Themes: Totalitarian States, Custody Battles, Trapped or Confined
Main Cast: Sally Field, Alfred Molina, Sheila Rosenthal, Roshan Seth, Sarah Badel
Release Year: 1990
Country: US
Run Time: 107 minutes
MPAA Rating: PG13
Plot
In this docudrama based on true events, a mid-'80s Michigan housewife finds her life turned upside down when a vacation to Tehran with her Iranian husband turns into virtual imprisonment for her and her young daughter. Betty Mahmoody (Sally Field) is reluctant to visit the wartorn homeland of her doctor husband, Moody (Alfred Molina). But, depressed about the racism of the American medical establishment and pining for contact with his family, Moody convinces her to join him for a two-week jaunt. The Islamic fundamentalism and strange customs of Iran bewilder and frighten Betty and her daughter, Mahtob (Sheila Rosenthal). But nothing prepares her for Moody's announcement that the family will be remaining in Tehran indefinitely. Despite beatings and more pervasive psychological control from her husband and his relatives, Betty makes it to the Swiss embassy (there is no American ambassador at the time). There, she learns that as the wife of an Iranian, she is now automatically considered a citizen and that she has absolutely no parental rights over Mahtob in this country. Betty then endures several years as a virtual prisoner, escaping only with the help of Westernized Iranian friends. Based on the book by the real-life Mahmoody and William Hoffer, Not Without My Daughter was coincidentally released during the long build-up to 1991's Gulf War. ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide
Review
This deeply xenophobic film hews closely to the movie-of-the-week formula, allowing talented to but erratic actress Sally Field to succumb to every predictable pathos as her character fights for the right to leave the country to which she and her daughter have been virtually kidnapped. Regardless of the actual facts in the real-life case of Betty Mahmoody, surely director Brian Gilbert and screenwriter David W. Rintels could have tried a little harder to place the actions of Mahmoody's husband in context instead of portraying him as an evil Arab willing to marry and settle down in America for years and simply wait for the chance to whisk his wife away on a "vacation" back home. In a bit of Gandhi-style casting, half-Spanish, half-Italian actor Alfred Molina struggles nobly to give this underwritten character depth; perhaps an actual Persian actor would have succeeded. In any case, no single performance could save Not Without My Daughter from its reactionary script, disturbingly one-sided viewpoint, and distorted picture of modern Iran. By all accounts, the plight of American women taken aback by their loss of rights once they've married into another culture is a real issue, one that's rarely investigated in print or onscreen. Unfortunately, this film offers neither insight nor context -- merely propaganda and several moments of unintentional camp. ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide
Mony Rey - Ameh Bozorg; Georges Corraface - Mohsen; Daphna Armoni - Koran Teacher; Yacov Banai - Aga Hakim; Gili Ben-Ozilio - Fereshte; Racheli Chaimian - Zoreh; Jonathan Cherchi - Mammal; Bruce Evers - Doctor; Soudabeh Farrokhnia - Nasserine; Sasson Gabay - Hamid; Marc Gowan - Doctor; Ed Grady - Grandpa; Ahuva Keren - Miss Nassimi; Michael Morim - Zia; Avraham Morr - Hormoz; Mary Rey - Ameh Bozorg; Judith Robinson - Ellen; Mary Nell Santacroce - Grandma; Amir Shmuel - Baba Hajji; Yossi Tabib - Reza; Farzaneh Taidi - Khanun Shaheen; Yerusha Tirosh - Mahtob's Teacher; Shaul Mizrahi - Iranian Soldier; Shay Griffin; Dalia Hovers; Joyce Gallie; Judy Taylor; Mike Fenton; Joseph Shiloach - Mohsen's Companion
Credit
Avi Avivi - Art Director, Desmond Crowe - Art Director, Joe Litsche - Art Director, Anthony Waye - Associate Producer, Joyce Gallie - Casting, Judy Taylor - Casting, Mike Fenton - Casting, Nic Ede - Costume Designer, Brian Gilbert - Director, Terry Rawlings - Editor, Jerry Goldsmith - Composer (Music Score), Bob Smith - Camera Operator, Anthony Pratt - Production Designer, Peter Hannan - Cinematographer, Harry Ufland - Producer, Mary Jane Ufland - Producer, Shlomo Zafir - Set Designer, David W. Rintels - Screenwriter, William Hoffer - Book Author, Betty Mahmoody - Book Author
Not Without My Daughter is a 1991 film depicting the real life escape of American citizen Betty Mahmoody and her daughter from her husband in Iran. It was filmed in the United States and Israel and the main characters are played by Sally Field and Alfred Molina. Sheila Rosenthal and Roshan Seth also co-star as Mahtob Mahmoody and Houssein the smuggler, respectively.
In 1984, Betty Mahmoody's husband took his wife and daughter to meet his family in Iran. He swore they would be safe. They would be happy. They would be free to leave. He lied.
Production
The movie was based on a book with the same title, written by Betty Mahmoody and William Hoffer and based on Betty's version of events. The screenplay was written by John W. Winters. It was directed by Brian Gilbert and filmed at GG Studios, Neve Ilan, Israel and in Atlanta, Georgia.\
Plot
A recently fired Iranian doctor (Moody) travels from his now hometown of the US with his US bred wife (Betty) and daughter (Mahtob). Once there Moody decides he wants to keep his family there, as he believes it would be a better place for the family. Betty disagrees and tries to leave with her daughter, although Moody is determined not to let that happen. Over the time, Moody gradually changes for the worse, taking advantage of Islamic laws and using violence towards Betty, who also discovers that she cannot divorce Moody because he would get sole custody of Mahtob. With no other choice, Betty crosses paths with a friendly smuggler, Houssein, who aids her in escaping back to America.
Controversy and criticism
"Not Without My Daughter does not play fair with its Muslim characters. If a movie of such a vitriolic and spiteful nature were to be made in America about any other ethnic group, it would be denounced as racist and prejudiced."
Not Without My Daughter has been criticized for its representation of Iranians and Iranian culture. [2] Caryn James of The New York Times, in a review, states that the movie "exploits the stereotype of the demonic Iranian...it is an utter artistic failure, and its reliance on cultural stereotype is a major cause". Moody, she writes, seems to be a "pure product of his culture, a mysterious, misogynist Easterner...the film views fanaticism as the Iranian national character".[3] A review in the Los Angeles Times described the movie as "unbalanced and distorted" which "fails to distinguish between the [Iranian] state and the people". [2] In his review, film critic Roger Ebert noted the film made "moral and racial assertions that are deeply troubling."[1]
In response to Not Without My Daughter, a Finnish documentary, titled Without My Daughter was made by Alexis Kouros, composed from interviews with Dr. Mahmoody about his life in Iran and attempts to contact his daughter Mahtob again. Kouros said that the aim of the 90-minute documentary was to "show the lies in the American film and present the real story behind" what turned into an acrimonious custody battle for Mahtob Mahmoody.[4]
The movie was released to generally mixed reviews. Sally Field was nominated for the Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Actress, while Sheila Rosenthal won the Young Artist Award for Best Actress. Many Iranians were upset with the tone of the film and have protested its depiction of Iranians.
