*By Tom Secker, investigative journalist based in Britain. You can follow his work through his Spy Culture site and his ClandesTime podcast.
The popular 2012 spy film 'Argo', starring Ben Affleck and based on the real-life CIA operation to get out of the US embassy in Iran six employees who were trapped there after the revolution of the year 1979, was a major advertising boost for the American agency.
In late 2012 Ben Affleck was on the promotional circuit for 'Argo'. Naturally, this led to questions about the CIA-Hollywood connection and to a interview, Affleck commented: "Maybe Hollywood is full of CIA agents, and we just don't know it."
When he was asked if he was working for the CIA, Affleck replied: "Yes, and now you found me out."
2001: Affleck's first contact with the CIA
At the time these comments were made, they were widely interpreted as a joke, a quick response to an absurd question. But behind the scenes, the film 'Argo' was supported by the CIA and Affleck had previously worked with the Agency when he played the character Jack Ryan in the 2002 film 'Sum of All Fears'.
According to RECORDS of production on the spy thriller, then CIA-Hollywood liaison Chase Brandon arranged for Affleck to make numerous visits to CIA headquarters in Langley, Virginia.
Brandon observed, 'One of the things, I think, that benefited Ben as he walked around the agency was to just feel the vibe of the place. There's a very tangible sense of mission and importance to what goes on there, and I think Ben got that just by being in the building.'
Likewise, Affleck's ex-wife Jennifer Garner starred in the CIA-backed series. 'Alias' and appeared in an advertisement recruitment of the CIA after being recruited for the role of Brandon himself.
The eight-year Argo-FOIA process
Details about how the CIA worked with the makers of 'Argo', and Affleck in particular, were scarce, despite the film being a hot topic for commentators and the film proving a massive commercial and critical success while also receiving multiple Oscars.
Few, so far.
In response to an eight-year-old FOIA request by British academic Matthew Alford, the CIA recently released over 200 pages of documents that shed new light on the 'close working relationship' between the Agency and the producers of the film 'Argo', particularly with Affleck, the film's director and star.
Alford, co-author of 'National Security Cinema': Shocking New Evidence of Government Control in Hollywood, commented: "I was very confused when the documents came out. I had completely forgotten that I was going to make a request for CIA correspondence about the movie 'Argo'. That's because I did it in 2012."
He added: "I really don't think they like releasing material about it, at least not for us."
For some time the CIA had wanted someone to make a movie about Operation Argo, and even promoted it as a suggested movie plot on their Culture Industry Liaison site at 2007.
Although George Clooney and Grant Heslov had the film in development for several years, it wasn't until Warner Brothers invited Affleck to join the cast that the project really took off. He worked closely with Tony Mendez, the former CIA officer that Affleck played in the film and the man behind the idea of disguising the embassy staff as a Hollywood film crew, and it was through Mendez that Affleck reconnected with the Agency.
2011: Affleck rejoins the CIA
As CIA documents reveal, in March 2011, Affleck and Mendez went on a tour of the Old Naval Observatory, the former headquarters of the CIA as well as its OSS predecessor, and the base for the agency's Office of Technical Services, where Mendez worked at the time of the 'Argo' operation.
The tour was organized by the US State Department and the CIA and was followed by a visit to the agency's headquarters in Langley, Virginia, for a roundtable discussion in the Director's Conference Room, where Affleck discussed the project with CIA officials. An internal e-mail describes how the CIA 'hoped to develop a close working relationship with the filmmakers on this project'.
During this visit to Langley, Affleck visited the CIA museum and requested copies of historical photographs in their archives, which were released after a lengthy filtering process. In an e-mail he thanked the Agency for its help, saying: "I'm incredibly grateful and really hope to tell a story that does Tony and the Agency justice."
Affleck's email closed with his hope to return to CIA headquarters: "I expect to be back at agency headquarters soon."
An officer replied: "I would be happy to support another visit from you or others working with you on the film," adding: “I love the opportunity to show off our home in Langley.”
In May Affleck inquired about getting permission to film at Langley, and the following month he and some of the production crew made another trip to CIA headquarters.
After the tour, Affleck sent another e-mail to the CIA, again asking for permission to film. A public affairs officer wrote back to reassure Affleck saying: "We are trying", while another replied: "We're excited about filming and we want to make this work."
"We will make the Agency proud, I promise"
On the film 'Argo', Affleck, production designer Sharon Seymour and executive producer Chris Brigham continued the project, trying to get permission to film inside the Langley campus and the Old Headquarters Building. It was only after several revisions of the scripts that permission was granted, prompting the Deputy Director of Public Affairs to write an e-mail thanking bosses for their decision.
He described 'Argo' as 'A good take on the CIA story, with good real-life CIA people.' The official then wrote to Affleck to tell him the 'good news' and Affleck replied: “This is great!!! Many thanks!! I am excited. Please tell me anything I can do. This is exciting. We will make the agency proud I promise.”
In September location manager Peggy Pridemore – who was simultaneously working with the Agency filming near the Langley campus for Secret Affairs – was allowed into the CIA Director's office on another visit, while actor Bryan Cranston was given a tour at the facility in October and met with CIA officers to learn 'how their lives work, keeping secrets, the effects on their lives at home'.
Cranston recalled that the shoot itself was a day of 'High Security.' He recounted a moment when two SPS officers from the CIA's internal police came around a corner while they were shooting inside Langley, and he asked them if everything was okay and one said "There's a Samsung phone lit in one of these two gentlemen's pockets.”
Cranston was shocked by 'the fact that he knew the brand, and exactly where it was, through the electronics'. Screenwriter Chris Terrio echoed this, describing 'I remember as the shoot was wrapping up, there were people scanning and correcting the hallway we were in.'
Months later, as the film was being completed, producer Chay Carter wrote to the CIA to get permission to thank the Agency, and an officer replied saying he would talk to his superiors, clarifying: “The film has been doing the rounds here, and everyone – from the boss down – loves it. We are really excited.”
Weeks later, a special screening was held for a group of CIA officers, including CIA Director David Petraeus, before the film was released.
A third of Argos viewers felt better about the CIA
This unusually close relationship resulted in critical and commercial success, as well as a boost in publicity for the CIA, who were so grateful for what Affleck had done for them that they used their Twitter account to thank him saying: “Let Affleck film here? The best bad idea we ever had.”
But it's not just the CIA's opinion that the film had a huge positive impact on their public image.
A 2014 study by Michelle Pautz found that opinions of government agencies, levels of trust in government, and confidence in the general direction of the country all improved after the release of the movie 'Argo', and the CIA-backed film 'Zero Dark Thirty'.
In particular, 34% of people who saw the movie 'Argo' increased their appreciation of the CIA, underscoring how effectively this collaboration boosted public opinion of the Agency.
Agent Affleck's promise to 'do the agency proud' paid off.
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