Argo opens with
news channel excerpts that lead up to a revolution outside an American Embassy
in Iran. The people of Iran are outraged. The Shah that they had overthrown is
currently reaping the benefits of giving the country’s oil to America by
spending his final years in the comfort of American soil. The people want America to send the dictator back to be tried, and hanged. On
that demand, they are uncompromising. And they've had enough waiting.
The rioters jump
over the gate, storm into the embassy, capture the Americans and take them
hostage. Six of the superiors escape through an emergency fire exit and take
refuge at the Canadian ambassador’s house. Back in America, the CIA is busy figuring
out a way to smuggle these escaped hostages out of the country and their
primary concern is how things appear to the media. They joke about it, throw
ideas and then scorn at them. There’s a lot of biting sarcasm at the table. One
man, however, has a crazy idea he actually intends to take through. CIA agent
Tony Mendez (Ben Affleck) plans on going to Iran pretending to be an associate producer and
get these six escaped hostages back as part of his film crew. These six people
have parts to play- screen-writer, director, location manager, cinematographer,
production designer. They need to convince inspection officers and security
that they are the people they claim to be. Tony Mendez gets the green signal
from the CIA and a word of advice from his supervisor (Bryan Cranston)- “Good luck. The whole
world is watching you.”
