Argo (2012 film)

Argo is a 2012 American political thriller film directed by Ben Affleck. The film is adapted from U.S. Central Intelligence Agency operative Tony Mendez's book The Master of Disguise and Joshuah Bearman's 2007 Wired article "The Great Escape: How the CIA Used a Fake Sci-Fi Flick to Rescue Americans from Tehran." The latter deals with the "Canadian Caper," in which Mendez led the rescue of six U.S. diplomats from Tehran, Iran, during the 1979–1981 Iran hostage crisis.

The film stars Affleck as Mendez with Bryan Cranston, Alan Arkin, and John Goodman in supporting roles, and was released in North America to critical and commercial success on October 12, 2012. The film was produced by Affleck, Grant Heslov and George Clooney. The story of this rescue was also told in the 1981 television movie Escape from Iran: The Canadian Caper, directed by Lamont Johnson.

Upon release, Argo received widespread acclaim, with praise directed towards the acting (particularly Alan Arkin), Ben Affleck's direction, Terrio's screenplay, the editing, and Desplat's score. The film received seven nominations for the 85th Academy Awards and won three, for Best Picture, Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Film Editing. The film also earned five Golden Globe Award nominations, winning Best Motion Picture – Drama and Best Director, while being nominated for Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture for Alan Arkin. It won Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture at the 19th Screen Actors Guild Awards, with Arkin being nominated for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role. It also won Best Film, Best Editing, and Best Director at the 66th British Academy Film Awards.

Argo

In Greek mythology, Argo (/ˈɑːrɡoʊ/; in Greek: Ἀργώ, meaning 'swift') was the ship on which Jason and the Argonauts sailed from Iolcos to retrieve the Golden Fleece. She was named after her builder, Argus.

Legend

Argo was constructed by the shipwright Argus, and its crew were specially protected by the goddess Hera. The best source for the myth is the Argonautica by Apollonius Rhodius. According to a variety of sources of the legend, Argo was said to have been planned or constructed with the help of Athena. According to other legends she contained in her prow a magical piece of timber from the sacred forest of Dodona, which could speak and render prophecies. After the successful journey, Argo was consecrated to Poseidon in the Isthmus of Corinth. She was then translated into the sky and turned into the constellation of Argo Navis.

Several authors of antiquity (Apollonius Rhodius, Pliny,Philostephanus) discussed the hypothetical shape of the ship. Generally she was imagined like a Greek warship, a galley, and authors hypothesized that she was the first ship of this type that had gone out on a high-sea voyage.

Argo Electric

The Argo Electric Vehicle Company operated in Saginaw, Michigan, USA, from 1912 to 1916. The Argo Electric used a 60 volt system with Westinghouse motors. They claimed to be capable of 20 mph (32 km/h). It had 6 forward and 6 reverse speeds, had 36 x 4 cushion tires and used an 18-inch (457 mm) steering wheel on the left. They were offered in both four- and five-passenger models, with open and closed versions available, and all models used steering wheels. The 110-inch (2,794 mm) wheelbase was the longest of any electric at the time. The Argo Brougham was a 4 passenger car, weighing 3,200 lb (1,451 kg), claimed a range of 75 miles (121 km) per charge using thirty 190 ah, MV Exide batteries.

By 1914 Argo joined with the Broc and Borland Electric vehicle companies to form the American Electric Car Company. Three different models were marketed. In 1916 the Columbia Motors Company purchased the assets of Argo.

See also

References

Further reading

Argo (Indian ship)

Coordinates: 42°52′50″S 147°19′30″E / 42.8805°S 147.3251°E / -42.8805; 147.3251

Argo was a ship that disappeared in 1814 off the coast of Tasmania. She was a ship of some 150 tons, armed with four guns and having a crew of thirty-two. Constructed at Chittagong, present-day Bangladesh, the ship was registered in Calcutta to Payne & Tyrce.

In 1814 the ship illegally departed Hobart with thirteen or fourteen convicts on board. It was postulated that this was done with the agreement of the master of the ship, John Poor Dixon. At a special commission held on 3 May 1820, the harbour master of Hobart, Captain James Kelly, testified that Argo was never heard of again. It was presumed that she foundered at sea with the loss of all aboard.

References