Argo Page #18

AZIZI:

(harsh, icy; in *

Farsi) *

You. You had no business in Iran.

He motions for JOE STAFFORD to step forward. Mendez

shifts. A tense moment.

JOE STAFFORD:

(Farsi) *

We did. We were preparing to make

a movie here, sir.

AZIZI:

(Farsi) *

You don.’t have journalist visas.

JOE STAFFORD:

(Farsi) *

Not a documentary. A movie.

Joe Stafford reaches into his pocket and gives Azizi a

copy of the Argo Variety ad.

JOE STAFFORD:

(Farsi) *

You see?

(to Mendez; English) *

Kevin, where.’s your briefcase?

A beat on Mendez. Who then opens his accordion folder

and takes from it the ARGO STORYBOARDS. Joe Stafford

spreads them out on the table.

Three other Komiteh in the room lean forward, their

AUTOMATIC WEAPONS at their sides, and look at the

STORYBOARD DRAWINGS. The Persian Empire futurism of Jack

Kirby.’s drawings.

JOE STAFFORD:

(Farsi) *

These are the villains. Y.’see

these guys here? And these are

the heroes... in the spice

market...

Joe Stafford points at the various drawings. He speaks

with an ease and confidence that we didn.’t know he had.

JOE STAFFORD:

(Farsi) *

They know our hero is the Chosen *

One, so they kidnap his son in the *

spice market ... They have these *

chariots... like this one...

ARGO - Final 105.

274 CONTINUED:
274

(MORE)

(CONTINUED)

they go like this... whoooosh,

hmm? They can fly... The people *

are just farmers, but they rise up *

and find their courage and defeat *

the alien king-- *

Mendez watches. It.’s a performance. The three young

Komiteh are now wide-eyed, pointing, whispering in Farsi,

like teenagers around a comic book.

Azizi says something to another Komiteh in the room.

Then --

AZIZI:

(to Joe Stafford; in *

English) *

You don.’t go until we verify.

MENDEZ:

You can call our office.

Mendez hands Azizi his card. STUDIO SIX FILMS. Kevin

Harkins. A 213 (818 wasn.’t around yet) phone number.

ANGLES ON THE HOUSEGUESTS

as Azizi leaves the room with the business card and three

young Komiteh barely look up from the drawings --

275 EXT. WARNER BROS. STUDIOS - NIGHT 275

P.A., still holding Chambers and Siegel. The ACTOR

playing the cop is conferring with the director. He.’s

not happy with something. They.’re holding everyone until

the next take, and --

P.A.

Going again please! We.’re

rolling --

276 EXT. CANADIAN AMBASSADOR.’S RESIDENCE - MORNING 276

A PICKUP TRUCK with 5 Komiteh -- including Khalkali --

automatic weapons out -- drives up to the Canadian

Ambassador.’s residence.

277 INT. MEHRABAD AIRPORT - KOMITEH STATION - MORNING 277

Azizi, who apparently has some authority here, enters,

telling another Komiteh in Farsi to get off the phone.

ARGO - Final 106.

274 CONTINUED:
(2) 274

JOE STAFFORD (CONT'D)

(CONTINUED)

Azizi looks at the Studio Six business card and picks up

the receiver.

278 EXT. WARNER BROS. STUDIOS - NIGHT 278

SIEGEL:

I.’m sorry, pally. We.’re just gonna *

be in the movie. Call my agent.

P.A.

Sir. SIR!

Siegel and Chambers walk through the shot toward the Argo

office.

279 INT. MEHRABAD AIRPORT - KOMITEH STATION - MORNING 279

Azizi dials the long international number. And it is a

DIAL, so this takes a long time.

280 INT. MEHRABAD AIRPORT - THIRD CHECKPOINT - MORNING 280

One of the young Komiteh is loudly debating with another

Komiteh the air-worthiness of a futuristic desert glider

in the storyboards. He.’s miming the thing crashing.

Joe Stafford and the Houseguests are silent. Mendez can

see the line of passengers on their Swissair flight

dwindling.

281 INT. MEHRABAD AIRPORT - KOMITEH STATION - MORNING 281

Azizi rings the phone three times -- four times -- he.’s

going to hang up --

CHAMBERS (V.O.)

(out of breath)

Studio Six Films.

282 INT. ARGO PRODUCTION OFFICE - NIGHT 282

A beat of silence. Chambers catching his breath,

listening. The door to the office wide open.

283 INT. MEHRABAD AIRPORT - KOMITEH STATION - MORNING 283

AZIZI:

May I speak to Mr. Kevin Harkins --

ARGO - Final 107.

277 CONTINUED:
277

(CONTINUED)

CHAMBERS (V.O.)

He.’s out of the country on a

location scout. Can I take a

message?

284 INT. ARGO PRODUCTION OFFICE - NIGHT 284

Chambers listens for a response. Siegel now catches up.

285 INT. MEHRABAD AIRPORT - KOMITEH STATION - MORNING 285

AZIZI:

No message.

286 INT. MEHRABAD AIRPORT - MORNING 286

ANNOUNCEMENT (V.O.)

Swissair announces final boarding

of Flight 363 to Zurich. All

passengers should be at the gate

at this time.

287 EXT. CANADIAN AMBASSADOR.’S RESIDENCE - MORNING 287

Khalkali and Komiteh are forcing the front door of the

house open.

288 INT. MEHRABAD AIRPORT - THIRD CHECKPOINT - MORNING 288

Azizi comes back into the screened-off area. Looks at

Joe Stafford, then at Mendez. Then says something in

Farsi to the three Komiteh in the holding area. Then he

leaves.

The three young Komiteh look at the drawings, then at Joe

Stafford. Silence for a moment.

MENDEZ:

(pushes the

storyboards toward

them)

Our gift to you. From our film.

Komiteh #1, who speaks enough English to understand,

translates to the others. They forget their

revolutionary mission for a second, happy with their

gift. They.’d high-five if they could. They.’re kids.

Komiteh #1 motions for the Houseguests to go.

ARGO - Final 108.

283 CONTINUED:
283

289 INT. CANADIAN AMBASSADOR.’S RESIDENCE - FOYER - MORNING 289

Khalkali and a dozen Komiteh, guns drawn, rush into the

residence. Empty liquor bottles. The remains of what

looks like breakfast for a group of people.

But the place is empty.

290 INT./EXT. MEHRABAD AIRPORT - FLIGHT GATE - MORNING 290

A BUSLOAD of passengers about to be ferried to the

airplane.

A Swissair Rep is closing the gate to Flight 363. She

looks up to see the Houseguests and Mendez hurrying

through the terminal, headed toward her. She holds the

gate, speaks in German into a walkie, and --

291 INT. CANADIAN AMBASSADOR.’S RESIDENCE - KEN.’S OFFICE - 291

MORNING:

The Komiteh search the house. Khalkali gets on the

phone.

292 OMITTED 292

293 INT. MEHRABAD AIRPORT - FLIGHT GATE - MORNING 293

Kathy Stafford.’s ticket is taken and she walks through

the door. Hurries toward the transport bus. The other

five Houseguests and Mendez behind her and --

294 INT. MEHRABAD AIRPORT - KOMITEH STATION - MORNING 294

A phone rings and a Young Komiteh picks up the call. He

listens for a moment. Then he drops the phone and RUNS

into the airport terminal and --

295 INT. RUNWAY TRANSPORT BUS - MORNING 295

The Houseguests sit aboard the bus, headed to a waiting

DC-10.

The DRIVER puts the bus into gear. It doesn.’t go. He

shakes his head. This goddamn thing. Shifts gears

again. Now it goes.

ARGO - Final 109.

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