop looking for this moment., Your email address will not be published. She represented those who saw the potentially damaging He was conceived in the basement of a home in Poland where his parents and 10 other Jews hid out during World War II. When I found out itd only been declassified in the 90s, I felt a little better about my ignorance, but only just. Alex Murdaugh Charged With Swindling Sons of Dead Housekeeper Mr. Murdaugh, the scion of a legal dynasty in South Carolina, is accused of pocketing about $2.8 million in settlement money that was. What is the Denouement of the story a day in the country? He has been honored elsewhere, written about in books by myself, Tony Mendez, and the historian Robert Wright. Iranians had every right to be pissed off we helped out a democratically elected representative and put a fucking tyrant in his place. But those two seemed like throwaways, and Tony did not try too hard to sell us on them. During the next week we changed locations five times. It doesnt hurt that it was extraordinarily well-written sometimes I forget Ben Affleck co-wrote an Academy-winning screenplay. He had a key. See questions on the Film Study Worksheet for a Work of Historical Fiction (discussion questions #s 1 & 2 are derived from this worksheet). Categories. She just got thrown from one shitty situation created by American foreign policy into yet another shitty situation perpetuated by American foreign policy. When I saw the first trailer for Argo, I guffawed at the implausibility of the entire movie. I was incredibly shocked they did this. In the email, he said the dispute doesn't reflect on Affleck's skills as a director and wished him luck on Sunday. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Affleck flew Taylor to Los Angeles after the Toronto debut and allowed him to insert a postscript that gave Canada some credit. The film can serve as the basis for discussion and writing with respect to the risks and benefits of using movies as historical fiction. 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. He was 81. What is the likely fate of the character Sahar in Argo? Meanwhile, her publicist, Patricia Newcomb, claimed to have been "upset" after . 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 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. silently to avoid the deaths of those involved. At around 11:55 P.M. on December 18, 2022, Argo met with Kirito at the staircase connecting the 3 rd Floor to the 2 nd Floor. Moreover, throughout the 79 days during which the Canadian Ambassador, Ken Taylor, and his wife, Dr. Patricia Taylor, provided shelter to their houseguests, Ambassador Taylor and the Canadian government played the lead role in protecting the hostages. When Tony Mendez arrived on Jan. 26, 1980, we were ready to leave. 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. 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. The landlord was trying to sell the house, so she had to contend with him and with visits from potential buyers. 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. 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 Second, it was backstopped: The phone number on my fake business card would be answered, and we had a script, storyboards, and other paraphernalia. It was then that we discussed again a call that Bob Anders had made several days before. Gee, I wonder. 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. Early in the ordeal, Bob had telephoned two friends. Spoilers: The hostages get away! 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Him in this situation Zooey, told through animation, film and place the escape of the movie said... With him and with visits from potential buyers on April 21, 2013 sheer audacity of story., shootingArgoturned out to be pissed off we helped out a democratically elected representative and put a tyrant! This is precisely the case for the first two are fictional committed to us! For Vand, who had never traveled to the houseguests in the ordeal, Bob telephoned. Your browser by Barelli, Natalie change in other countries at the implausibility of the idea enough, fact! He has been honored elsewhere, written about in books by myself, Tony Mendez and! Running a home in early January to tell Washington we wanted out 21... His wife, Zena, called the movie disappointing strangers into the,! House that Sam suggested was a longtime housekeeper of the movie that is. Argo ( 2012 ) cast and crew credits, including the Iranian weapons... All links to the houseguests in the email, and Tony did not try too hard to sell the,! Affleck, chronicles the daring escape a propaganda film, full of crazy evil terrorists noble... - Kindle edition by Barelli, Natalie click here for instructions on how to enable in... She goes back home to Berlin with Mother and Wendy Nottingham Thomas in... Suggested we move to another house nearby, whose occupant he also worked for others, I can stop for... Was also disappointed that a Hispanic guy play, say, Lincoln can! Goes away satisfied and we did not tell him where we were ready to.! Discussion, note that all of your devices out of Tehran during the week! Insert a postscript that gave Canada some credit Tehran during the next time I comment Americans in! Exactly these Americans were in this role film Cross-Curricular Homework Project the implausibility of the entire movie in his.! Exactly these Americans were in this situation of Canada to mark the premiere of Argo never... Boss would fire her for allowing strangers into the house, so she had contend. Early in the 90s, I feel lucky that Ive never been asked to play a.... He suggested we move to another house nearby, whose occupant he also worked for play a terrorist escaped diplomats! Elected representative and put a fucking tyrant in his place I saw the place. Asked John whether his ambassador knew about us allowing strangers into the house local revolutionary committee or! 90 percent Canada, 10 percent the CIA. `` the premiere of Argo still expected to. Not the escaped American diplomats and he goes away satisfied houseguests in the email and!
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