Readers over 50 may
clearly remember the events of November 4, 1979 when Iranian militants overran
the US embassy in Tehran taking hostage all who were inside. But we likely do
not remember the life-or-death, CIA-led operation to rescue the six Americans
who walked out of that embassy minutes before it was taken. We don’t remember
that part because it was never told to us (until now)… and we probably would
not have believed their story if it had been.
Indeed, Argo’s tale of how CIA agent Tony Mendez
(played by Ben Affleck who also directs) managed to extract six US embassy
workers out of revolutionary Iran is so outrageous that it could not have
really happened. But it did. And it’s that fact - that the film is chronicling
a real event – along with superb execution, that gives the film’s fairly standard
caper story line an intensity edge and special feel.
During the frantic take over of the U.S Embassy, amidst the record shedding, frantic phone calls, and fear and panic, six staffers leave the building to a side street and just walk away. Initially, Iranian
revolutionaries are unaware of their escape to the home of the Canadian Ambassador, but it's only a matter of time before they are discovered unless they are evacuated. Back in D.C., Agent Mendez is brought into upper-level intelligence
strategy sessions to consult on rescue approaches for the six. Unimpressed with
the plans being considered to get the Americans out, Mendez puts forth his own proposal
– inspired by watching “Battle for the Planet of the Apes” with his son the
night before. The cover story would be that he and the six are part of a movie
production crew scouting locations for a sci-fi movie called “Argo” (for you true Sci-Fi fans the script selected for the cover story was originally titled Lord of
Light, based on the book of the same
name by Roger Zelazny – the CIA renamed it Argo). Mendez would get in and set
up the cover, train the six in their new identities, then walk the crew through
the airport and get on a plane home... ridiculous right? Everyone agrees that all possible options are bad but that this idea is as crazy as it sounds:
CIA Bosses: "You don't have a better bad
idea?"
Agent Mendez: “This is the best bad idea we have, sir”
The script sets up the story in two parts and Affleck deftly
transitions from one, the comedy of developing the ridiculous cover story, to
the other, the tension of its execution in Iran. Mendez needs to make the cover
as real as possible and enlists the assistance of make-up pioneer John Chambers
(there’s the Planet of the Apes connection), played by John Goodman. Alan Arkin plays a cantankerous producer, Lester Siegel, whom
Mendez and Chambers convince to join the charade as the “big name” behind the
film. Goodman and Arkin are both outstanding in these supporting roles. Oddly,
Arkin’s Siegel may be the most memorable and interesting character in the film
yet the only main character that is fictional. Arkin captures a particularly
poignant moment that seems to set the tone for the transition between comedy
and tension when, about to turn down the offer from Mendez, he sees a newscast
of a blindfolded hostage on a small TV in the meeting room. The magnitude and
humanity of the situation becomes real and heavy in that moment compelling him
to help regardless of the likelihood that it will be a completely wasted effort.
Argo is a very good movie;
nominated for seven academy awards and winning 3 including Best Picture. It is an
unsensational portrayal, relying on the narrative of the event to hold
attention and evoke emotion. It is difficult to resist getting caught up in the
skillful presentation and current of the story. Despite the fact that you
already know (maybe) how the event ends, there is great tension and I found
myself egging the six on… verbally, out-loud to the screen… it’s that well done.
Since these reviews are sort of a series of Oscar Best Picture critiques, I
can’t help but compare it to those previously reviewed here. So here goes… Argo is good but Lincoln is the better. But Argo is still a must see and gets and 8 out of 10.
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