Argo 2012

In the early 20th century, Persia underwent a transformation as democracy took hold, with a reformist prime minister nationalizing Iran’s oil assets and distributing the wealth among its people. However, this era of change was short-lived, as the CIA orchestrated a coup, installing the opulently extravagant Shah of Iran in power. The monarch’s wife would indulge in extravagances such as bathing in milk, while his lunchtime meals would be flown in from Paris via Concorde. As the years passed, the people of Iran grew increasingly disillusioned with the Shah’s wasteful regime.

The tide turned in 1979, when a popular uprising led to the deposition of the Shah and the takeover by the Iranian religious leader Ayatollah Khamenei, who had recently returned from exile. In response to the United States’ decision to shelter the deposed Shah, militants stormed the American embassy in Tehran on November 4, taking more than 50 staff members hostage. Six escapees, however, managed to evade capture and sought refuge in the home of Canadian Ambassador Ken Taylor (Victor Garber).

As the US State Department struggled to devise a plan for extracting the escapees from Iran, Tony Mendez (Ben Affleck), a CIA exfiltration specialist, was brought in to consult. Initially stumped, Mendez found inspiration in an unlikely source - his son’s enthusiasm for the sci-fi film Battle for the Planet of the Apes. This sparked the idea for a cover story, where the escapees would be posed as Canadian filmmakers scouting exotic locations in Iran for a similar science fantasy film.

Mendez and his supervisor Jack O’Donnell (Bryan Cranston) enlisted the expertise of Hollywood makeup artist John Chambers (John Goodman), who had previously worked with the CIA on disguise projects. Together, they established contact with film producer Lester Siegel (Alan Arkin), setting up a fictional film studio and publicizing their plans to develop “Argo,” a science fantasy film in the style of Star Wars. As the escapees grew increasingly anxious inside the ambassador’s residence, revolutionaries reassembled shredded embassy documents, revealing that some personnel had managed to slip away unnoticed.

As Mendez (Ben Affleck) assumes the role of a producer for Argo, he infiltrates Iran, where he meets with the six escapees, a group of individuals who have been living in hiding. With his expertise, Mendez provides them with authentic Canadian passports and fake identities, allowing them to blend in seamlessly with the crowd as they prepare to make their daring escape. Despite initial reservations about trusting Mendez’s intricate plan, the escapees are forced to put aside their fears and commit to the scheme, knowing that Mendez himself is putting his life on the line for their freedom.

As part of their cover story, Mendez takes them on a reconnaissance mission to the bustling bazaar, but things take a turn for the worse when they find themselves surrounded by hostile crowds. Fortunately, their Iranian culture contact intervenes and helps them slip away unnoticed. However, just as they think they’ve successfully avoided detection, Mendez is informed that the operation has been abruptly canceled due to concerns about conflicting with a planned military rescue of the remaining hostages.

Undeterred, Mendez pushes ahead, persuading O’Donnell (Bryan Cranston) to re-obtain authorization for the mission. As the clock ticks down, tension builds at the airport as the escapees’ flight reservations are confirmed mere moments before takeoff. Just as they’re about to board their Swissair flight, a frantic call from Hollywood studio is answered just in time, allowing them to maintain their cover.

As the group boards the plane, chaos erupts when Iranian guards realize what’s happening and frantically try to stop the aircraft from taking off. But Mendez and the six escapees have already outsmarted their captors, successfully leaving Iran behind. To protect the remaining hostages in Tehran from retaliation, all US involvement in the rescue is deliberately suppressed, allowing the Canadian government to take full credit for the operation.

In a poignant twist, the Canadian ambassador and his wife, who had been quietly working to free the American hostages, escape to Iraq under their own identities, accompanied by their loyal Iranian housekeeper, who had risked everything to keep them safe. Mendez himself is awarded the Intelligence Star for his bravery, but he’s forced to keep it classified until the details of the operation are declassified in 1997.

The film concludes with a powerful speech from President Jimmy Carter about the Crisis and the Canadian Caper, a testament to the incredible heroism and cunning that went into freeing the hostages on January 20, 1981.