Argo Page #14

206 INT. MINIVAN - DAY 206

Mendez, in the driver.’s seat, looks at the house, then at

his watch. He starts up the van, filled with four of the

Houseguests.

Then he looks in the rearview and sees one of the back

doors open. Joe and Kathy Stafford board.

207 EXT. TEHRAN - DAY 207

Tony drives the minivan through streets of Tehran. The

Houseguests sit in silence, looking out the windows.

There is a vehement DEMONSTRATION going on -- stars-andstripes

burning in Molavi Square -- and it.’s taking place

right in their way.

They stop at the demonstration, then realize people

aren.’t passing by as much as celebrating in the street.

Tony is forced to nose his way through the crowd --

chanting and yelling -- some SLAPPING THE WINDOWS.

They finally get through and pull away. With the

demonstration receding behind them, Tony tries to regain

their focus.

MENDEZ:

Tell me who you are.

This recalls attention from the windows.

LEE SCHATZ:

Mike McEwan, cameraman.

BOB ANDERS:

Robert Baker, director.

MARK LIJEK:

Timothy Harris, location manager.

CORA LIJEK:

Mary Ann Boyd, screenwriter.

KATHY STAFFORD:

Rachel Dewart, production

designer.

Kathy looks at her husband.

JOE STAFFORD:

Sean Bissett, associate producer.

MENDEZ:

Let.’s make a movie.

ARGO - Final 80.

208 EXT. STREET NEAR THE BAZAAR - DAY 208

The minivan double-parks on Musavi Street. Taxis, men

loading and unloading rolled-up carpets onto pickup

trucks, chaos.

A YOUNG MAN IN SUIT WITH NO TIE waits. This is REZA, mid-

20s, a low-level administrator in the Ministry of

Guidance.

Mendez gets out and they speak and shake hands. The

image FREEZES. In a BLACK AND WHITE PHOTOGRAPH.

They exchange pleasantries and Reza leads them down a

narrow street toward the bazaar.

209 EXT./INT. TEHRAN BAZAAR - DAY 209

Reza is leading Mendez and the group of Houseguests

through the Tehran Bazaar. A word about the place: the

world.’s largest bazaar. 10 kilometers of narrow alleys.

Chinese-made Swiss watches, banks, mosques, butchers,

fabric stores, gold stands. Boys with hand-trucks loaded

down with piles of fabric cut through the crowd. Older

Islamic architecture elbows up against neon signs and

rickety wooden stands with second-story balconies like

Bourbon Street.

Bob Anders walks toward the front.

REZA:

You are the director?

BOB ANDERS:

Yes.

REZA:

(pleasant)

Is this film a foreign bride film?

BOB ANDERS:

I.’m sorry?

REZA:

A film where a foreign bride is

brought to Iran, but she doesn.’t

understand the language and

customs and there are

misunderstandings and laughs.

BOB ANDERS:

No.

ARGO - Final 81.

(CONTINUED)

REZA:

(not happy with that)

Mmmm.

Mendez walking toward the back of the group. Lee, the

cameraman, is looking through a viewfinder down the alley

of the bazaar.

MENDEZ:

(quiet)

Mike?

LEE SCHATZ:

(not looking up)

Yeh.

MENDEZ:

If I said you were looking through

the wrong end of that viewfinder,

would I be right?

Lee turns the viewfinder around and looks through it

again.

LEE SCHATZ *

Yep. *

ANGLE:

Mendez talking to Lee from a distance. A zoom, a closer

snapshot of LEE. Then of CORA LIJEK, who walks through

the bazaar with an open ARGO SCRIPT in her hand.

The Revolutionary Guard photographer is taking pictures

of each of the Houseguests, picking their portraits off

one by one like a sniper.

210 EXT. CANADIAN AMBASSADOR.’S RESIDENCE (TEHRAN) - DAY 210

Two sedans turn onto the property and head up the

driveway.

Ali Khalkali, the revolutionary official, gets out of one

of the cars. He.’s joined by a couple other OFFICIALS and

by two armed REVOLUTIONARY GUARDS.

Sahar is moving through the garden, she sees the men

approach. She goes to greet them at the gate.

SAHAR:

(Farsi, from behind

the gate)

Yes?

ARGO - Final 82.

209 CONTINUED:
209

211 OMITTED 211

212 INT. TEHRAN BAZAAR - DAY 212

Reza leads Mendez and the Houseguests deeper into this

city within a city; fundamentalist ground zero. BAZAARIS

stand at their shop doors; puzzled; unfriendly; watching

the visitors.

Kathy Stafford, the production designer on the scout,

takes a Polaroid of a window adorned in gold. The

SHOPKEEPER, a 70-ish bazaari, sees her do so.

He hurries out of his store, speaking in rapid-fire Farsi

at her. The Houseguests stop. Reza speaks to the

Shopkeeper.

REZA:

(to Kathy)

He wants the photograph you took.

MENDEZ:

She.’s the production designer.

Her job is to take photographs.

SHOPKEEPER getting more and more heated in Farsi.

REZA:

He says he did not give you

permission to take a photograph of

his store.

Other BAZAARIS and SHOPPERS are starting to gather.

Kathy holds out the Polaroid toward the Shopkeeper.

KATHY STAFFORD:

He can have the photograph. Tell

him --

The Shopkeeper knocks the Polaroid out of her hand.

213 INT./EXT. CANADIAN AMBASSADOR.’S RESIDENCE - ENTRANCE - 213

DAY:

KHALKALI:

(Farsi)

When did they arrive? *

SAHAR:

(Farsi)

I.’m sorry?

ARGO - Final 83.

(CONTINUED)

KHALKALI:

(Farsi)

The guests of the ambassador. How

long have they been in this house?

214 INT. TEHRAN BAZAAR - DAY 214

People are now starting to surround Mendez and Reza and

the Houseguests. Bazaaris more and more heated. Women

in chadors are screaming and finger-pointing.

ANGRY MAN:

(in English)

America NO!... NO!

Then he speaks in Farsi and makes shooting gestures with

his hand.

LEE SCHATZ:

(quiet, to Mendez)

He.’s saying the Shah killed his

son with an American gun.

Cauldron heating up and --

215 INT./EXT. CANADIAN AMBASSADOR.’S RESIDENCE - ENTRANCE - 215

DAY:

ON Sahar -- her face impassive -- and then --

SAHAR:

(Farsi)

Two days. They arrived two days

ago.

Khalkali looks to the other Officials.

216 INT. TEHRAN BAZAAR - ANGLE ON MORE AND MORE BAZAARIS - 216

DAY:

A CROWD starts to gather around the group.

ON KATHY:

Her claustrophobia as the crowd closes in -- an ANGRY

BAZAARI WOMAN sticks her finger in Kathy.’s face --

CORA LIJEK:

(to one of the women)

Canada... Ca-na-da...

ARGO - Final 84.

213 CONTINUED:
213

(CONTINUED)

She.’s showing a Canadian flag, Bob Anders.’ lapel button --

LEE SCHATZ:

(quiet; to Mendez)

He says we.’re the CIA taking

photographs to plan the bombing of

the city.

217 INT./EXT. CANADIAN AMBASSADOR.’S RESIDENCE - ENTRANCE - 217

DAY:

Khalkali eyes Sahar, gauging her. She hides her fear

well.

KHALKALI:

(Farsi)

Sister, those who are with him,

Rasool of Allah, we are tender

among ourselves.

(beat)

But stern against the kuffar.

SAHAR:

As god wills it.

KHALKALI:

(quoting Mossadegh)

But those who sit silently have

sinned.

Does he know? Does he not know? Is he trying to trick

her? His opacity makes it impossible to know. He holds

his look to her -- and she holds hers.

218 INT. TEHRAN BAZAAR - DAY 218

Reza indicates an exit to the street. *

219 INT./EXT. CANADIAN AMBASSADOR.’S RESIDENCE - ENTRANCE - 219

DAY:

-- and Sahar, so dignified and stony she is almost

shaming these men --

SAHAR:

Everyone in this house is a friend

of Iran.

Khalkali makes his decision. He wordlessly turns to go.

ARGO - Final 85.

216 CONTINUED:
216

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