Not Without My Daughter
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Actor: Alfred Molina, Roshan Seth, Sally Field, Sarah Badel, Sheila RosenthalBrand: Sony
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown), Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo; Spanish (Subtitled); French (Subtitled); English (Original Language), Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo; French (Original Language), Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo; Spanish (Dubbed), Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono
Format: Anamorphic, Closed-captioned, Color, DVD, NTSC, Widescreen
Picture Format: 1.85:1
Running Time: 116 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2001-10-02
Audience Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: MGM (Video & DVD)
DVD Reviews of Not Without My Daughter
DVD Review: "Not Without My Daughter" truly is Betty Mahmoody's sheroic story of escape and triumph over tragedy
Summary: 5 Stars
"Not Without My Daughter" is an enthralling movie that will keep you on the edge of your seat. Two-time Oscar-Winner, Sally Field plays suburban homemaker, Betty Mahmoody. Betty is the typical American woman: educated, intelligent and very determined. When her husband (Alfred Molina plays the corrupt, Moody) tricks her into going back to his homeland, the oppressive and desolate Iran, she validly has her trepidations.
Eventually, Betty agrees to go on a short trip to Iran with Moody and their young daughter because her husband was able to convince her that no harm would come to them. Keep in mind that this took place during the mid 80's; smack dab in the middle of the Iran-Iraq War and right after the harsh sanctions of the Iran Revolution.
Betty abruptly learns that they're no longer in Kansas when Moody's old-maid spinster-sister orders him to have her put on a chador (this is that very dismal looking cloak that Iranian women are forced to wear against their will because their society is terrified of anything that is remotely sexual.) Moody's sister, Ameh Bozorg, was played by the very talented Mony Rey. I think it was established during the beginning of the movie that Ameh Bozorg was only 58 (or maybe younger?) but she looked like she was 80 if she was a day. She played the miserable, prudish, Persian family matriarch to the letter. It was never established, but I think "Ameh" may have been a title bestowed to Moody's sister out of respect. In Arabic Umpto means paternal aunt and is sometimes used as a term of respect. Although, the Persian Language (Farsi) is very different.
Even though the customs are very different from what Betty is used to
(for example, everyone eats on the floor,) she's determined to try make the best of it. So, Betty puts on a happy face and dances; but it is apparent that she can't wait to leave. Frankly, who would want to stay in a place like this? Betty also notices some subtle changes to her husband during this time. First, he becomes more withdrawn from her. Then he starts snapping at her when she questions the ridiculous prayer rituals of this fundamentalist clan (they get up in the middle of the night to pray, of course the men are separated from the women.) Then Moody tells Betty that he was fired from his job (he was employed as a doctor in a suburban Detroit hospital) right before they left for Iran. This is likely a lie as there was no mention of this in the storyline to indicate that this really happened.
On the day everyone was supposed to go home Moody gives Betty the tragic news. They are not going back to MI. In fact, both Betty and her daughter must stay in Iran since they are now the legal "property" of her husband! This scene was especially thought-provoking. Imagine someone who you love very much was holding you in a third-world country against your will with your child. How would you react? Sally Field had such a determined and brave response. When Betty stood up to her husband he did what most Iranian men do to their wives when they are faced with adversity; he beat her in the face. What a coward.
Betty tries to get solace from Moody's family. This was a very bad decision. I don't know why she thought they would help her because Ameh Bozorg turned them all against her. Probably because Betty was a beautiful American woman that was free-spirited. Maybe desperate times call for desperate measures and Betty was hoping that someone would help her? When it's apparent that she is stuck in this dump she retreats and becomes very depressed. Even Moody, her wife-beater husband tries to cheer her up.
The only person that gave Betty the drive to press on was her daughter, Mahtob. Sheila Rosenthal performed the role of Mahtob with such talent and finesse. It's hard to believe that she was only 9 or 10 because she was so intelligent. Mahtob was such a sweet and kind-hearted little girl, wise beyond her years. When Moody started calling Betty "stupid" it was so cute to see her tell him that her mother wasn't stupid. So, for the sake of her daughter, Betty does regain her strength to try to find a way home.
Back in MI, Betty's mother contacts Betty with a glimmer of good news. When Betty hears her voice she breaks down in tears. Again, Sally Field was utterly perfect. I am always so amazed at how this actress can transform into a completely different person as she did in this movie. Betty's mother informed her that Iran doesn't have a US embassy (what a shocker!) so her only hope is to visit the Swiss embassy. All of a sudden Moody comes in to the kitchen (where Betty was, of course it goes without saying that this was the only phone in the house) and sees Betty talking on the phone. He is in enraged. Oh, did I forget to tell you? Besides being held against her will, Betty can't leave the house and can't use the phone. Moody pushes his hostage, oh I mean his wife away from the phone and warns her never to pick it up again.
Finally, Betty and Mahtob make the courageous escape to the Swiss embassy. This is such a bittersweet moment. Because one would think that they would be at least on their journey home. Right? Not so. Nicole Amjahmian (Sarah Badel) informs Betty that just because she wants to go home doesn't mean she can. And it doesn't mean they can help her physically get out of the country. Besides making phone calls and passing on messages Nicole's hands were tied. She also tells Betty that since she married an Iranian man she automatically became an Iranian citizen. Betty would have to go back to her husband; she had zero options.
When Betty arrives back at Ameh Bozorg's dilapidated hovel (where they're all still staying) Moody is seething in a rage. All of a sudden he comes out of nowhere and starts screaming: where were you. Suffices it to say, he starts beating her and pummeling her with slaps. Poor Betty couldn't fight back. She was like a cornered fly. She was totally defenseless. All she could do was fall to the ground in hysterical sobs.
After Mahtob's first birthday in Iran, Moody arrogantly enrolls Mahtob in school. Needless to say, because of her new surroundings Mahtob is terrified in her new school. No one speaks English and the customs and practices are beyond sublime (like her mother, Mahtob was also forced to keep her hair covered!) On her first day of school, Moody has to pick Mahtob up early because the poor thing would not stop crying; and who could blame her? (I'm sure most adults would be in shambles if they were forced to go to an Iranian school against their will; now picture how traumatic this would be to a small child!) So, Betty is asked to go with Mahtob the following day and stay in the building so her daughter would feel more comfortable.
As Betty was in the school there was a horrible explosion that caused complete pandemonium. All the students and teachers came running out of the classrooms in all different directions. Maybe they should have had a bomb shelter or at the very least some type of drill so everyone would have known what to do because this was a fairly common occurrence. When Moody came to pick up Betty she pleaded with him not to force Mahtob to go back to that school. Moody had the unmitigated gall to blame the explosion on the US. In fact, Moody was the type of man that liked to shift all the blame onto others for all of his problems. He blamed everyone but himself when he couldn't find a job. He blamed Americans for his own country's civil war. He blamed the US when Betty's family had his assets frozen. Alfred Molina played the part of this misogynistic monster exceptionally.
Months go by and Betty is still trapped against her will. Nothing has changed, though. Except maybe now Betty has started to get a little complacent. I don't know if this is a good thing or not. Because Moody isn't as rigid or tight-fisted with her. They finally move out of Ameh Bozorg's and in with Moody's brother and sister-in-law. Nasserine (played by Soudabeh Farrokhnia), Betty's sister-in-law, was the only member of her husband's family that showed her a little bit of courtesy and sympathy. And wasn't she absolutely beautiful? Of course, since Nasserine was a woman, she was absolutely powerless to intervene in any way. But it was still refreshing for Betty to see a kind face among all these other miserable and hateful sourpusses, namely Ameh Bozorg.
Betty finally meets a gentleman who may be able to help her. He specializes in smuggling hostages out of Iran. But now it becomes a race against time for Betty and Mahtob to get out of the country, alive. Because Moody wants to send Betty back to the US (without her daughter, of course) to unfreeze and liquidate all of their assets. But Betty refuses to leave without Mahtob. She is determined to bring both herself and her daughter home safely. If nothing else, Sally Field proved that a mother's love is never compromised.
Betty's last couple of days in Iran were very suspenseful because everything was so unexpected. Moody was called into work at the last minute which gave Betty a very small window of opportunity. You will root for Betty during her entire ordeal as she gets to her "safe house." I loved it when Betty called Moody to tell him she wasn't coming back (this was done to bide some time.) You can hear Sally's feisty voice, now it's Betty's turn to show her husand her rage. And after being his hostage for 18 months she rightfully had a lot of animosity. Of course Moody was furious that his wife would dare disobey him. He was totally livid but always indignant as he screamed to Betty through his family's antiquated (even for a third-world country) rotary phone: you're my wife, I don't have to explain anything to you.
As you know, eventually Betty and Mahtob do make it out of Iran safely. The movie does end in somewhat of an anti-climactic way. I believe it was more due to logistics. It ended with Betty seeing an American flag in Turkey, holding her daughter; both tired, and alone. Betty's book (which this movie was based on) was much more descriptive, so perhaps I was expecting a little more. I believe Betty has since said that because of the snow and the time of year the filming location had to be moved and certain aspects pertaining to the final scenes had to be rewritten for continuity. Nevertheless, it was still a first-rate film.
Why is this story so motivational and so incredibly uncommon?
Being taken to Iran and held against her will, like Betty was, is not unique, unfortunately. This happens every day to thousands of women and children. But what is unique is that Betty and Mahtob were able to get out safely.
In 1948 the United Nations General Assembly came up with a list of human rights which are (supposed) to be guaranteed for every single human being; all over the world, in every single country. This very basic list is called the "The Universal Declaration of Human Rights," and countries such as Iran have consistently chosen to ignore these basic human rights.
This is the first time a woman has ever escaped the harsh rule of Iran with her child, and lived to tell their story. Forget about the fact that women have no rights and are property (owned by their husbands, fathers or brother-in-laws) who cannot travel without explicit permission. The fact of the matter is that just making the pilgrimage from Iran to Turkey in the winter (as Betty and Mahtob did) can be very dangerous and even deadly. It was a miracle for something like this to happen.
For more than 15 years I have studied the Middle East. This entire region of the world has always been very captivating to me. Partly because I find the customs and the people to be very beautiful and fascinating. I have learned how terse and arbitrary this part of the world tends to be, though. And, I have learned that Iran is very different from any other country in the Middle East. Iran is one of the most repressive and harshest countries in the entire world. As I stated, women have zero rights. But it's not just women that are subjected to this torturous way of living. When the Iranian President recently told Columbia University that there are "no homosexuals in Iran" I had to laugh at his blatant homophobia, hatred and disregard to human life. What a sick and bigoted statement to make. This just goes to show the type of backwards system that makes up the Islamic Republic of Iran. All of the homosexual men and lesbian women living in Iran during this modern-day Holocaust have my deepest sympathy. I know that they are living through their own hell right this moment, at the hands of a nation that says they don't even exist!
If you enjoyed this movie, you would love Betty's book, Not Without My Daughter. You may also want to read, Out of Iran by Sousan Azadi. I also recommend picking up Betty's second book, For the Love of a Child. And if you're interested in books on the Middle East in general (not specifically Iran), I also recommend Sold: One Woman's True Account of Modern Slavery, Princess: A True Story of Life Behind the Veil in Saudi Arabia and Burned Alive: A Survivor of an "Honor Killing" Speaks Out.
In her book, Betty said that after she and her daughter first saw this movie they both cried. All the events of their capture came back to them since the movie was so true to life. The real Betty was in Israel (where the movie was filmed,) during the production of this movie. And the real Mahtob even has a small part as one of the children. "Not Without My Daughter" truly is Betty Mahmoody's sheroic story of escape!!
Description of Not Without My Daughter
Two-time OscarĀ(r) winner* Sally Field adds another powerful acting triumph to her gallery of great roles in the suspense thriller Not Without My Daughter, a riveting true story of terror and escape. Betty has come to the Middle East with her daughter and native-born husband(Alfred Molina, Spider-Man 2, Species) for a visit with his family. But soon the horrible truth about their vacation surfaces. Betty's husband doesn't intend to bring his family back to America...ever. She may return, he says, but their daughter must stay. And he has centuries of local custom and the oppressive might of a police state behind him. As a stranger in a foreign land, Betty has no money, no friends and no rights. But she does have an unconquerable will. In a hostile, war-torn country, where even the slightest misstep can mean death, she makes a desperate bid to escape with her child. Her story, her courage and her ultimate triumph are unforgettable. *1979: Actress, Norma Rae; 1984: Actress, Places in the HeartBestsellers in DVD
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