The film "Argo" is based on the real-life events of the CIA's rescue mission, code-named "Argo," which took place in 1979. During the Iranian Revolution, a group of six American diplomats managed to escape the U.S. Embassy in Tehran, which had been overrun by Iranian protesters. The CIA, under the leadership of Tony Mendez, a ex-CIA technical operations officer, devised a plan to rescue the six Americans by creating a fake film production company called "Studio Six Productions."
"Argo" was met with significant critical acclaim and commercial success. The film holds a 96% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with many critics praising its tense and thrilling depiction of the events. The movie was also a commercial success, grossing over $232 million worldwide.
The CIA team, which included Mendez, created a cover story that they were scouting for locations for a science fiction film called "Argo." The plan was to fly the six Americans to Switzerland, where they would be met by a CIA officer and then make their way back to the United States. The operation was fraught with danger, and the team had to use creative and deceptive tactics to get the six Americans out of Iran.