Argo (page 2)

poppers

I liked it too, but I'm not sure about the chase scene either. I had seen a reenactment of this movie with the participation of the principal CIA agent responsible coming up with the idea and with the actual embasy personnel who he smuggled out. None of them mentioned any chase scene at the airport. What they did say was there were a couple of high tension moments at the airport. One of them was when an Iranian official responsible for checking one of the documents excused himself and disappeared for a number of minutes. It was feared that they would be discovered because of a lack of record for their entry into Iran. When he returned he had a cup of tea that he had prepared for himself. The other was later when there was a one hour delay announced for the flight because of an issue with their jet and they had to sit there fearing the worse. The delay ended and they boarded without further incident.

TD

I liked it too, but I'm not sure about the chase scene either.

And even if it did happen, a 747 (It was actually a DC-8) is tipped back on its landing gear on takeoff at 160 - 180 The vehicles would not have been abreast of it at that point, especially the Unimog, which had a top speed of about 60.

new22day

@Phizzy - Argo was portrayed as a historical account. Real story = just as entertaining, much more dramatic and contains all the same elements. Sci-fi screenplay and fake film crew cover - Canadian plan. Producing fake Canadian passports, and hiding American hostages for months in the Canadian embassy was a risk for Canada and their own relations with Iran.

Exact same story but a very different hero. No need to distort the facts.

Canadian Ambassador deserved to be acknowledged for the risk he took. Shame on Ben Affleck. At least President Carter told the truth - LOL.

TD

Sci-fi screenplay and fake film crew cover - Canadian plan.

Are you sure you're not reading too much into a minute and a half interview? Antonio Mendez does describe that in his book and he is also interviewed after the credits in the movie

poppers

Another thing about the airport scene. Had the Revolutionary Guard known the Americans were on board all they would have had to do was to get air traffic control to call the plane back to the terminal before takeoff. If they took off instead the Iranian Air Force would have intercepted the plane and forced it to land.

new22day

I didn't watch the credits or what came after (who does? lol). But anyway I accept the points given regarding the entertainment industry and I am now off my soap box. Most Canadians are quite fond of our colourful friends to the South but it would be nice to see credit given where it's due. All that said the movie itself was well done.

Satanus

Here's a bit of true trivia, this about the name of the movie in the movie.

'After Chambers showed Mendez the Lord of Light script, Mendez decided it needed a new name. He suggested “Argo” because it was part of his favorite knock-knock joke. “Who’s there?” “Argo.” “Argo who?” “Argo fuck yourself.” This last phrase is given a different origin story in Argo and becomes a very funny running gag. '

S:)

Satanus

Here is the gist of the differences between the movie and what really happened. If you don't want a spoiler, you might want to skip this.

'Jimmy Carter, the American President at the time of the hostage crisis, echoed Harris’s viewpoint. While receiving an honorary degree at Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario, Carter took issue with the film. In his acceptance speech, Carter said, "I saw the movie Argo recently. 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."

Historical errors

So, what really did happen in the historical sense – and what did the movie, Argo, simply invent? A warning – if you haven’t seen the film yet and don’t want to spoil your viewing of Affleck’s version of history, skip the next few paragraphs and go directly to "Resume reading here."

While Ambassador Taylor is depicted as taking in all six of the American escapees, it was John Sheardown, another Canadian Consular Official, and his wife, Zena, who took in four of them. Ambassador Taylor housed the other two.
The six Americans did not object to the plan of posing as a Canadian film crew scouting locations for a movie. In fact, they favored that option over two others presented to them.
The group of six never ventured into the Iranian bazaar as a dress rehearsal of their fake identities. In fact, Mark Lijek, one of the Americans exfiltrated from Iran said in an with W5’s Victor Malarek, "It would have been suicidal to go to the Bazaar at that point."
The character of Lester Siegel, played by Alan Arkin, while one of the most entertaining characters in the movie, was a composite of several people. There was a real-life producer named Lester Siegal, but he had nothing to do with this episode of Canadian and American history.
The confrontation with Iranian officials at the airport in Tehran never happened. Apart from a short delay in boarding the plane, neither the six American escapees, nor Tony Mendez were questioned or detained at the airport.
The climactic and nail-biting car chase by armed Iranians pursuing the jetliner lifting the Americans to freedom never happened. They lifted off without a hitch.

poppers

Thank you, Satanus. What you listed is supported by the documentary that I had seen.

TD

Yes, thanks Satanus

Argo

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