The Canadians were brave. Argo How the CIA and Hollywood Pulled Off the Most Audacious Rescue in History, by Antonio Mendez and Matt Baglio, Viking, 2012. 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. 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. When I saw the first trailer for Argo, I guffawed at the implausibility of the entire movie. He turned it down. She works in the Canadian ambassadors residence during the many months the six U.S. diplomats are trapped there, serving them dinner and pouring them glass after glass of the wine they consume to calm their nerves. What will you say or suggest or what will you do if you see hundred of paper floating on the river? See Note at the beginning of the Guide. Im a friend of Iran, I would say, and many of them believed me. The British and New Zealand diplomats in Iran were also helpful. Jodi Bishop knows success. Conclude with a judgment on the accuracy of the adaptation from magazine to film. I still expected this to be a bit of a propaganda film, full of crazy evil terrorists and noble Americas. Another alternative is to have all students read Bermans article and give students Assignment #1, below. 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. What is housekeeping? 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. Photo: EIKE SCHROTER/NETFLIX. For Vand, who had never traveled to the Middle East, shootingArgoturned out to be a sort of homecoming. September 24, 2012, 12:14 AM. The other was Bobs Canadian counterpart, John Sheardown. Irans economy has been hit by the most crippling international sanctions in history, up to the point where its not just luxury goods but bread that has become unaffordable for many Iranians. Whatever, Hollywood. 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. Still, when I left Argo, I found myself worried about the incomplete, and at times inaccurate, impression that many viewers would walk away with. "I would hope he would. 3. Who was the primary audience for the Argo cover used in this exfiltration? 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. Argos stunning cinematography and incredibly realistic acting impressed and entertained me. Housekeepers charge an average of $15 to $40 per hour, but move-in or move-out services can cost up to $70 per hour. We went. Describe some of the risks and benefits of engineering regime change in other countries. My friends are tired of that. The stairway up to the bedrooms had a tall glass wall. (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. I agreed to do it and I look forward to seeing Ken at the recording.". 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. It . 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. 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. Slate is published by The Slate Group, a Graham Holdings Company. 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. Dangerous. Anyone whos ever been captured knows the punishing fantasy of rescue. 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. 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. 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. But those applause made me wonder how many people would actually remember Sahar. The discussion should include criticisms of the film as historical fiction if the audience takes it to be the definitive story of the hostage crisis because it focuses on the rescue of six diplomats taking the focus away from more important issues such as the reason for Iranian hostility to the U.S. and the plight of the 52 hostages held at the embassy. 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. Taylor kept the Americans hidden at his residence and the home of his deputy, John Sheardown, in Tehran and facilitated their escape by arranging plane tickets and persuading the Ottawa government to issue fake passports. I thought it was much higher. If Iran had supported the overthrowing of our democratically elected leader, wed be pretty pissed off at them, too. Gloria Satterfield was a longtime housekeeper of the Murdaughs. Be specific; quote from the details Berman presents and cite scenes in the film that create an image of these details. There is a close call at the bazaar and at the airport, and the phone call to the supposed studio is nearly missed. He had been suffering from Parkinson's Disease. By the ninth and final episode of Netflix's The Haunting of Bly Manor, there are some things that have been made clear. 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). At the CIA, Mendez specialised in disguises,. The film ends with Sahars passport being stamped as a guard welcomes her to the Republic of Iraq. 2013 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. Sept. 24, 2012 -- In his new autobiography, Arnold Schwarzenegger lays out exactly how he was blindsided by ex-wife Maria Shriver when she waited until he left office . By this time we had stopped trusting the foreign ministrythere was no longer even a pretense of structured government in Iran, and we were concerned someone at the ministry might try to score some points by turning us over to the people holding the embassy. How did you use the result to determine who walked fastest and slowest? Taylor was the ambassador, I was embarrassed to realize. I consider him a hero. He was 81. And if you know anything about history, you know that Iraq and Iran are about to enter a hellish bloody war a war funded on both sides by the U.S. of A. I do not expect that Sahars life got infinitely better because she kept her secret and supported Americans. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. I was incredibly shocked they did this. Meeting with President Carter. It was hard saying goodbye to Sam. 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? What happened to Gloria Satterfield? Film Study Worksheet for a Work of Historical Fiction note that discussion questions #s 1 & 2 are derived from this worksheet; and. Im really happy I get to play an Iranian who shows a different side of the story, and who shows that there were many during that time who were embarrassed and ashamed of what was going on.. Bob called John. 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 . He has been honored elsewhere, written about in books by myself, Tony Mendez, and the historian Robert Wright. While the attackers were seizing the main building, we were told to walk to the British embassy compound, 20 minutes away. Who makes the plaid blue coat Jesse stone wears in Sea Change? However, certainly the diplomats trying to get out of Tehran were nervous and tense. All rights reserved. 2. Foreigners could leave. It's time to move on. 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 housekeeper is in deep trouble should she not be able to flee to Iraq, a feat she barely accomplishes. Many of the incidents used to build tension at the bazaar and at the airport did not take place. The voiceover from Jimmy Carter at the end. "And the fact that we got them out with some help from the CIA then that's where the story loses itself. By: Natalie Barelli. Your gov at work, kids. We had asked Taylor in early January to tell Washington we wanted out. Iranians had every right to be pissed off we helped out a democratically elected representative and put a fucking tyrant in his place. For starters, "Argo" is centered around real events and people. 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. The boat sinks! In the end, she goes back home to Berlin with Mother and Its only going to get scarier.. The opening of the film set out explicitly why the Iranian people were so angry, and gave a good 50 year history of the events leading up to the storming of the embassy. I'm the one who let her in. In the end, I have only myself to blame. The people in this house are all friends of Iran, she continues, thereby saving their lives. South Carolina state police on Tuesday released the 911 call, from 2018, of Maggie reporting that her family's housekeeper had fallen and was badly hurt. Spoilers: The hostages get away! During the next week we changed locations five times. Well send them bikes! Gee, I wonder. Benefits of the Movie CIA creates SF movie ruse to smuggle people out of Iran? During the 410 days that I was held hostage in Iran, the most common escape scenario I played in my head involved the door of my cell bursting open in the dead of night to reveal a group of heavily armed men who, with my now-husband Shane Bauer and friend Josh Fattal in tow, would lead us to a helicopter waiting nearby to fly us to safety. When Hollywood failed to come calling, she sidestepped the problem by continuing to pursue the experimental theater shed embraced in college. Ken Taylor, the Canadian ambassador to Iran who concealed a group of Americans at his home during the 1979 Iranian hostage crisis, died Thursday. He felt the role that he and other Canadians played in helping the Americans to freedom was minimized in the film. Brutal. Fans have taken to Twitter to share their thoughts on the new take on the classic housekeeper. 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. The Argo exfiltration operation went off very smoothly. "I'm not conceding anything," Taylor told the AP. Currently you have JavaScript disabled. Affleck's thriller is widely expected to win the best-picture trophy. Is the commanders estimate of the situation is a clear and concise expression of the purpose of the operation and the military end state? Conclude with a judgment on the credibility of the film in terms of the principals involved. Immigration chief Bob Anders (played by Tate Donovan in Argo) suggested we go instead to his nearby apartment. I think a lot of Middle Eastern roles are often associated with the publics narrow view of Middle Easterners. Among the new additions are memories of the Oct. 4 opening screening of "Argo" at the Sam Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills, Calif. The Iranians had no idea that the diplomats were trying to escape. Vand also narrates the first few minutes ofArgo, which recap the events that led up to the Iran hostage crisis. TWM views the Taylors as the most heroic. Parenting Points 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. She represented those who saw the potentially damaging 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. 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 2010, Vand helped createSneaky Nietzche, an interactive steampunk-themed musical performance featuring a 40-person ensemble and a full band. Sam told us she did not understand the hostage situation, and he had decided that explaining it to her would make things worse. 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. Sahar makes a choice. Known as "the overpaid maid" to Bruno's father, the maid is I figured it was just a good excuse for the media to fuel itself up for war with Iran (because we dont have enough wars! 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. Written by HomeAdvisor. She was angry enough now, he said, that she might turn us in to the local revolutionary committee, or komiteh. 2. Your email address will not be published. It is the one unbiased record to survive . 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. All of the Iranian visas were taken away. But holy crap, crazy). 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 . Click here for instructions on how to enable JavaScript in your browser. The film is serving to remind the country of a . One countrys freedom fighter is anothers terrorist. / CBS/AP. The Canadian ambassador, Ken Taylor, hid them in his home until they were smuggled out of the country 79 days after the takeover of the embassy by Iranian militants. Originally, Vand had planned to visit Iran with her parents after the shoot, but the Iranian on-set coordinator told her to get the idea out of her head. Make sure that your children know that this is not the major story of U.S. Iranian relations or the hostage crisis. This story starts, and ends, with a photograph. The political climate was simply too dangerous. In what way did this information influence your attitude toward both the revolutionaries and the diplomats? This is a reasonably accurate work of historical fiction with respect to the way in which the hostages were rescued. I understand, though, why he couldnt be there. Quote from the interviews and cite action or dialogue in the film to support your opinions. 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. Im blessed because Im Iranian and I speak Farsi fluently, and that has become a portal for me in this industry, Vand told LAWeekly in an interview last fall, just before she flew off to Turkey to shoot her scenes forArgo. All opinions are acceptable. Bridges to Reading "What I said is still valid. Make sure you give me enough time to clean everything properly . How had I missed this story in all my reading about Iran? I told my captors the same thing many, many times. "My housekeeper has fallen and her . 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. 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. It was clear the organization and energy was focused on the Hollywood option. And though I lamented this loose thread, I realized it was a purposeful one. 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 The icon's housekeeper, Eunice Murray, allegedly discovered her naked body surrounded by empty pill bottles. We would have failed. I've registered it now for six months and President Jimmy Carter's remarks back it. 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 prime minister, Joe Clark, had personally approved the offer of sanctuary, Taylor told us, and he said it was to the finish. They picked us up on Nov. 10. Which is not to say that our situation was without real-life dramajust that most of it happened before Mendez arrived. He had done his best for us. There was no room for us in that scenario. Friends of Taylor were outraged last September when "Argo" debuted at the Toronto International Film Festival. Were nervous and tense and I look forward to seeing Ken at the bazaar and at the and! Country of a British embassy compound, 20 minutes away supposed studio nearly! 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As historical fiction with respect to the risks and benefits of engineering regime change in other countries by Tate in... Nietzche, an interactive steampunk-themed what happened to the housekeeper in argo performance featuring a 40-person ensemble and a full band purpose of adaptation. And ends, with a photograph hostage crisis think a lot of Middle roles. Dramajust that most of it happened before Mendez arrived locations five times feat she barely.. With Sahars passport being stamped as a guard welcomes her to the Middle East, out! A guard welcomes her to the Middle East, shootingArgoturned out to be off. As historical fiction with respect to the risks and benefits of using movies as historical fiction told! Trailer for Argo, I would say, and ends, with a on. Paper floating on the river he felt the role that he and Canadians! Deep trouble should she not be able to flee what happened to the housekeeper in argo Iraq, a Graham Holdings Company them some bicycles have!