Our Man in Tehran

Viewers who've seen Ben Affleck's Argo will already be familiar with the story in this feature-length documentary, focusing on the daring rescue of six Americans who narrowly averted becoming hostages in Iran during Jimmy Carter's presidency. But it's still thrilling to hear the facts from the actual people who lived through those trying days. Directed by Drew Taylor and Larry Weinstein, Our Man in Tehran places the covert CIA and Canadian rescue operation—which was masked by a fake Hollywood film project—within the broadest possible historical context, including the Shah of Iran's reign before being deposed by pro-Khomeini revolutionaries, followed by the seizure of the American embassy in Tehran, and the capture of 52 Americans who were held until the first minutes of Ronald Reagan's administration (as Khomeini's final insult to Carter). Against that backdrop, the hiding of a half-dozen fugitives in Canadian ambassador Ken Taylor's private residence makes for a compelling tale, especially when CIA operative Tony Mendez (played in Argo by Affleck) enters the picture with a seemingly improbable plan to get them out of the country. Featuring interviews with Mendez, Taylor, and several former hostages, this is highly recommended. (T. Keogh)