Argo is based on the "Canadian Caper" that took place during the Iran hostage crisis in 1979 and 1980. Chris Terrio wrote the screenplay based on Joshuah Bearman's 2007 article "How the CIA Used a Fake Sci-Fi Flick to Rescue Americans from Tehran," which was published in Wired.
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Awards and Nominations
Oscars 3 awards / 7 nominations Golden Globes 2 awards / 5 nominations BAFTA Awards 3 awards / 6 nominations César Awards 1 award SAG Awards 1 award / 2 nominations Critics Choice Awards 2 awards / 7 nominations Golden Eagle Awards 1 nomination Saturn Awards 1 nomination MTV Awards 1 nomination Toronto 1 nomination
Soundtrack
Argo (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
Different stars
- 1 Александр ДесплаArgo 3:38
- 2 Александр ДесплаA Spy In Tehran 4:18
- 3 Александр ДесплаScent of Death 3:26
- 4 Александр ДесплаThe Mission 2:08
- 5 Александр ДесплаHotel Messages 2:04
- 6 Александр ДесплаHeld Up By Guards 5:32
- 7 Александр ДесплаThe Business Card 2:56
- 8 Александр ДесплаBreaking Through the Gates 3:51
- 9 Александр ДесплаTony Grills the Six 3:30
- 10 Александр ДесплаThe Six Are Missing 3:22
- 11 Александр ДесплаSweatshop 1:32
- 12 Александр ДесплаDrive to the Airport 3:45
- 13 Александр ДесплаMissing Home 3:00
- 14 Александр ДесплаIstanbul: The Blue Mosque 2:18
- 15 Александр ДесплаBazaar 3:46
- 16 Александр ДесплаCleared Iranian Airspace 6:02
- 17 FamilionHace Tuto Guagua 3:40
Argo
(2012)14
" The movie was fake. The mission was real."
| Country | |
| Spoken Language | english, arabic, persian, deutsch |
| Runtime | 2 hours |
| Budget | $44 500 000 |
| Premiere: World | $232 325 503 October 11, 2012 |
| USA | $136 025 503 |
| Other countries | $96 300 000 |
| Box Office – Budget | $187 825 503 |
| Premiere: USA | $136 025 503 October 4, 2012 |
| first day | $5 891 522 |
| theaters | 3247 |
| rollout | 446 days |
| Digital: World | December 3, 2013 |
| Parental Advisory | Profanity, Frightening & Intense Scenes, Violence & Gore, ... |
| |
| Production Companies | |
| Also Known As | Escape from Tehran United States |
Description
Acting under the cover of a Hollywood producer scouting a location for a science fiction film, a CIA agent launches a dangerous operation to rescue six Americans in Tehran during the U.S. hostage crisis in Iran in 1979.Сast and Crew
Director
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Background
The film "Argo" is based on the true story of the "Canadian Caper," a covert operation that took place during the Iran hostage crisis in 1979-1980. The operation was a joint effort between the Canadian government and the Tony Mendez of the CIA to rescue six American diplomats who had escaped the U.S. Embassy in Tehran after it was overrun by Iranian revolutionaries.The Real Operation
On November 4, 1979, Iranian militants stormed the U.S. Embassy in Tehran, taking 52 American hostages. However, six diplomats managed to escape and found refuge in the homes of Canadian diplomats, including Canadian Ambassador Ken Taylor. The CIA, with the help of the Canadian government, devised a plan to extract the six Americans by posing as a Canadian film crew scouting locations for a science fiction movie titled "Argo."The Plan
- Fake Identities: The six Americans were given Canadian passports and identities as members of a film crew.
- Hollywood Connection: Tony Mendez collaborated with Hollywood contacts to create a believable backstory for the fake movie, including a script, storyboards, and promotional materials.
- Successful Extraction: On January 28, 1980, the group successfully passed through Iranian security at the airport and boarded a Swissair flight to Zurich, ultimately reaching safety.
Accuracy of the Film
The film "Argo," directed by Ben Affleck, takes some creative liberties for dramatic effect. While the core elements of the story are accurate, including the use of a fake movie as a cover, several aspects were altered or exaggerated:- Role of the Canadians: The film downplays the significant role played by the Canadian government and Ambassador Ken Taylor in the operation.
- Airport Tension: The dramatic airport chase scene in the film did not occur in reality. The actual departure was relatively uneventful.
- Hollywood's Involvement: The film emphasizes the role of Hollywood in the operation, which, while important, was not as central as depicted.
Despite these embellishments, the film captures the essence of the daring rescue mission and the collaboration between the CIA and Canadian officials.
What is “Argo” about?
“Argo” is a biographical drama about a covert CIA operation to extract six U.S. embassy staff from Tehran during the Iranian Revolution. Operative Tony Mendez (Tony Mendez) devises a cover story: a fake sci‑fi film called “Argo,” enabling the group to leave posing as a film crew.
How true to real events is “Argo”?
The film is based on the real “Canadian Caper” and the story of Tony Mendez (Tony Mendez). The core idea—using a fake movie as cover—and the legend-building work are rooted in fact, but some high-tension sequences and certain specifics (notably airport suspense beats and attribution of credit) are dramatized for storytelling.
Why did the operation use a “film production” cover?
A film-production cover plausibly explained bulky paperwork, unusual travel patterns, and the need to rapidly “build” credible personal backstories. It also made sense for foreigners to ask questions about locations and architecture—exactly what a scouting film crew might do.
What does the title “Argo” mean?
“Argo” is the codename/cover title tied to the fictitious movie project used in the operation. In the film, it becomes the symbol of the fabricated identity that holds the extraction plan together.
What themes does the film explore?
It explores the power of a believable story, the human cost of political decisions, and the moral ambiguity of intelligence work. Another key theme is how the entertainment industry—skilled at selling fiction—can be leveraged as a tool in real-world geopolitics.
Why is “Argo” often called a political thriller despite being billed as a biographical drama?
Its core is historical and biographical, but it’s staged with suspense mechanics: deadlines, the risk of exposure, document checks, delicate negotiations, and sustained danger. That combination makes it feel like a political thriller while remaining grounded in real events.
Who wrote the screenplay and what is it based on?
The screenplay was written by Chris Terrio (Chris Terrio). It draws on published accounts of the operation, including reporting by Joshua Bearman (Joshua Bearman), and on the memoir/witness layer associated with Tony Mendez (Tony Mendez).
What role do Hollywood and the “legend” consultants play in the story?
The movie stresses that extraction depends not only on papers but on believable world-building: posters, a script, an office, phone coverage, and public “buzz.” The Hollywood-linked characters help make the cover feel real enough to survive scrutiny and casual questioning.
What stands out about the direction and visual style?
Ben Affleck’s (Ben Affleck) direction blends documentary texture (newsreel feel) with genre suspense. Editing and sound design heighten tension, while period styling makes the story feel anchored at the intersection of politics, street reality, and media.
Are there major differences from what really happened?
Yes. For dramatic effect, some sequences are made more perilous and time-pressured, and the distribution of credit is simplified for a clear cinematic narrative. Still, the main framework—hiding the diplomats, the “film crew” cover, and the extraction—matches the real backbone of Tony Mendez’s (Tony Mendez) story.
Why does “Argo” include so much humor despite the serious context?
Humor serves as contrast and release in a story driven by fear and uncertainty, highlighting the absurdity of certain bureaucratic and show-business processes against real danger. It also reinforces that the cover depends on an industry where performance is the job.
What awards and recognition did the film receive?
The film earned broad critical and audience acclaim and became one of the standout titles of the 2012–2013 awards season. It was especially praised for its screenplay, direction, editing, and sustained narrative tension.
Who might not enjoy “Argo”?
If you expect purely documentary accuracy with no thriller-style dramatization, it may feel “too cinematic.” It can also be intense for viewers sensitive to depictions of unrest, threats, and high-stress interrogations.
What should you know beforehand to better understand the context?
A basic understanding of the 1979 Iranian Revolution and the U.S. embassy hostage crisis in Tehran helps clarify why the situation became so dangerous and why the diplomats had to go into hiding. The film explains the rest clearly on its own.
Is there a key moral dilemma in “Argo”?
Yes. It frames the tension between saving lives at all costs and the consequences of manipulating truth—both for those involved and for public understanding. Tony Mendez’s (Tony Mendez) story is presented as a case where the “right” choice can be both heroic and ethically complicated.
Production
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Friends comments and ratings
Ben Affleck took the real story of rescuing US citizens from a politically dangerous country, when it was not special forces that were used, but a whole scam related to the film industry, and the editing in the last third made you squeeze into your chair. Good movie. 8/10
8.0/10
There are spoilers in the comments.
Not a bad story, it was interesting.
In the end, it’s just unclear how the plane wasn’t detained after all, and how it crossed the Iranian border so quickly. They embellished it for greater excitement.
But still, the film is not drawn out, it is well shot and the atmosphere is conveyed well.
One of the true stories that NEED to be filmed. That’s the only way your ass sweats. Affleck did a great job making a fascinating and important drama. The actors are well chosen (Bryan Cranston is one love), and the music at the right moments really gives you goosebumps. "Argo fuck yourself."
The film as a whole is not bad, worthy of 7 out of 10, but the ending, my respect, keeps you in such tension as if you were sitting on pins and needles. So I raised it to 8.
A well-made film based on real events that keeps you in suspense until the end. The main roles are played by excellent actors: Ben Affleck and Bryan Cranston. I didn’t know the outcome of the operation, so the tension remained until the end of the film.
The final chase, with the entire Tehran police force chasing them down the runway, is really cool – like a Fast and Furious 6 on a low setting.
Rating: 8.0/10
The rescued workers turned out to be wooden, and at first I didn’t want and wasn’t going to worry about them. But they forced me, in the good sense of the word. Throughout the entire part at the airport I was worried and in tension. Excellent work by the writers, director and actors
A fairly simple but enjoyable movie. A true story that sounds like something from a collection of movie tales. And Affleck is still so young.
Just for once. The plot is similar in idea to the film "Wag" from 1997.
A very good film, an interesting story, quite palpable tension, and Affleck didn’t spoil it or let us down. A striking example of how a film without bright and sophisticated special effects can be interesting.
Good film. To some extent, even a standard one. One of those that you watch in one breath, in frantic tension because of what is happening on the screen.
A good, tense drama about a special operation that looks more like a large-scale, but very risky scam. It is important to remember that most embassy employees spent more than a year in captivity. I also really liked the solution in the credits, when stills from the film are compared with real photos
i started watching it as if it were a film about some distant, "alien" events. But from about the middle, the suspense does not let up for a minute. By the end I was sweating! and this takes into account the fact that the outcome of the plot is known from the very beginning. I don’t know how it works, but bravo everyone! Especially the director.
Magnificent, first of all, Ben Affleck’s directorial work, as well as the performances of all the main characters. The picture at one time became a discovery for me; it will make you worry about the characters and watch their fate with tension. Of course, the film deserves all its numerous awards.
There are examples when a film is made by cinematography, but here is a case when editing makes it. Great work by Goldenberg. An excellent thriller with a good balance between humor and drama. It turned out very tense, although embellished, but without cheap tricks and other manipulations.
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