Argo and Lincoln – Two Oscars Favourites With Historical and Contextual Inaccuracies

Anyone bothered to check The Oscars 2013 news today – the day before the ceremony – has seen both Argo and Lincoln. We have, and we loved them both. But there’s an air of controversy surrounding both stories, which are dramatizations of real life events.

As is the case with all ‘based on a true story’ films, there are scenes in which a certain amount of embellishment adds to the drama or tension. This is certainly true of the (SPOILER) last scenes in Argo, where the team escape Iran with police cars chasing the plane. This didn’t happen; they entered the airport at around 5am, when it was quiet, and enjoyed a peaceful passage onto the plane. That wouldn’t be a very exciting film, though, would it?

Oscar faves - Steven Spielberg and Daniel Day Lewis for Lincoln

Ken Taylor - Ex-Canadian Ambassador to Iran - has taken issue with the film for different reasons. "In the movie, Canada and Ottawa didn't exist," Taylor told the New York Times. "It's a great film, it's great. But at the same time, it was a Canadian story that's been, all of sudden, totally taken over by the Americans. Totally." He added: "I don't want to be hard on Tony Mendez," (the CIA agent played by Affleck), "I want to give him all the credit I can. But at the same time, I'm a Canadian, and enough is enough."

And then there’s Lincoln, which, according to American Congressman Joe Courtney, made a vital error. “As a Member of Congress from Connecticut,” wrote Courtney in an open letter to the film’s director, Steven Spielberg, “I was on the edge of my seat during the roll call vote on the ratification of the 13th Amendment outlawing slavery. But when two of three members of the Nutmeg State's House delegation voted to uphold slavery, I could not believe my own eyes and ears.”

Ben Affleck sporting what can only be described as a wonderful beard

Both Lincoln and Argo are set to win big at The Oscars tomorrow night, with Best Director and Best Actor in a Leading Role set to be picked up by Spielberg and Daniel Day Lewis respectively, and Argo moving into pole position for Best Picture. You can follow all the night’s events right here on Contact Music.