Not Without My Daughter (1991)
Starring Sally Field, Alfred Molina, Sheila Rosenthal
based on the book "Not Without My Daughter" by Betty Mahmoody
Reel
Face:
Real
Face:
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Sally Field
Born:
November 6, 1946
Birthplace: Pasadena, California, USA |
|
Betty Mahmoody
Born: June 9, 1945
Birthplace: Alma, Michigan, USA
|
 |
Alfred Molina
Born:
May 24, 1953
Birthplace: London, England, UK |
 |
Sayyed Bozorg 'Moody' Mahmoody
Born: 1939
Birthplace: Shushtar, Iran
Death: August 23, 2009, Tehran, Iran
(kidney failure) |
 |
Sheila Rosenthal
|
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Mahtob Maryam Mahmoody
Born: September 4, 1979
Birthplace: Houston, Texas, USA
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There was so much snow on the route we took even drug smugglers didn’t use that route.
-Mahtob Mahmoody (
The Culpeper Star Exponent, November 2, 2008)
Questioning the Story:
Did the Mahmoody family really have a house on the water in Alpena, Michigan?
Although they had lived on Thunder Bay River, this was not their home
when they departed for Iran. At the time, they were living in Detroit.
In April 1982, Sayyed Bozorg ‘Moody’ Mahmoody had been suspended from
Alpena General Hospital pending the investigation of the death of a
three-year-old boy, who had died during an elective surgery for which
Moody was the anesthesiologist. While trying to wait out the
investigation, the family ran out of money and was forced to sell the
house. Moody took a job at the Fourteenth Street Clinic in Detroit
where he had worked in the past. Eventually, Betty and the children (in
addition to Mahtob, Betty had two sons named Joe and John from a
previous marriage) moved out there to be with him.
Was Betty’s dad really ill?
Yes. The Not Without My Daughter true story reveals that her father,
Harold Lover, had colon cancer. He died on August 3, 1986, about six
months after Betty and Mahtob Mahmoody arrived back in America.
- NWMD bookWhat was the state of Iran at that time?
Many Iranians were unhappy under Emperor Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi
because of his allegiance to the West during the Cold War and his
extravagant lifestyle and political reforms, including women’s voting
rights. Religious leaders and followers believed that the Shah was
overstepping his constitutional boundaries and was being subservient to
the United States. Many of his actions were considered anti-Islamic and
the cause of the loss of Iranian traditions. His policies were also
blamed for the widening gap between the rich and the poor. In the late
1970s, Islamic leaders rallied for change to get rid of the
westernization and get back to their religious ideals, which resulted in
the beginning of the Iranian revolution. In January of
1979, the Shah was exiled to Egypt and Ayatollah Rouhollah Mousavi
Khomeini, who had formerly been exiled by the Shah, was welcomed back by
hoards of followers. Shah supporters were eliminated and the new
Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran was implemented. This
included the strict rules regarding women’s attire, among other things.
The Iranian revolution resulted in an attack on the American Embassy
and Americans were held hostage in a few separate incidences. In 1980,
Iraq decided to try to take advantage of the changes and invade Iran,
but in 1982 Iran regained its losses. The two countries agreed to a
ceasefire on August 20, 1988.
Were Moody, Mahtob and Betty really greeted by so many family members upon arrival in Tehran?
Yes. According to the real story told by Betty Mahmoody today, over a
hundred people greeted Moody and his family after they exited the
airport in Tehran. Like in the movie, they were presented with tons of
flowers and the cars were adorned with flowers as well.
- Not Without My Daughter bookWas Betty given a gift from Ameh Bozorg upon arrival?
Yes. She was given a long coat called a montoe and a long heavy scarf
called a roosarie. They were required attire in order for women to go
outside in Iran.
- NWMD bookWas an animal sacrificed in their honor?
Yes. Moody’s family bought a sheep to have it slaughtered and
distributed to the poor, however, it was not killed soon enough for
Betty, Mahtob and Moody to cross over it before entering the house.
They went back outside a little while later to complete the tradition of
crossing over it to be respectful. Since this ritual frightened Betty
Mahmoody's daughter Mahtob, she carried her over instead.
- NWMD book
The real Mahtob
Shah of Iran
Ayatollah Khomeini
Mahmoody in the
USA, circa 1984.
- Not Without My Daughter book
- Iran Chamber Society
Did Betty Mahmoody really get stopped by the pasdar for showing her hair in public?
Yes. The real Betty Mahmoody was actually addressed by the pasdar (a
patrol group that monitors women’s attire) three times while in Tehran,
although none were in the first two weeks of their stay. The first time
she was pulled aside was because her roosarie (large head scarf) was
not covering the hair on her forehead. Her second infraction was
because her socks were wrinkled and her third was because her sock was
falling down, which exposed a small portion of her knee from under her
coat.
- NWMD bookWas Betty really told that the passports needed to be approved three days prior to leaving the country?
Yes. Mammal told her that the passports had to be taken to the airport
three days before departure for approval. However, later, when Betty
was supposed to go visit her father, they took the passports to the
airline two days in advance but only to hold for safe keeping, not for
approval. This draws into question whether the three day waiting period
was actually required or was a tactic used by the family to keep Betty
from leaving Iran.
- NWMD bookDid Moody tell Betty that they would only be in Iran for a two week visit?
This depends on who you ask. Betty Mahmoody claims she was told from
the beginning that it would only be a two week visit to see her
husband's family in Tehran. Sayyed Bozorg ‘Moody’ Mahmoody claims that
they went so he could help those injured in the war and she knew that
they would be staying there.
Was Moody really picked on by other doctors?
Yes. The real story reveals that some doctors were referring to him as
Dr. Khomeini, and he had numerous threatening phone calls because he did
not conceal his happiness over what was occurring in Iran.
- Not Without My Daughter bookIs it true that if a woman marries an Iranian man, the wife is automatically an Iranian citizen?
Yes. If you are not Iranian and marry an Iranian man, you automatically
become an Iranian citizen. If the marriage occurs in Iran, your
national passport will be taken from you. If you divorce or your
husband dies, you can renounce your citizenship but your children will
be unable to do so.
- US Passport Service GuideDid they really stay with his sister Ameh Bozorg?
Yes. The Not Without My Daughter true story confirms that Moody, Betty
and Mahtob stayed with Ameh Bozorg their first couple months in Tehran.
Eventually Betty and Ameh Bozorg’s differences became too stressful, so
Betty convinced Moody that they needed to move out to work out their
relationship without her interfering.
- Not Without My Daughter bookWhere did they move to when they left Ameh Bozorg’s?
Since they had little money, they arranged to move into the bottom floor
of a two story home to live with his nephew Reza, Reza’s wife Essey,
and their two children Maryam and Medhi. After a few weeks, they all
realized that the situation was not working for anyone. The children
were not getting along and the cramped quarters were making everyone
irritable. Then Mammal and Nasserine suggested that they move upstairs,
to the second floor with them. They needed someone to watch their son
Amir while Mammal was at work and Nasserine was in class at the
university. It worked out well for awhile but it wore on them too.
After a few months, Mammal and Nasserine went to live with his in-laws
because of all the tension, and Moody was told that he, Betty and Mahtob
had to move out. Mammal agreed to pay for a place for them to stay
because they had no money. They quickly moved out and into their own
home for the first time in Iran.
Did his family really keep a watchful eye on her?
Yes. As depicted in the
Not Without My Daughter movie, every family member and friend was to report to Moody any phone calls, outings or times his wife was late.
- NWMD bookDid they really celebrate Christmas in Iran?
The first Christmas they spent in Tehran was not celebrated at all. The
following Christmas, in 1985, was recognized. On Christmas Day, Betty
Mahmoody's daughter Mahtob woke up early to unwrap all her presents and
then went to school despite being allowed to stay home. They had dinner
with friends that night, and the following day, Moody’s family came
over with presents for Mahtob and Betty.
- NWMD bookDid the owner of a menswear store let Betty use his phone?
Yes. The man sympathized with Betty and was not fond of the revolution
in Iran. Since he had visited America a few times and was trying to
relocate himself and his family there, he decided to aid Betty despite
the risks involved.
- NWMD bookDid the owner of the men’s store introduce her to the person that helped her escape?
Maybe. For the safety of those involved, the real Betty Mahmoody does
not reveal who put her in contact with the man who helped her escape.
“Someone” slipped her an address on a scrap of paper and instructed her
on how to get there. When she arrived at the office building she was
directed to a man that she referred to as Amahl.
- NWMD bookDid Moody really lock Betty in their home and take Mahtob away for weeks?
Yes. Dr. Mahmoody took Mahtob to live with his relatives, Mostafa and
Malouk, a few blocks away. In the words of Mahtob, “I was 5-years-old
at the time and for two weeks he interrogated me. He asked every day,
‘Where do you go? Who are you talking to?’ He thought we were trying to
escape. For two weeks he tried to get me to break. I didn’t break.”
After an air raid, Moody decided it was a sign that they should not be
separated and returned Mahtob to their home.
Did Betty Mahmoody really meet an American woman in Koran class?
Yes. After her second class, she was introduced to Ellen Rafaie, a
native of Owosso, Michigan. Betty and Moody became friends with her and
her husband Hormoz. Mahtob played with their children, a daughter
named Maryam who was a few years older than her and a son named Ali who
was around her age.
- Not Without My Daughter bookDid she ask Ellen to mail a letter for her?
No. Unlike what is shown in the
Not Without My Daughter movie,
Betty did not ask Ellen to mail a letter for her, however, she did ask
her to arrange outings. Betty wanted to use these outings as a cover to
go to the Swiss Embassy, where she was sending and receiving mail from
her family. Unfortunately, after arranging the first outing, Ellen
backed out and told her husband Hormoz everything.
- NWMD bookDid Moody really have trouble getting a job in Iran?
Yes. This was mainly due to Moody not having the necessary paperwork to
be employed as a doctor in Iran. Eventually, a local hospital agreed
to hire him despite this issue but refused to pay him until his
paperwork was approved. After a few months, he was still not approved
but demanded to be paid anyway. The hospital did so but Moody soon
found out that it was not the wage they had agreed on. After being
forced out of Mammal and Nasserine’s home, they bought a new place to
live and used part of the space as a clinic for Moody to work. By the
time Betty escaped, Moody still did not have the required paperwork to
legally work as a doctor in Iran.
- NWMD bookWas Mahtob Mahmoody really sent home from school because she was crying so much?
Yes. The true story behind
Not Without My Daughter confirms that
the school called Moody to pick up Mahtob the first few days of school
because she was making too much noise. They would not let her come back
unless Betty stayed in the office all day to keep Mahtob calm and
cooperative.
- NWMD bookDid Betty really just sit around in the school office all day reading?
No. Soon after Betty began spending the day at school, some of the
office women asked to be taught English. She spent her days teaching
them English and they returned the favor by teaching her Farsi.
- NWMD bookWere they at school when the bombing occurred?
No. When researching the Not Without My Daughter real story, it was
discovered that while they did encounter a number of air raids, none
occurred during school hours. A bombing did occur near the school,
wiping out entire city blocks, but that happened during the night when
no one was in attendance.
- NWMD bookWere basketball players really taken away in trucks?
Not exactly. A group of teenage boys playing volleyball were taken away
in trucks at gunpoint. Although Moody and Reza’s wife Essey told Betty
that they must have been doing something wrong, Betty relayed what
happened to a woman working at the school the next day. The woman
informed her that it was common. Groups of boys were often picked up at
parks and schools to be put in the war.
- NWMD bookWas the original plan to escape through Turkey?
No. Amahl’s original plan was for Betty and Mahtob to fly from Tehran
to Bandar Abbas in southern Iran, then have them taken by speedboat
across the Persian Gulf to one of the Arab emirates. Since they escaped
from Moody early, these plans could not be solidified
and they moved on to a backup plan. This plan included flying from
Tehran to Zahidan in eastern Iran, have the smugglers take them over the
mountains into Quetta, Pakistan, and then fly from there to Karachi,
Pakistan. This plan had to be scrapped when Moody notified the police
that his wife was missing, because they could no longer fly out of
Tehran since officials were looking for them. With that knowledge, the
plan was changed again. Betty and Mahtob were to be driven with an
Iranian family from Tehran to Tabriz in northwestern Iran. Then
smugglers would lead them through the mountains and a Red Cross
ambulance would take them into Van, Turkey. There, they would fly or
take a bus to Ankara, Turkey where the Embassy of the United States of
America is located. Aside from the Red Cross ambulance, this was the
plan used. They ended up going into Turkey by horse because of an
altercation earlier on, which had the border guards on high alert.
Did Betty and Mahtob really escape when Moody was called to an emergency?
Yes. Moody was answering an emergency call to the hospital about a
warfare patient with difficulty breathing. After intubating the
patient, he returned home to find them both gone.
- Without My Daughter documentaryDid Betty say she wanted to buy gifts for her father in order to get out of the house and escape?
No. Since they had been invited to dinner at a neighbor’s house, she
said she needed to go buy flowers to take to them, since it is a
tradition in Iran. In addition, Betty was actually driven to the market
area by her friend (a patient of Moody's) Fereshteh Noroozi and claimed
she would like to walk back to get some fresh air. Despite the orders
of Moody that she not be left unattended, her friend accepted this and
let her go.
- Not Without My Daughter bookWas the heat and wind an issue during the escape?
No. The real story reveals that they had the opposite problem to what
is shown in the movie; the route was covered in snow and ice.
- NWMD bookWas she really almost raped when trying to escape?
No. This appears to be Hollywood’s way of explaining why the end of their escape plan had to be changed.
- NWMD bookHow long were Betty and Mahtob Mahmoody in Iran?
They arrived in Tehran with Moody on August 3, 1984. On January 29,
1986, Betty and Mahtob escaped. They spent the next two nights hidden
in an apartment in Tehran. On
the night of January 31,
they
began their journey and arrived in Turkey three days later. Betty and
Mahtob arrived back in Michigan on February 7, 1986, just over 18 months
after they had left for Iran.
Has Moody seen his daughter Mahtob since she fled from Iran?
No. Despite trying to call and e-mail Mahtob, Sayyed Bozorg ‘Moody’
Mahmoody did not see her again before he died on August 23, 2009. She
refused contact with him. The last time they were together was January
29, 1986.
What does Betty Mahmoody do today?
In addition to writing several books about her experience and the experiences of women in similar situations, including the
For the Love of a Child book
(see right column), Betty Mahmoody today is a member of the AEI
Speakers Bureau and she travels the country telling her story. She is
also the President and co-founder of ONE WORLD: FOR CHILDREN, an
organization created to promote understanding between cultures and to
protect children from the potential dark side of bi-cultural marriages.
- AEI Speakers Bureau
اين تارنما در تيرماه سال1384 به بهانه سالروز حادثه سقوط هواپيماي ايراني توسط ناو وينسن آمريكايي در خليج فارس تاسيس شد و همانطور كه از اسم آن معلوم است درصدد معرفي تروريست حقيقي است و به عنوان نمونه مصاديق مختلف تروريسم و موارد آشكار نقض حقوق بشر توسط تروريستهاي بينالمللي را خبررساني ميكند و گاهي تحليلهايي از جريانهاي تروريستي در آن اطلاعرساني ميشود.