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Warner Bros has revealed details about Ben Affleck’s next feature directing effort. Argo, which has just begun principal photography, sheds light on the real-life covert operation to rescue a group of Americans during the 1979 Iran hostage crisis. Six of the 52 Americans taken hostage during Iran’s revolution managed to flee and find refuge at the home of the Canadian ambassador. The risky mission to rescue them before militants discovered their whereabouts was carried out by CIA exfiltration specialist Tony Mendez, and was not made public for decades. Affleck is portraying Mendez in the thriller, which also stars Alan Arkin, Bryan Cranston and John Goodman. Scribe Chris Terrio, who is on board to pen another Affleck directorial project, the Harlan Coben adaptation Tell No One, wrote the screenplay based on a selection from Mendez’s book The Master of Disguise.
Ben Affleck’s Next Directorial Effort Tells Tale Of Iran Hostage Rescue Mission
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Never a big fan of his leading man roles (better as supporting actor), but he’s a damn fine director.
Ben Affleck is a more than capable director and actor , and I will certainly be looking forward to this politico-action movie on the disastrous but successful Iran Rescue Mission !
While I commend him taking on an unpopular subject I would advise him against it. The event is a forgotten failure and I am sure many would not like to be reminded of it. All though I will say this; the impotence of the failed mission is a major factor for why Reagan was elected and had the mission succeeded who knows how history might have been affected.
I meant to say, the failed mission brought the intolerable feelings of impotence over the hostage crises to a boiling point. And remember, Vietnam had only ended 5 years earlier.
Not sure what you’re talking about Neil because the rescue was a huge success: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canadian_Caper
I think he is talking about the failed mission to rescue the rest of the hostages; this is a separate incident. He is confusing the two.
Reading is Fundamental, Neil. The movie isn’t about the bigger hostage crisis, it’s about the lesser-known incident where several Americans from the embassy holed up with the Canadians and were spirited out of the country by a CIA team pretending to be location scouts from Hollywood getting ready to shoot a sci fi movie in Tehran named Argo. Hence the title. The story is actually a pretty huge triumph of American spycraft and ingenuity.
Not the story of Operation Eagle Claw which was the more publicized attempt to rescue all of the hostages. This is a separate operation to rescue six escapees from the original 52 who had been successful in acquiring refuge in the Canadian ambassador’s home. My brother was part of the Eagle Claw operation and was severely wounded during the attempt to rescue the remaining hostages.
‘Afflack’ is such a poser…never believed him once in any role he’s taken…..why does he insist on taking the lead on this film….give it to someone else who will make it much more real….stay behind the camera where you seem to have some skills.
Exactly!! thank you for stating the obvious! Every photo op with this guy he’s posing like some presidential candidate.
When people say it makes it easier to get the funding with him as the lead is absolute B.S.! there are any number of people who can take the lead who would guarantee funding.
he has an ego as wide as montana and anyone that has worked on films he’s been involved with knows this.
Afleck does not know humble no matter how many of his PR reps come on here and say he does.
Just purchased Guests of the Ayatollah by Mark Bowden for my kindle. It’s an interesting part of history. The fall of the Shah, the revolution, hostage ordeal (and impact on our presidential race), the impact on the Soviet Union (invasion of Afghanistan; who can forget the cartoon of Gorbachev with that forehead birthmark transformed into a map of the country), etc. Looking forward to this one. Affleck is a good actor, but turning into a great director.
I welcome the telling of ARGO and this rescue mission. Having spent 3 years in the Peace Corps in Iran and personally knowing one of the hostages (a former Peace Corps volunteer during my service) I can attest to the superb job Mark Bowden did in documenting this event which was unprecedented in the history of American Embassies. ARGO is only a part of the whole, and I hope the GUESTS OF THE AYATOLLAH does also eventually get put on film, it needs to be told and I,personally,hope they correctly depict all those Iranian students involved in and responsible for taking the hostages. I bow to Mark Bowden – an incredible job telling this story, and if you really want to go beyond those 444 days and read an insider’s account of how the course of history was changed in the Middle East and America by this and events leading up to it read ALL FALL DOWN by Gary Sick (1985). Brilliant insider account of American foreign policy and how the United States can and cannot use its power around the world. And finally, but important, Sick’s book should be read alongside THE SHAH AND I by Asadollah Alam, 1991. The confidential diary of Iran’s Royal Court, 1969-1977. Maybe then one can understand what led to the mess we are in today.
Why does Ben Affleck always have to cast himself in the lead role of every movie he makes, he must really think of myself as a great actor. His strength is Directing not acting, too bad his ego wouldn’t let him cast someone like Andy Garcia as Tony Mendez this movie would have been better if he had.
Your remark is wrong on many levels (per this reader’s perspective.)
But regardless of your personal tastes remember that the studio paying for the flick has the final say in who assumes the lead role.
If they had no faith in his “poster-return” it wouldn’t even be an issue.
True, he’s done well in side-roles but he’s also done well in lead roles.
Depp well? – No. But the guy’s no hacker.
To my knowledge he has directed just two feature films: “Gone Baby Gone” and “The Town.” He cast himself in one, “The Town” while his brother, Casey was cast in “Gone Baby Gone.”
As someone previously stated, Ben Affleck is one fine director. I’ll add that his performance in “The Town” proves he is also one fine actor. I’ll be seeing “Argo” opening weekend.
I think Affleck is way off politically (earnest, but wrong). So when I first glanced at the headline I thought, “oh great–another political speech wrapped up as a political thriller.”. But then I read the story and it sounds like a great story
to tell. I’ve never been a big fan of Affleck as
an actor (but I’m not saying he isn’t talented in that area), but he is a very talented director. Kudos to him for choosing the story.
I’m surprised people are saying he has an ego because he’s acting in his own films. He had a solid acting career before he started directing.
He’s a writer. He writes.
He’s an actor. He acts.
He’s a director. He directs.
In The Town, he brought all three together, and did so exceptionally well.
Why should it be a talking point?
Woody Allen, a man who’s physical features scream that they do not belong on a silver screen, has been doing it for decades.
Affleck has the look, the talent, and the ability.
Perhaps he should have cast Sam Worthington, an actor who, regardless of what role he is playing, seems to be unable to break out of his Australian accent, even if he’s playing an Israeli, which he is in The Debt.
Give credit where credit is due (Affleck), and shit where it belongs (Worthington).
Ben was great behind the camera for his first two features.
And while he was more a ‘movie star’ than actor during the peak of his career, let’s not forget his roles in Changing Lanes, Hollywoodland, State of Play, and the Town.
To me it seems his career resurgence is coming from directing himself.
Dazed and Confused – his best
The main reason he likely takes the leading role is to secure a budget for the movie. If they tried to cast an Andy Garcia they most likely would get either a far reduced budget making them sacrifice quality or no funding and sacrifice the entire movie.
Affleck directed but did not star in “Gone Baby Gone”.
Well, the good news is at least he won’t playing another guy from “Southie”. Ben, take some advice – the only thing you were ever really good in was that romantic comedy with sandra bullock. Please stop playing tough street guys. It doesn’t work for you. You are too light in the ass and too suburban. The camera picks it up as much as you try. You do not have the range to pull it off. Accept that. You are very appealing in light, romantic comedy. Let the light shine through and smile smile because that is who you are. You are the best friend, the good guy, the smiley guy, the non-threatening guy. You don’t scare people because you are not the heavy. You could rule romantic comedy genre forever because people root for you when you play that befuddled nice guy who smiles and is self-depricating.
Let’s see how he changes history and makes Carter look like a sympathetic genius, and not the loser he was. Oh, and I think bush as an idiot to, before Im told I’m a tea party wingnut!
Please, oh please tell me we’ll get a spanish accent from Affleck in the Pacino mold!
I thought gbg and the town were just ok. But i guess he gets a pass because nobody expected much. I have nothing against Affleck, although i’m certainly a bigger fan of his brothers acting than his, but now it seems like he’s been attached to every project warner bros has coming down the pike.
I am sorry, but ben affleck is no great actor. When he looks stressed in a role, he just looks ao generically atressed and never like a guy truly making a choice between two tough options. The films he helms suffer from his lack of clarity as an actor.
Cast someone else. Cast someone of Latino decent for this role.
Rock on, Ben. The Town was solid, and this movie will be even better. Excited to see this film.
John FTW! LOL@ “too light in the ass, too suburban”
Hopefully he’ll consult the first book out on the subject – “The Canadian Caper”, written by a Canadian journalist in DC who broke the story about the six “houseguests” staying with the Ambassador, then sat on it until after they were safely out of Iran.
It will also be neat if they show Ken Taylor delivering maps and other ground truth to the CIA to help with their planning of Operation Eagle Claw. A significant risk to be taking, particularly while he was harbouring the houseguests.
The Town was such a poor imitation of Heat. Ben Affleck is not a good director. He needs to quit while he’s ahead.
Neil needs to get his facts correct. The covert operation by the CIA for those 6 hostages was well planned & executed. As was ross perots mercinaries for his guys..The Army crashed the copters trying to rescue the 52 remaining hostages..I worked on the film as Argo staff. Argo is the fake sci-fi movie used for the cover up the caper..scouting locations in iran, making the hostages movie crew to get them home..brilliant ..Bens directing was flawless !
cant wait to see it !
I wonder what happened to the George Clooney comedy version of this story that was based on the Wired article about it. Glad to know that it’s not being treated too lightly.