Argo Page #13

MENDEZ:

They.’re getting there.

O.’DONNELL

Terrific. There.’s no prize for

.‘Most Improved..’

MENDEZ:

(escalating)

I don.’t have a choice. We say no,

they come to the residence and

pull everyone out at gunpoint.

How do you think the covers hold

up with their fingernails pulled

out?

196 INT. CANADIAN AMBASSADOR.’S RESIDENCE - KITCHEN - NIGHT 196

Mark Lijek is studying pages from the envelope Tony gave

him. Joe Stafford is sitting near him, having a drink,

watching Iranian State Television footage of the

Ayatollah. Joe Stafford translates out loud.

JOE STAFFORD:

.‘We are a nation of 35 million

and... many of these people are

looking forward to martyrdom..‘

Kathy Stafford looks into the room. Joe stops talking,

looks up.

JOE STAFFORD:

(to Kathy)

Five minutes?

He smiles at her. Kathy, who looks like she hasn.’t been

sleeping, nods and leaves. Joe takes a drink. After a

moment --

JOE STAFFORD:

She pleaded with me.

Mark, looking to Joe. This is new.

JOE STAFFORD:

When it started in the streets

nine months ago. She begged for

us to leave. She packed our bags.

I said, .‘A little longer..’ And

what I was thinking was, .‘This is

a good thing for me. Stay. Show

Newsom you.’ve got the balls. Grab

for the ring..’

ARGO - Final 75.

195 CONTINUED:
195

(MORE)

(CONTINUED)

(a beat)

I think we.’re gonna die here.

197 INT. KOMITEH HEADQUARTERS (AMIR ABAD DISTRICT) - DAY 197

The feeling here is dangerous. Young men carrying

automatic weapons casually.

Behrouz stands next to ALI KHALKALI, 30s, a Revolutionary

Committee security official. There are RECONSTRUCTED

EMBASSY PICTURES ON THE WALL.

We see the FAMOUS PICTURES OF THE HOSTAGES BEING MARCHED

DOWN THE STEPS.

197A INT. KOMITEH HEADQUARTERS STAIRWAY - CONTINUOUS ACTION 197A

A Kafka-esque stairway. We see a YOUNG KOMITEH call up

from the bottom and head up the stairs.

JUMP CUT TO:
one flight to go.

Now on the level WITH CAMERA, we carry him INTO the

office as he hands off the ARGO script and STUDIO SIX

BUSINESS CARD. Khalkali has some words in Farsi for the

young man.

198 EXT. SHERATON BALCONY - MORNING 198

Tony looks at one of the Argo storyboards -- one

depicting an EXOTIC SPICE MARKET, a BAZAAR -- in the

light.

CORA LIJEK (V.O.)

This isn.’t what we agreed to. *

199 INT. CANADIAN AMBASSADOR.’S RESIDENCE - KEN.’S OFFICE - 199

MORNING:

The Houseguests are gathered in the office. Cora hands

the telefax to Bob Anders. Joe Stafford, looking on.

CORA LIJEK:

You said .‘a day to learn your

covers then straight to the

airport..’ You said that.

BOB ANDERS:

They suspect something?

ARGO - Final 76.

196 CONTINUED:
196

JOE STAFFORD (CONT'D)

(CONTINUED)

MENDEZ:

What I know is we need to act like

a movie crew. We go to the bazaar

today, we fly out tomorrow.

Silent assent among the group. Then Joe Stafford,

sitting with his wife, speaks up --

JOE STAFFORD:

We won.’t do it.

MARK LIJEK:

He told them there were six of us.

They.’re expecting six. *

JOE STAFFORD:

(to Mendez)

You are about to show the only

card we.’re holding. Which is that

they don.’t know we.’re here.

MENDEZ:

I.’m asking you to trust me.

JOE STAFFORD:

I don.’t trust you.

BOB ANDERS:

(fed up, to Joe)

What.’s the alternative? This is

the ball game, Joe. What world

are you living in?

JOE STAFFORD:

The one where they.’re hanging

people from construction cranes,

Bob.

Joe takes Kathy.’s hand and goes, leaving Mendez with the

others. After a moment --

MARK LIJEK:

(to Mendez)

So we.’ll see you at two?

200 INT. CARPET FACTORY - MORNING 200

A KOMITEH BOSS inspects the work of the CARPET WEAVER

KIDS -- whose numbers have grown into the HUNDREDS -- as

they labor quietly.

Some HEADSHOTS are in various stages of repair.

ARGO - Final 77.

199 CONTINUED:
199

(CONTINUED)

Dozens of documents are now complete, sitting on the

floor in rows. Some pages from the EMBASSY MUG BOOK are

now re-assembled. The boss picks one of the pages up:

meticulously worked so that text and photos are now

intact.

201 INT. CANADIAN AMBASSADOR.’S RESIDENCE - DAY 201

PAT TAYLOR:

This one.

She gives Bob Anders a Canadian maple leaf lapel pin,

which he affixes to his shirt. Cora Lijek paints lighter

hair dye onto her hair. The Houseguests are making

subtle efforts to disguise themselves.

CORA LIJEK:

(at a mirror, quoting

instructions)

So don.’t be recognizable, but look

exactly like your passport

picture.

MARK LIJEK:

Not that picture. You won.’t want

to scare them.

A nervous smile. Trying to deal with anxiety.

Joe and Kathy Stafford look to each other. Sitting

reading newspapers while the other Houseguests prep for

the scout. The PHONE starts ringing.

PAT TAYLOR:

(answering the phone)

Hello?

A cloud comes over Pat as she listens.

PAT TAYLOR:

No, there.’s no one like that here.

She hangs up the phone fast, as if it were hot to the

touch.

BOB ANDERS *

Who was it?

Pat shakes her head.

ON JOE STAFFORD:

listening. Kathy takes his hand.

ARGO - Final 78.

200 CONTINUED:
200

(CONTINUED)

KATHY STAFFORD:

(to Joe)

Somebody knows.

202 INT. SHERATON ROOM - DAY 202

Tony getting dressed. Thinking.

He gets up and leaves, and we start to hear the sound of

a man talking fast in Farsi.

203 EXT. CAR RENTAL - DAY 203

It.’s a CAR RENTAL MAN, 60s, speaking. Tony is looking at

a MINIVAN on a lot of beaten-up rental cars.

MENDEZ:

This one, how much? One day, how

much?

204 INT. CANADIAN AMBASSADOR.’S RESIDENCE - DAY 204

Four of the Houseguests are waiting on the couch, dressed

in their best approximation of the clothes of a movie

scout crew. Cora has the maple leaf flag pin on her

shirt.

They turn when they see Tony come in the door.

Tony as he steps down into the living room, down the hall *

-- *

205 INT. CANADIAN AMBASSADOR.’S RESIDENCE - KITCHEN - DAY 205 *

... to find Joe Stafford sitting at the table. They are

badly shaken.

MENDEZ:

I promise you that if you will

play along today, I will get you

out tomorrow.

JOE STAFFORD:

I wish I could believe you, Mr.

Harkins.

MENDEZ:

My name is Tony Mendez. *

Mendez goes back out to the minivan. STAY WITH Joe and

Kathy.

ARGO - Final 79.

201 CONTINUED:
201

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