Not Without My Daughter
- Sally Field: Betty Mahmoody
- Alfred Molina: Moody
- Sheila Rosenthal: Mahtab
- Roshan Seth: Houssein
- Sarah Badel: Nicole
- Mony Rey: Ameh Bozorg
- Georges Corraface Mohsen
- Sasson Gabai: Hamid
Not Without My Daughter is an American film drama from the year 1991. It is based on the published 1987 report by Betty Mahmoody, which reports the author, along with William Hoffer about their marriage and escape with her daughter before her husband from Iran. The German -language transfer of Herlind Grey and Clara D. Klein appeared in 1988 Luebbe Verlag, Bergisch Gladbach. The book was immediately a bestseller: Back in 1991, the 40th edition was reached. In the same year the film was released. The film played in the United States 14.8 million U.S. dollars. The shooting took place in Israel.
Action
The American Lover Betty married the Iranian doctor Sayeed Bozorg Mahmoody, called Moody. With him she had a daughter who they Mahtab ( Persian: "Moonlight " ) call, because Mahtab was born in a full moon night.
The family travels despite Betty's objections to Iran to visit Moody family in Tehran. Plans call for a two-week stay. Moody, who had concealed the termination of his job in a hospital in the U.S., announced that he and the family will live henceforth in the land of his ancestors. He asks Betty obedience, which he achieved through violence. Betty adds to his authority to make him believe that she has chosen to live in Iran. However, Betty studied secretly help, for example, in the Swiss Embassy, which then represents the interests of the United States against the Iranian government, as well as with friends. She learns much compassion and help, but initially no, that would really be enough for an exit.
For Betty, it is difficult to adapt to the customs of the country. Since it is a hated for Iran American, she has already in a difficult position in this country. Moody abused Betty often. 18 months after they arrived in Iran, she succeeds with Mahtab flight. With the support of outsiders, and at the risk of life and limb, she flees across the Zagros Mountains in the northwest of Iran to Turkey. From there, she flies with her daughter back to the USA.
Reviews
Roger Ebert wrote in the Chicago Sun - Times 11 January 1991, that the film is indeed anspreche the feelings, but problematic ethical and racist statements involve consider. The negative image of Muslims that appears just before a possible war in the Middle East. Ebert noted further that if the film would describe a different ethnic group so that he would be branded in the U.S. as racist. Ebert praised the dramaturgy of the film and the representations, especially those of Sally Field.
The lexicon of international film wrote that the film was " formally average ", " intent on emotional effect " and " subjective and one-sided reporting ".
The film has been criticized for alleged misinterpretations of Iranians and the Muslim Iranian culture.
Caryn James of The New York Times, wrote in a movie review: " the film exploits the stereotype of the demonic Iranian ... made a significant artistic failure of the movie". Moody, she writes, is "a pure product of his culture, a woman -hating, mysterious oriental ... Fanaticism is trait of the Iranians ".
A review in the Los Angeles Times described the film as " one-sided and distorted ," the film " is not able to distinguish between the Iranian government and the Iranian people."
The film should be broadcast in French and German television in 1998. The national team of Iran then threatened to boycott the football World Cup in 1998. In France, the film was sent. The German private broadcaster VOX, however, failed to make scheduled appearance since officially " a danger to the employee not be ruled out " could.
Cinematic reply
2002 turned Kari Tervo and Alexis Kouros, a Finnish writer who was born in Iran, documentation Without My Daughter ( Dreamcatcher Productions ), which reflects the view of Betty Mahmoody man.