It’s been 14 years since Argo was released in theaters, and it’s still among the most acclaimed political thrillers. The Ben Affleck-directed movie dramatizes the real-life CIA operation known as Canadian Caper.
It was a covert mission where six American diplomats had to be rescued from Tehran during the 1979-81 Iran hostage crisis. The movie details how the CIA used a fake sci-fi movie production as a cover story to extract diplomats.
TitleArgo DirectorBen AffleckCastBen Affleck, Bryan Cranston, Alan Arkin, John Goodman Rotten Tomatoes (Tomatometer | Pocornmeter) – as of March 196% | 90% Release DateOctober 12, 2012 (USA)
So, let’s look at other details behind the actual story, whether or not Argo is a faithful recreation of the events, and how they tie into today’s conflict between Iran and the USA.
Mark Lijek on the True Story of Canadian Caper in Argo
Former diplomat Mark Lijek is one of the six Americans who were rescued during the Canadian Caper, and he openly discussed the real events that shaped Ben Affleck’s film, Argo. According to Lijek, the embassy takeover scenes were emotionally accurate (via BBC).
It was almost the first time I’d thought deeply about what it must have been like for the 50 or so Americans in the main building. Those scenes were quite difficult to watch.
The American diplomats sought help from the Canadian Embassy, and the Canadian government hid the six diplomats at the Canadian Embassy for weeks. They were given Canadian passports, trained to pose as a Hollywood film crew, and a fake sci-fi movie called Argo was their cover (via Britannica).
They pretended to do location scouting, and what saved them was Canadians, the CIA’s disguise, and fake identities. On January 27, 1980, they boarded a flight from Tehran to Frankfurt and escaped Iran.
Ben Affleck’s Argo Takes Creative Liberties to Build Tension
Ben Affleck in Argo | Credits: Warner Bros. Pictures
Ben Affleck made several creative distortions of the true story, increasing the film’s tension, and the most obvious was the constant danger inside the Canadian ambassador’s home. As per real accounts, there were only long periods of boredom and waiting rather than non-stop fear.
The fictional housekeeper who gets suspicious is another invented element, and is more of a composite character than an actual individual. Also, they never tested the fake scouting premise in public; it was only shown to reinforce the brilliant absurdity of the CIA’s plan.
In Argo’s airport climax, the revolutionary guards chase the plane, and their cover is almost blown. But none of this happened, and Iranian officials barely examined any documents, so there were no pursuits, and the flight took off without incident.
How Argo’s Hostage Crisis Connects to Today’s US-Iran War
Ben Affleck in Argo | Credits: Warner Bros. Pictures
The 1979 embassy seizure and hostage crisis ended any diplomatic relations between the two countries. The Iranian Revolution saw the United States as a symbol of foreign interference, and it will continue to do so after the current events.
The United States and Israel have launched a military attack on Iran, and so far, their leader, Ali Khamenei, has been killed, along with dozens of senior Iranian officials (via BBC). The US framed Iran as a threat to justify the high-tech air war of airstrikes, missiles, drones, and more.
In that sense, Argo isn’t just a film about the past, but a conflict that never truly ended. So, what are your thoughts on the movie after learning about its history and the current crisis?
Argo is available to rent and purchase on Prime Video (USA).
This post belongs to FandomWire and first appeared on FandomWire
