Grays Almanac

Home/Episodes/Argo

‘Argo’ With Bill Simmons and Chris Ryan

August 16, 2021 · Argo (2012) · Biography · Drama · History · 1:24:55

IMDb ↗Letterboxd ↗

Categories

Most Rewatchable Scene

Bill Simmons▶ 30:52Lists multiple scenes including charging of U.S. Embassy, Mendez shooting down rescue plans, Goodman/Affleck/Arkin scenes, script purchase, meeting Canadian Six, scout mission, airport prep, Led Zeppelin scene, and airport tickets scene
Chris Ryan▶ 31:44Agrees with and adds commentary on another host's scenes, particularly praising the embassy scene for character development and the Led Zeppelin reshoot detail

Casting What-Ifs

Bill Simmons▶ 59:41George Clooney — Only found the Clooney casting possibility, nothing else

Joey Pants Award

Bill Simmons▶ 1:01:02Christopher Denham — Christopher Denham as Mark
Chris Ryan▶ 1:01:28Christopher Denham — Christopher Denham (agreed with another host's choice)

Half-Assed Internet Research

Bill Simmons▶ 1:05:21Shared multiple research facts: Studio 6 received 26 scripts after folding including one from Spielberg, CIA involvement in Argo production, bootleg DVDs popular in Iran, Carter's 30-minute delay vs movie portrayal, chase sequence never happened, Affleck had actors live in character for a week, Jack Kirby was comic industry pioneer
Chris Ryan▶ 1:07:00Jack Kirby is one of the most famous comic book artists

Apex Mountain

Bill Simmons▶ 1:08:15Ben Affleck — Yes for Ben Affleck (wins Oscar, becomes sympathetic figure, complete comeback), Yes for Scoot McNary, No for Alan Arkin (Little Miss Sunshine was his peak), No for John Goodman, Yes for movies about Iran hostage crisis, Yes for the other five Argo Six members, No for Tate Donovan (OC season one was his peak), Yes for Bryan Cranston (Breaking Bad gaining momentum, establishing movie career), Yes for exfiltrations
Chris Ryan▶ 1:08:31Ben Affleck — Yes for Ben Affleck (goes from Gone Girl to The Town to Oscar win to Fincher movie and Batman), Yes for Alan Arkin question, Yes for Tate Donovan being Friends, agrees on Bryan Cranston

Probably Unanswerable Questions

Bill Simmons▶ 1:17:53No, the movie is not better if George Clooney is Tony Mendez - thinks Affleck is really good in this role
Chris Ryan▶ 1:18:00Casey Affleck would not be better as Tony Mendez - didn't seem old enough in 2012 to pull off this role

Who Won the Movie

Bill Simmons▶ 1:21:12Ben Affleck — Ben Affleck wins the movie - he directed and starred in it
Chris Ryan▶ 1:21:04Ben Affleck — Ben Affleck wins the movie

Movies Referenced (46)

Batman (1989)

6 mentions · Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons▶ 9:18IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Little Miss Sunshine (2006)

6 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan▶ 1:09:01IMDb ↗Lb ↗

21 Bridges (2019)

5 mentions · Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons▶ 1:22:25IMDb ↗Lb ↗

The Town (2010)

5 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan▶ 4:00IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Silver Linings Playbook (2012)

4 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan▶ 5:26IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Flight (2012)

3 mentions · Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons▶ 19:37IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Gone Girl (2014)

3 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 4:12IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Spotlight (2015)

3 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 6:18IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Three Days of the Condor (1975)

3 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan▶ 7:45IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Zero Dark Thirty (2012)

3 mentions · Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons▶ 47:05IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Almost Famous (2000)

2 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 38:29IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Beasts of the Southern Wild (2012)

2 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 15:09IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Directors Referenced (8)

George Clooney

6 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan · Known for The Ides of March, Michael Clayton▶ 17:04IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Warren Beatty

5 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan · Known for Heaven Can Wait▶ 9:08IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Steven Spielberg

4 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan · Known for Schindler's List, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, Saving Private Ryan▶ 13:55IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Ben Affleck

3 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan · Known for Argo, Gone Girl, The Town▶ 54:43IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Ang Lee

1 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Life of Pi▶ 16:17IMDb ↗Lb ↗

David O. Russell

1 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for American Hustle, Three Kings, Silver Linings Playbook▶ 16:21IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Oliver Stone

1 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Born on the Fourth of July, Platoon, JFK▶ 49:09IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Paul Thomas Anderson

1 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Punch-Drunk Love, Licorice Pizza, There Will Be Blood▶ 16:32IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Actors Referenced (45)

Tony Mendez

18 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan▶ 12:10IMDb ↗Lb ↗

John Goodman

15 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan · Known for 10 Cloverfield Lane, Barton Fink, Argo▶ 13:34IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Alan Arkin

9 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan · Known for Argo, Little Miss Sunshine, Glengarry Glen Ross▶ 11:11IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Victor Garber

7 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan · Known for Argo, Titanic▶ 39:27IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Jimmy Carter

6 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan▶ 24:15IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Richard Kind

5 mentions · Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons · Known for Inside Out, Argo, A Serious Man▶ 35:41IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Tate Donovan

5 mentions · Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons · Known for Argo, Hercules, Shooter▶ 13:38IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Kyle Chandler

4 mentions · Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons · Known for Argo, Manchester by the Sea, Super 8▶ 13:21IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Matt Damon

4 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan · Known for Good Will Hunting, The Martian, The Departed▶ 10:25IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Titus Welliver

4 mentions · Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons · Known for The Town, Argo▶ 13:21IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Casey Affleck

3 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Manchester by the Sea, Light of My Life▶ 1:04:18IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Ken Taylor

3 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 57:28IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Writers Referenced (4)

Jack Kirby

2 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Black Panther, Iron Man▶ 1:01:59IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Roger Ebert

2 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 28:49IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Brian Koppelman

1 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Runaway Jury, Runner Runner, Michael Clayton▶ 1:01:09IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Dave Parker

1 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 1:16:22IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Cinematographers Referenced (2)

Michael Grantland

4 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for The Other Guys▶ 2:27IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Gordon Willis

1 mentions · Chris Ryan · Known for The Godfather Part II▶ 8:08IMDb ↗Lb ↗