Argo: Iran and Film Essay

Submitted By coolkidz123
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Pages: 4

Evaluating Historical accuracy on the film Argo In the film Argo, Directed by Ben Affleck, many of the scenes and conversations in the film are not historically accurate. Throughout the entire film the characters play specific parts to make the film seem as real as what actually happened in Tehran during the 1979 hostage crisis. People today are writing articles of what may have been left out of the movie and put fake facts of something that never happened. People questioned “The reason things went much smoother in real life?” (1).This was a conflict between historians when the film Argo was created. The film was basically as accurate as what happened in Iran, but the historians who know the real facts feel as if they left many true events out. They also say they put scenes and objects into the film that are not historically accurate. Also somethings in the film happened in history during that time period but they exaggerated changed some of the parts around. For the most part people say it is historically accurate to get the point and importance across to the viewers and show them this unfortunate event did happen. Many of the viewers of the film may not know some of the scenes in the movie are not true until they read upon the actual history. Argo was very accurate to show the country what happened in Iran with the six Americans, but did not have everything historically correct. Argo had many parts of the story that were accurate. Such as when Mendez says that when the plane crossed out of Iranian airspace, the Americans did break into cheers (10). The movie had left out the other passengers on the plane were cheering as well, not only the Americans. They were happy to be out of Tehran as well(10). Also in David Haglund’s article, all the obstacles Argo throws at Affleck’s CIA agent (Tony Mendez) and the six endangered American embassy escapees during the third act were made up(1). Other scenes that were fiction and did not happen was when Iranian guards speed along the runway next to the plane carrying the escaping diplomats, threatening to stop it from taking off (6). Canada's role in giving refuge to the diplomats in Tehran, and securing their safe passage out of Iran, is very underplayed. The mission is seen as largely the work of CIA agent Tony Mendez, played by Affleck. The Canadians helped more in the real life situation. They also helped getting the plane tickets and passports. The film Argo did not show how useful they actually were (6). Also when the film first came out it was awarded and Tom O’Neil, head of film-awards recalls, "He admitted there was no final car chase, no last-minute tension at the airport.” (7) Many people say many of the important facts were left out and many were made up scenes. The film will always