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Argo movie- Hollywood rewrites history. (Read 855 times)

AmoresPerros


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    ... Ben Affleck does look good with a beard, yes?

     

    He plays a bearded Russian dwarf in... what movie?

    It's a 5k. It hurt like hell...then I tried to pick it up. The end.

      So back to the movie...the OP was not the only one who had issue with the Canadian role in the movie.

       

      Also, I remember a "made for TV" movie about this YEARS ago.  But there was no mention of the fake film.  It was OK as TV movies go.  Don't know why it had to be remade, other than the fact that 1979 or 1980 was a long time ago, and Hollywood is much "slicker" these days.

       

      I remember after they got out, and seeing billboards thanking the Canadians, and that made me very happy.  I do wish, however, that Affleck would have included the Canadians more, but, also, apparently, when they 'got out' in the movie, the people at the Toronto Film Festival went nuts in applause, etc.  Apparently THEY didn't have an issue with it.  Of course, maybe they were all Americans.

       

      I would also say, leave WW II out of the thread.  It's pretty obvious that James Garner in The Great Escape did all he could for Canada.

       

       

       

      Here's what Wiki says....

       

       

      After the film was previewed at the Toronto International Film Festival in September 2012, criticism arose that the film unfairly minimized the participation of the Canadian government, particularly that of Ambassador Kenneth D. Taylor, in the extraction operation. This included the addition to the film of several fictional events for dramatic reasons, as well as a postscript text indicating that the CIA let Taylor take the credit for political purposes, implying that he did not deserve the accolades he received.[9] Affleck noted, "Because we say it's based on a true story, rather than this is a true story, we’re allowed to take some dramatic license. There’s a spirit of truth."[10] However, Affleck did respond by changing the postscript text to read, “The involvement of the CIA complemented efforts of the Canadian embassy to free the six held in Tehran. To this day the story stands as an enduring model of international co-operation between governments.”[11]

      Jeff


      #artbydmcbride

        He plays a bearded Russian dwarf in... what movie?

         Most of the Russian dwarves died in World War II 

         

        Runners run

        xor


          He plays a bearded Russian dwarf in... what movie?

           

          Gimli, Gigli.  Not sure.

           


          an amazing likeness

            Gimli, Gigli.  Not sure.

             

            Gimli glider, another outstanding Canadian success story.

            Acceptable at a dance, invaluable in a shipwreck.

            henryc


              Gimli, Gigli.  Not sure.

               

              South pole elves dwarf Russian dwarves.

               

               

              AmoresPerros


              Options,Account, Forums

                Then what do north pole elves do?

                 

                Topple Russian Tatars?

                It's a 5k. It hurt like hell...then I tried to pick it up. The end.

                stadjak


                Interval Junkie --Nobby

                  Really enjoyed the movie.

                   

                  Some of the script writing was excellent.  "Where do the chief-of-staff's kids go to school."  "Uhm, we don't know."  "We're a spy organization! Find them!"

                   

                  Probably my favorite line, though was actually when the guards are questioning the fake film crew:

                  Guard: "Wait, why do you speak Farsi?!"

                  American: "I want to make a film in Iran, of course I speak Farsi."

                  Guard: <oh, that makes sense>look

                   

                  I loved it because people from other [especially small] countries always get indignant when some American wants to do business in the country, or study it, or whatever, and doesn't speak their language.

                   

                  Like some film guy would learn fluent Farsi just to make a film there.  Playing on the ethnocentrism of the guard, for what usually is an attack on American ethnocentrism: Hilarious.

                   

                  Okay, my sense of humor is a bit bent.

                   

                  As for the historical inaccuracies: totally excusable.  Certain things need to be cut to make a clean narrative.  Certain things added to make it a good movie.  Bringing in 5 random Canadians to instruct the Americans on how to be Canadian, probably not conducive to keeping the flow: "wait, who the heck are THOSE guys?"  Though, Afflec telling the ambassador, "Hey, can you instruct these folks on how to talk like a Canuk, eh?" would probably make people a bit less perturbed.  But showing the Canadians doing spy runs to the airport: again, new characters, distraction, not good story-telling.  Heck, they weren't even stopped at the airport, but it makes a great scene.

                   

                  As for learning history from movies: OF COURSE we do.  Anything you're not already versed in, you're going to receive the movie as mostly-true and it will influence the way you understand the world.  Let's just admit it: we don't go back and research every movie's historical background.  And I bet we don't take the move in with enough of a grain of salt either.

                  2021 Goals: 50mpw 'cause there's nothing else to do

                  xor


                    There is a whole lot in the previous post I disagree with, but what's the point.

                     

                      Argo cornstartch tastes nasty when you eat it straight out of the box with a spoon, just sayin'

                      "Famous last words"  ~Bhearn

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