ESCAPE FROM IRAN: THE CANADIAN CAPER

Canada, 1981, 97 minutes, Colour.
Gordon Pinsent, Chris Wiggins, Diana Barrington, Robert Joy.
Directed by Lamont Johnson.

Escape From Iran is a telemovie documentary reconstruction of the taking of the American hostages in 1979, the escape of a few of them to the Embassy and their being held and repatriated by the Canadians. The film is a Canadian production - and pays tribute to the Canadians involved.

The film uses a names and dates process for reconstructing the events and depicting characters. It is an interesting view behind the scenes of what happened -from the vantage point of only a view years after the events. Direction is by Lamont Johnson, director of a number of fine small-budget films and telemovies including Stock Car Hero, Fear on Trial, Lipstick.

1. The impact of this telemovie? Re-creation of history, atmosphere, insight into the events, politics, diplomacy, human issues? Tribute to the personnel involved? To the Canadian Ambassador and his staff?

2. The viewpoint of 1981, re-creating characters and details, factual material, depiction of characters and issues, tensions? The presentation of Iran, the takeover by Ayatollah Khomeini, his style? Muslim-spirituality and spirit? . The Americans in Iran, hostility? The university students? Hostages and diplomacy? The Americans and the Canadians? The role of the press?

3. The screenplay and its structure: names and dates, re-enactment? Persuasive and effective?

4. Iran, the throwing off of the rule of the Shah, Ayatollah Khomeini and his hold, fanaticism, Muslim lifestyle? The power of Islam? The Islamic revolution? The anti-American stances? The danger for Americans?

5. The confrontation between Iran and the United States, hostilities, demonstrations, the taking of hostages, diplomats, phone calls, secrecy?

6. The situation in Iran, the people in the Iranian building and their imprisonment (and coping, exercising, the visits by the Canadian Ambassador, their being held incommunicado from the other Americans)?

7. The Embassy and its personnel, the attack, the guards, the capture? The group and their escape, the streets and the dangers, sanctuary and the Canadian friendships?

8. The Canadian contact and his wife, help, home, diplomacy? The Ambassador and his prudence? The decisions from Canada? Help, negotiations? The decision to move out, the smashing of the machines? The airport sequences and the actual escape? The Canadian characters and their coping? The final tribute?

9. The picture of the American group, the individuals? The phone calls, hiding, the two houses, tensions, Christmas celebrations, danger of servants, people coming into work in the Embassy? The passports, the photos, the leaving and the tension at the airport? Rehearsing their characters - and effectively persuading the authorities?

10. The return to the United States and the achievement?

11. The background of the press, journalists with the stories, calculating the missing hostages, the print and stories, the editors' stances, dangers for international diplomacy? The points being made about the press?

12. A reflection of the 70s and 1980s, international terrorism, the Islamic push, anti-United States feeling, diplomacy?