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HISPANICVOICENew York's Largest Spanish Weekly NewspaperOfficial Newspaper of the NYC Hispanic Chamber of CommerceAntonio "Tony" Mendez isan American hero ofMexican ancestry whoseexploits are dramatizedin the movie Argo. Hewasawarded theIntelligence Star for Valorfor his role in the rescue.Ben Affleck's Argo and the White-Washing of the Mexican-AmericanBy Moctesuma EsparzaArgo is a 2012 feature filmHollywood thriller looselybased on a memoir writtenby Antonio "Tony" Mendez,a CIA operative, who led the rescue ofsix U.S. diplomats from Tehran,Iran during the 1979 Iran hostage crisis.The film stars Affleck as Mendez, wasco-produced by Affleck, GeorgeClooney, and Grant Heslov, and wasdirected by Ben Affleck.The film is well done and satisfyingas a thriller, and is now being touted forawards consideration for the GoldenGlobes and Oscars.Although there are many issues withthe historical accuracy of the plot aswell as the portrayal of Canadians, andthe Iranian people; and I understandthese issues as I have made a career ofproducing historical films and biographieswhere I have striven to be asaccurate as possible.I get that dramatizations and inventionsare part of the necessary compromisesneeded to create a historicaldramatic entertaining film. However,what has been done in Argo falls into adifferent category of perpetuating ethnicand racial invisibility of Latinos inHollywood.Antonio "Tony" Mendez is anAmerican hero of Mexican ancestrywhose exploits are dramatized in themovie Argo. He wasawarded theIntelligence Star for Valor for his role inthe rescue.He retired with the rank of SIS-2, theequal to a two star General in themilitary. He was also awarded the CIA'sIntelligence Medal of Merit as well asthe Intelligence Star and two Certificatesof Distinction. Antonio Mendez was oneof fifty officers awarded the TrailblazerMedallion from among all officer in thehistory of the CIA.I have a tangential connection to theevents portrayed in the movie as I wasworking for Jerold Rafshoon, PresidentMoctesuma Esparza is an awardwinningproducer, entertainment executive,entrepreneur and community activist.He is CEO of Maya Cinemas, a first runmainstream theater chain in the UnitedStates principally located in and servingLatino communities , and a partner ofRobert Katz in the company Esparza/KatzProductions. He has produced overthirty films, and has won over 200 awards.He is the producer of such films as theBallad of Gregorio Cortez (1981), Selena(1997), The Milagro Beanfield War (1988),Gettysburg (1993), Teddy Roosevelt andthe Rough Riders (1997), IntroducingDorothy Dandridge (1999), Gods andGenerals (2003) and Walkout (2006). Aparticipant in the 1960s-era movementfor the civil rights and equality of Mexican-Americans,Esparza remains committedto public service, donating histime to educational, cultural, and professionalorganizations, especially thosethat aim to educate Latinos in businessand media. He was born in Los Angeles,California and received a B.A. of TheatreArts-Motion Pictures, Television in 1971and a M.F.A. of Theatre Arts-Motion Pictures,TV in 1973 from the UniversityCalifornia Los Angeles. He can be reachedatCarters' Communications Director in theWhite House during this time on thereelection media campaign. I witnessedthe impact of the Iranian hostage crisison the reelection efforts.The concern I am focusing on hereis the director/producer's choice toportray Tony as if he is a white nonLatino, so he could play the role.This is classic "brown face" at itsworst. There is no reasonable justificationfor this choice as the film couldhave been cast otherwise withoutaffecting its commerciality.Not only did a Latino actor not playTony, who clearly in real life looks likea Chicano, but his ethnicity is stolenfrom the Latino community at a timewhen Latinos have been demonized.Our real Latino national heroes if acknowledgedwould dramatize ourpatriotism and contribution to the UnitedStates.The film actually goes out of its wayto obscure Tony Mendez' ethnicity. Hisname (Mendez) is mentioned only onceand the character says he is from NewYork (Tony was born in Nevada from amining family with six generations inNevada and raised in Colorado).Nowhere in the movie does the viewerget that the hero is Mexican American.Ben Affleck's portrayal of Antonio"Tony" Mendez was very contained andhad very little range, I don't know whatTony personality is like to judge theportrayal but this did not impact themovie's success or failure. It was anexcellent role that would have elevated aLatino actor like Benjamin Bratt orMichael Peña.Instead, like with the story of GuyGabaldon, whose extraordinary achievementsin the WWII Battle of Saipan,capturing, by himself, 1800 enemysoldiers, more than any other Americansoldier in the history of our country, wassimilarly white-washed as JeffreyHunter played him in the 1960 film,"Hell to Eternity."But that was more than half acentury ago, Argo is now.13LA VOZ HISPANA • N.Y. DEL 14 AL 20 DE MARZO DEL 2013 • http://www.lavozhispanany.comLA VOZ HISPANA NEWSPAPER IS LOOKING FOR ADVERTISING SALES PEOPLEPlease call for an appointment at 212-348-8270during working hours 9 to 5 pm -monday to fridayLA VOZHISPANASee our Webside at: http://www.lavozhispanany.com