Those of you who don't believe in Betty then at least read what Mahtob herself has said. She remembers her father beating her mother and has spent most of her life, even as an adult, hiding from him, not wanting contact with him. If he's telling the truth, why don't his daughter want to see him? Is she lying too?
if you live in a islamic country and know their mentality, specially coming from a western mentality country, you DO believe in her version. I also believe that he suffers from beeing far away from his daughter, but after he kept her there without her willing, he was asking for the situation he passt through.
This man is probably going delusional in his old age....Or more plausibly, he has always lived in denial of what he has done...I mean there is one thing that stays true : he has forced her and the daughter to stay in Iran against their will.
Note the womans response who Betty has written about in the book. "I still can't believe this was Betty written a book like that". She is not denying the events, all she talks about how other women felt upset with Betty writing the book and that it made things "worse". Also note her nervous laughs. Textbook case of deflection the events written about are most likely true.
What it boils down to is that this woman was given no choice. She was amazingly brave and she protected her daughter from growing up in terrible conditions. Speaking as a daughter who has not seen her father in years for similar reasons, children remember. If she had wanted to, or had any reason to, give him a chance to be in her life, she would have been able to as an adult. If he was as loving a man as he is attempting to portray himself, he wouldn't have lied and kept her in Iran.
As an Iranian, I am more apt to side with Betty Mahmoody's story, though a lot of the details in the book were biased and not taking into account several issues related to Iran in the mid 1980s.
Anyways, I do believe Dr. Mahmoody did try to at least keep their daughter, Mahtob, there against Betty's will and during the mid 1980s at the time of the Iran-Iraq war, Iran was no place to raise your american born child. She had every right to take him from her.
he looks mean.... and like rest of others I too don't understand what prevented him from going to US to meet his daughter if he loved her so much.. I read the book and the woman has gone thru a lot of problems .
he has a technical legal point - Betty did kidnap Mahtob - so in law, shes the abductor. Iranians have plenty baths and their food rates among the best in the world. He woulda have been better off tracing Mahtob thru Bettys tours etc.
He can play the saint all he wants, but the bottom line is this--everyone was told they were going away for 2 weeks only. The fact that they did not come back is the big giant red flag that something was off about the situation. If it was truly just a simple vacation, they would have returned. The fact that it took 18 months for her to get out of these proves he never planned to leave. Why are people so blind to that??
Generally, people are going to believe Betty. This documentary is full of Iranian interviewees or people that agree with their oppressed ways and god-awful culture. This documentary has made absolutely no difference in my opinion of the situation. I feel no sympathy to the "good" doctor. The facts within the story are all in debate and I think its stupid to even consider them because the main facts are: She was held against her will. She could not go home without Mahtob.
It is a shame he didnt have peace with his ex-wife and daugter before he died. It tells me more about his side of the story by his statement that his only sin was loving his daughter or something like that. It stinks of lies. Everyone has regrets about how they handle relationships and ending relationships. I would accept there are two sides to every story, but his lack of any regrets tells me more.
Ok this is sad but he deserved it for being such a mean guy who only wants to boss around I think his daughter is better without him come on 20 yrs that's so over the limit
If he had come to this country, he could have seen his daughter in a reasonable way. He could have talked with his ex-wife, filed for common assets. Of course the other American women are going to deny it. They will be BEATEN by their husbands if they don't.
Why would he wait 20 yrs to call his daughter. I mean he should have done this a long time ago but he waits for cameras to roll. I think something happened and his daughter witnessed it. My mom was in an abusive relationship when i was around 5 or 6 and that isnt something you 4get... so there is a reason why she never found him. Its not like she didn't know about him, her mom wrote a book and people still talk about it today
My english is to bad to understand this Documentary but it will be great to see both sides. Did somebody knows if its possible to look the film in german or with german subtitle?
I am so sorry about the passing of Moody. I always noped his daughter would at least send him a picture or someting. May his soul be at rest. Forgiving can be a new lifeline.
Thank you for this video, it was important to me from the beginning to get to know both sides, and it makes me so sad, what had to suffer through this poor and broken man. Rest in peace Dr. Sayed Mahmoody!
to aneigenete the joint family property and thousands of dollars with their book deserves to prohibit the courts and the contact of Dr. Mahmoody with her & her daughter had (...) But as I said, look at the document read, the Koran, speak to Muslims, read books about the Arab world, traveling the country & makes you only an opinion about today's "leftovers" of a former empire, despite the Quran & Islam or perhaps because of, one of the most highly developed culture of its time in the world had!
One can not read a book and order by which a human being, let alone a whole nation or a religion!? You might even prefer a picture of the country, the culture and looks sure to Documentation with and about Dr. Mahmoody to make you a picture of the other side can(!)
But frankly, I think more like an old record highly intelligent man who desperately tries to contact his now adult daughter, as a woman who was not speaking for the makers of the documentary (...)
she was six years of age and she was a baby? she might not know that her father is a physician???? He talks about his daughter like she is retarded...just comes to show he has no case.
In the end it was Mahtob's choice whether to speak or see her father again. She knew where he lived, she knew what he does, I don't blame her either way. It was her decision; she was really put through such abuse that no child should ever have to endure.
@JediGoddessChristy I agree, if the daughter wanted to see her father when she was of age, she was more then able to do so, despite the negative or positive assumptions she might have had.
its very sad that he didnt get to see his daughter before he died but if you take someone against thier will to a strange land on a lie, its not going to turn out ok!! why should betty have lied about what happened? why would she risk her life and that of her daughter to leave if she wasnt desperate?it doesnt make sense
I can understand both sides of the story but if he really loved his daughter, and family was the most important thing to him he would have gone back to the US for them. Sad he didn't get 2 see his daughter
He was denied a Visa because of what he did. He was labeled as high risk. Honestly his actions were wrong, if he really wanted a healthy relationship with his daughter then he wouldn't have acted in the way he did by tricking your family and betraying their trust only to mentally abuse them, especially right in front his daughter. I think he lost the privilege to be father to her a long time ago and that was his guilt to live with.
Forget the fact that he's accused of beating abusing and locking her up for weeks at a time. We'll say that that part isn't true (even though their daughter has repeatedly spoken in public confirming all this and more), we'll say that Betty lied about all that. The fact of the matter is that she and her daughter both American citizens were forced to stay in a strange country against their will. They met, married and concieved in the US that is where they should have stayed. Id have done the same
At the end of all our lives what really matters is who loves us and who we love, it doesn't matter anymore what we have done, good or bad. All together this is very tragic story, for all parties, but the real victim is Mahtob. She will have to live with the fact that she has lost her father, even though he did very bad things, it was still her father.
Exactly but in a interview herself Mahtob said her father had changed and that she had already grieved the loss of him a long time ago. She and her mother now go around the world speaking about domestic violence and abuse. Even until her father's death Mahtob said she still feared he was trying to kidnap her. Her father made his bed a long time ago and from what Mahtob said she has moved on with her life and both her and her mother are trying to make a difference by helping other victims.
People do anything for money. It makes sense what her friend said that how can she travel through that long journey in the mountains with a child. It's difficult for women to do that. In a strange place with no facilities. And miliatry surveilance all around. The man who helps her in the movie tells her that it's the most dangerous area at that time when they travel.
You know when you read her book, you know it is how she experienced it, so maybe it is exagerated, but she did went throught terrible things and others women did too; What her husband did to her is unforgivable;
Personaly reading, this book, i didn't get the impression that she generalized... ..try to understand her..and at this time Iran was in a very dark and trouble periode.
Why in this documentary he doesn't tell us that he returned to America to find his daugther or speaking to the USA police that Betty kidnapped his daughter right when she left????
If he complains about Betty taking his money then why he didn't returned to the USA to claim his money right away???
He could return to America to solve many problems there, but instead he just stood there and cried for his daughter!
in the book it states that since his green card expired he could not return to the us without his wifes permission. also betty had been in cotact with the state department through the swiss embassy for months. who is the state department going to trust an american citizen who has been in contact with the state department for months or an iranian?
I mean if the daughter also claim about the abuse of the father we have proves that all that the mother said was true. And even if the mother lies is Mahtop decision if the wants to see her father,,
People. I'm not Irainian but come on. not all iranians are bad. I'm a Divorced father and my Ex mad me out to be a Monster , but now that they are older they see i am not that stuff my Ex made me to be. # 2 with a Movie like that do you think the will allow that man back into this country. # 3 it's a Hollywood Movie. they have to make the Movie Iteresting. Money , Money! of course his daughter was afraid of him , they made him out a Monster. Careful I'm Mexican , i carry swine flu,RUN! lol.
Mahtob shared a dorm room with my niece. She was a delightful and very intelligent young woman. She had no desire to be in touch with her father again. She was watched, their phone was bugged, she was afraid of him and feared being taken against her will.
In a situation where the mtther kidnaps the daughter and her father is portrayed as a cruel and bad guy, the daughter may refuse to see her father because she wants to make her mother happy.
This is very sad situation. I think the father got too much punishment. The mother got not only daughter but also the property of Mr Mahmoody. She also made a lot of money by selling this book.
If the daughter lives with the mother who hates her father how can the daughter want to see her father ? The daughter will always take care of wish of her mother.
If Mahmoody had been an american he would have sued her wife for writing such book and there would have been no such film either
I cannot believe he even had the cheek to appear on screen........im sure parts of the book were fabricated.. that is always the way .. but the majority is true ! ! !
He is nasty, may he rot in hell !!!! Najess Saag !!!
As an Iranian who grew up in Tehran I can tell you that everything she said about Iranian culture and life in Tehran was a lie. Knowing that this aspect of the book was untrue I can't help but seem sceptical about her relationship claims. Instead of believing everything that is fed to why not do some research an assess the validity of claims. And always remember that there are two sides to ever story.
i would take it not as "what she said about persia", but rather, "what she said about how his family was". perhaps they were uneducated backward oppressive kind. this movie shouldnt be taken as a criticism of iranian culture/tehran, but rather, as a criticism of mahmoody's family values. my cousin was recently in tehran & she said the women there are most fashoinable, educated, forward. whereas mahmoody's family members dont know english, they're rural kind probably.
Dr. mahmoudi besiar marde bozorg o sharifi bodan. az familhaye ma hastan.
ishon va kasayi ke toye in film hastan va aghvame ma hich kodom chenin karayi ro nakardan va moteasefane aghaye mahmoudi hich vaght nafahmidan hamsareshon chera in karo kardan va dar hasrate didane dokhtareshon jan sepordan. roheshon shad.
how come she waited 15 years, then search for her daughter? couldn't he send her an email? He didn't have anyone in the U.S to go and tell the true ????
@greanseasen He's an intelligent man. He would've known where she had gone. He knew where her parents were. He would've known that she would've gone to her parents, maybe not to live with them, but to at least visit them. So you can't convince me that he didn't know where she was.
@Noosa1978 he died of a broken heart .. this man is a very well educated and a kind man. what that women did to him is murder, for a man from the eastern culture.. shame on her.. may his soul be free and happy...
I hink this lady has no reason to lie-it's also one of my favorite movies-but I believe this woman and I believe that this mn did what was portrayed of him! BUT he has to face the LORD ALMIGHTY GOD..
notice in this so called documentary, they keep using the word "escape"....'she could not have escaped through Turkey'. Intresting choice of words, ya think? In Mahmoody trying to dispell all that happens makes me sick and it's truly sad that there are those out there who actually think Betty was a liar....sure, she was an escaped liar pfffff
Mahmoody is the creepiest guy, I have been learning about this whole affair and am in the middle of writing about it, and if there is one thing that I learned it is that Mahmoody's defense is riddled with logical fallacies
Example:
he claims he never beat his wife because he is shorter than she is.
Betty could not have invented this stuff. Read the book and get her account - not the Hollywood version. Ask the daughter. She still remembers what happened. Why should we feel sorry for this guy Mahmoody? He has now met His Creator who is Just and Fair. He knows the truth about what happened and has heard first hand from Mr. Mahmoody himself. (And just as it is appointed unto man once to die, and after this, the judgement.)
ok hes old and fragile, but he was once a brutal shit. he might seem nice they all do untill yer behind closed doors. he was a monster and he got what he deserved. at least betty and mahtob can now live again without fear. hes gone and he cant hurt them any more
Bottom line- even if she was allowed to go out when she wanted, even her husband was not beating her like he denies, even if the movie embellished circumstances like hollywood is known to do- He still held Betty and their child against their will which is wrong!!! I can't imagine the courage it took her to escape and I am glad they made it out. That is justice!
Nobody will NEVER know what actually happened because nobody was there except Betty, her daughter and her husband.
EVERY kind of actual fact has it's controversies BUT IF the "buttom line" of the movie is basically truth then Im on Betty's side because this sort of thing happened in my country Puerto Rico and the woman LOST the case!
So even if Betty coudn't get her daughter out of Iran it would still a tale of injustice.
exactly but my question is that how come he is still in Iran and wouldn't the daughter be an adult by now? She could have contacted her father why hasn't she?
The fact of the matter is that Betty was in Iran, wanted to go back home, but her husband wou'dn't allow that. She escaped because she wanted to. Of course Seyed sees it different, he feels his daughter was kidnapped, and in his situation, I guess I can't blame him.
As a man who lived in a household with a verbally and physically abusive father (to my mother), I find this video absolutely disgusting. You can whine about the "bad Americans" or "Jews" (entirely hypocritical) portraying Iranians negatively, but you cannot deny that there are men in EVERY country who are abusive, but in Islamic fundamentalist countries it is harder for women to seek help. Quit trying to make a tyrant look innocent. Mahtob is an ADULT and still wants nothing to do with him.
Mahtob should have talked to her father. The relationship between her mother and father did not include her. Forgiveness anf mercy go a long way. She should have given him the opportunity to say I love you to her.
adding to my prior post Betty made the mistake of not asking Moody to visit Iran first and seeing how he felt about going home. He should have gone and checked the living situation and then come back home and spoke to Betty about it. I believe they could have worked out the marriage if they both had not been afraid of loosing Mahtob to the other spouse Still Moody has a responsibility to his wife above ALL others When she was not happy for whatever the reason he should have said lets go back
Without all the ridiculous country vs country childish thought.... I think these parents have both made mistakes. Moody took and American wife lived and American life with her, had an American child and then took her to live in Iran during a tumultous time between the countries. Now the upheaval was not his or her fault thats between governments. Putting aside a lot and coming to the root of it he should have known that it was going to be difficult to move Betty there. He should hve cme home
Mahmoudy promised on the Koran he would not keep her there if she would go and he broke his sacred promise. It's not kidnapping when it's your own child and you're being held against your will in a foreign country. She was extremely brave and brilliant to outsmart all of them.
Sorry for my English I´m Czech :-) But excuse me a comment about Betty´s friend (around 5 min 1 part). Do you see her scarf at the right side of her face????
So... Theevilpersian... you must have known Dr. Mahmoody personally? after all that's what you are demanding of anyone who supports Betty's story. What right do you personally have to call her a complete liar and a horrible woman/wife/whatever? Are you denying that custody is automatically given to the father or eldest male relative of the father? Or perhaps you think this sort of thing never happens?
And what right do YOU have to speak on MY behalf without even knowing what I know or think on this matter? Unless you are magically quoting my from somewhere please don't speak non-sense for the sake of seeking attention.
Theevilpersian, jonokai is American, so its obvious he'd take Betty's story as the ultimate truth. That's the problem with most Americans: they take seriously what they see on their beloved tellies and don't bother to look beyond what the media whores say.
I, for one, don't believe a word about the negative points of Moody. A civilised citizen suddenly turning into a backwarded peasant and abandoning all pride and dignity? Unlikely, but Americans, being Americans, obviously believe it.
Are we forgetting that Seyed abused his wife and child? Forget the fact that he's Iranian and she's American. He threatened and hurt his family. I don't care who you are, that is wrong. However, we will never truly know what really happened, I believe. Someone's lying, and, though it's hard to not side with Betty, I'm not sure who I can believe.
Oh, wait. Visonu, I'm an ignorant American, right? "Americans, being Americans, obviously believe it." Hmmm, I spy bigotry...
I feel for this man, I mean that he died alone without seeing his daughter, and I think that the girl should have given him the benefit of making him a happy person and die with dygnity.
It's sad but Mahtob (who is now 30) has publicly stated she never wanted to see her father again. She clearly remembers him beating her mother in Iran-and threatening to track them down 'to the end of his life'. I would not rate any wife-beater a good man. Sorry. Too bad he didn't see her again-but that's on him. The first time he laid hands on her mother is when he lost any right to call himself a father.
I remember the movie shocked me when I first saw it back in 1990; I came to believe Muslim men were horrible people. But now, almost 20 years later, and having Muslim friends myself, I have realized that the movie was just typical overbloated Hollywood propaganda; in this case, against Iran.
I'm trying to keep a netural standpoint on this but here's what I think:
I don't Mahtob remembered most of the story. She just went along with her mom's judgment. No, she wasn't heartless but I don't think me made the right choice to shut out her father. I'll really sad the two never met again.
Nimairoony, Dr. Mahmoody was NO saint. Keep in mind that Iran is a country where women are treated as second class citizens and homosexuality is punished by the death penalty. If Mrs. Mahmoody was being dishonest I'm sure Mahtob (who is now 30 years old) would have visited her mother before he died. Dr. Mahmoody brought this upon himself.
Dr. Mahmoody certainly does not represerent all men, or all Muslims for that matter-when I saw the movie, and read the book-I believed Betty all the way. And Mahtob's memories are very clear on the matter-he beat her mother, and prevented them illegally from leaving the country-Betty and Mahtob were Americans and Dr. Mahmoody had no right to keep them captive in his homeland.
09:32 Indeed, it seemed totally exaggerated when I read the book. Might alter my view of things this documentary. Maybe the truth was "somewhere in between"..
He was no devil, just a confused man... but as I see it he did this to himself. Stil, I wish that he could have seen his daughter again. It's a sad story.
I dont believe Mahtab is hearthless.She must be severly traumatized by her terrible memories about her father.I dont agree about her mothers brainwashing either(I lost my grandma about the same age when she fleed from Iran,And all my life,every single day I listened my mothers accusations about her how she was evil but I ve never got brainwashed.After 35 years still I miss her and I wish I could see her ones more).Its harsh but Dr Mahmoody paid his mistakes,
her daughter mahtab is heartless cause at the end of the DAYYYYY thats HER father, his father died today and she never called him, and never answerd his calls, im sorry for YOU.everybody makes mistake,her mother brain washed her for sure,but now she was old enough to talk to her dad. IM SORRY FOR YOU MAHTAB. HEARTLESS <<< one word
I aman american muslim women and i am married to a saudi man and its really not like this lol. i mean it happens but every country is diferent. iran, iraq, lebanon all those are different and its not against the law there, so whatever your comments are towards how its wrong, it really doesnt matter, you dont live there. and this is a religious thing also. its not uncommon (im not saying its right!!) but this doenst happen with everyone here. im also in houston tx, like he was lol
I would also like to sound in on this issue. I believe Betty 100%. This documentary is bullsh*t. For crying out loud people, Betty trusted her husband so much, that she actually went to Iraq with her daughter. This is fact. This is indisputable!! That means LOYALTY!!!. THAT.....is evidence of a loyal and good wife.
If you think Mahmood is telling the truth.....well, good luck in your life. You'll need it seeing as how you reject clear reason!!
I wish you would at least learn a bit more about something first before commenting on it. This is not about Iraq, it's about IraN. But perhaps this just goes to show that the movie was successful in completely misrepresenting Iran and portraying it to viewers as a country similar to Iraq.
theevilpersian, after watching both movies, I have come to the conclusion that Betty was mostly honestly and Sayyed mostly dishonest. He may be depressed about the situation, but he brought it upon himself by taking his wife and daughter to Iran during WARTIME and by acting violently toward both mother and daughter.
That is a respectable argument. Although I'm not sure if you are responding to my previous post or simply providing me with your view on it. Because that was not my point in that post. As far as judging one's honesty and dishonesty I personally do not find appropriate to decide solely based on 2 films or books from either side. There is a lot that you and I are unaware of, and that could easily lead us to a misjudgment.
evilpersian, I was responding to your previous post. For me, the largest factor is the fact that Mahmoody's daughter Mahtob has not contacted him since mother and daughter fled Iran. Given the fact she is almost 30 years old, I think if he wasn't an abusive father, she would have contacted him by now, even against her mother's will. While I do think Betty's book may have a few fictitious elements, I found it to be very credible.
Well my previous post was mainly about the misrepresentation and false portrayal of Iran, and not about mahmoody or betty. However, your reasoning about Mahtob is logical, yet one of many possibilities. Just as it is also a possibility for Mahtob to be avoiding her father in order to avoid going back to whatever drama that may have existed between her parents. Or simply staying away due to other circumstances.
A thousand apologies for confusing Iran with Iraq. How awful of me. Thats like confusing Russia with the planet Jupiter. Its so stupid of me to confuse the two. Russia being so obviously different from the planet Jupiter. They don't even have the same religion on Jupiter that they do in Iran. Also, that proves conclusively that I'm completely ignorant and Betty is a liar. Look, just remove all my comments. They're unnecessary and youre an idiot for even posting these videos to begin with.
Instead of arguing this much, use of unnecessary sarcasm and giving ridiculous examples, you could just say "Oh yes! I made a mistake! That country was Iran and NOT Iraq".
If confusing Iran with Iraq isn't that much important and the 2 countries are almost the same, then I'd prefer to call the US, Canada and you're a Canadian!!!
There's not much difference between Canada and the US after all !!!
There isn't much difference. The two countries value liberty, freedom, private enterprise, democracy, equal protection under the law, free speech and education. They have independent sovereignty and slightly different laws, but they share the same democratic heritage and protections for citizens.
Personaly I have a hard time believing this guy. But I do love Sally Feild she's such a great actress. I love the show she's in Brother's and Sister's !
I just finished Betty's book, did not see the movie. I say that the book is extremely compelling. And it does not claim that all Iranians are evil. But it does claim that Iranian society as a whole, esp. the Ayatollah's Iran, is far more restricting than the US.
I can't comment whether Moody really did abuse Betty or not, I'm simply going to say it'd be impossible to return to the States, if some group wouldn't be watching his ass I'm sure either friends and family of Betty would kick his ass on sight.
Yes, nobody is saying that Sayyed was without fault, but he was not the abusive monster Alfred Molina played in the film. Betty only made him look like that to provide a good excuse for her smuggling herself out of Iran so as not to go to prison.
That makes no sense. She wrote the book after she left Iran, while she was already safely in the US, and was no longer in any danger of going to prison.
If he really loved his wife and daughter he wouldn't have forced them to live in a foreign country against their will. It was his decision to live in America he didn't even give his wife and daughter the choice. Whether he beat her, took away all her money, or did any of the other horrible things portrayed in the movie or not he was wrong in trying to force his family to live in a foreign country. He was wrong.
i dont believe this...i think he still abused her coz a woman who is married for 7 years doesnt leave without a warning and without a reason... there must be something that made her leave all of a sudden.... what he is saying doesnt make any sense... there must be a reason D:
Mahtob is 30 now-what visitation rights??in public violence and sexual abuse groups she has stated her father did indeed beat her mother before her very eyes-and she never wanted to see him again which is her perogative. She lived the life not any of us. It was her choice. Her father is dead now so it is all moot any way.
I realize that your mother had Kidnapped you ????She was not trying to make things better. Betty to me seemed like a woman who wanted to get away from iran and its ways and did not want to leave without her daughter. A lesson to all bicultural families
These are quotes from Mahtob. Go tell her she lies.
If I was stuck in between my dad and mom, maybe he wouldnt hit her. Maybe if I stuck my finger down my throat and I tried to vomit, I would distract his attention. Maybe if I cried and said I had to go to the bathroom he would let her take me and that would buy more time.
...correct, but the film does not attempt to go into any depth. The Sharif woman is even interviewed to give her opinion about whether Betty could have escaped over the mountains. So a housewife from Michigan who lives in Tehera is the Finnish director's authority on the possibility of a mountain escape from Iran. That is sad.
I do not think the original film demonized Iranians. There are Iranians who are portrayed as heroically helping her to escape -- hardly "demons." The film is not
...by claiming that in Midnight Express, the author portrays the Turks as "homosexuals who bothered him a lot." This is not true. It is true that the book portrays some of the guards as rapists, but it is also true that the author portrays himself as having a consensual love affair with another man when they were in prison (this part of the book is not portrayed accurately in the film that was later made of the book). Granted, it is difficult for either party to "prove" that their version is...
That said, I acknowledge the possibility that this documentary is true. But, we may never truly know. If this film is to be believed, than Mahmoodi has my deepest sympathies.
God knows that men don't exactly have it well here in the States. What with the female bias and divorce courts stacked against males and all. It sucks!
So, in the event this film is the truth, I feel sorry for the guy.
Just because Moody was abusive (if the movie was true) does not mean the movie was saying all Iranians are bad.
You guys keep saying that's the message, but I never got that message.
There are bad men and good men everywhere. Hell, just look at the smugglers who got Betty & Mahtob out of Iran. They were Persians and yet they were GOOD.
How come you guys never seem to acknowledge THAT? Like I said, good and evil are everywhere. That's what I carried away after seeing that movie.
You say that NOW, and are obviously a more analytical person than general public. But you must look at everything in its respective context and time. Given the social and political status at the time this movie was produced, it can only be assumed that different intentions were in mind as different messages were received by the audience.
And I said that then. When I first saw this movie, I also saw that there were good people in Iran, too. Those good Persians were the ones who got her out.
To this day, I have yet to see the real Betty Mahmood tell the world that all Persians are evil bastards. Nor has her daughter, Mahtob.
If Hollywood's true intent was to demonize Persians, they would've made the rescuers white, not Persian.
I also mentioned that you also seem more analytical than the general public. And yes, they did show a few "good Iranains" for helping Betty, but the way the country, the environment, and the people are portrayed both in the movie and in the book itself give a completely different, more violent, backward, and this dirty perception of Iran and Iranian people to the general public.
Do you mean to tell me that showing people speak normal dialogue with an unnecessary violent tone, and beat down buildings and cars as the city of Tehran...and then Betty describing the family eating worms are not made to degrade Iranians? And that is irregardless of whatever the situation was within the mahmoody family. Those are the typical sensationalizing methods of any country's media if you ask me.
The whole film is aimed at perpertrating the myth that all Persians are backward wife-bashers.
Just look at how they are portrayed: being evil for killing a goat, brandishing guns in public, refusing to accept women.
There is no doubt that women lack rights in Iran but this does not mean all Iranians are anti-woman, far from it: there is a women's rights movement happening on campuses in Tehran as we speak.
A very poor man. I Hate women like Betty Mahmoody which get married with a man from a foreign country and which think that only the man has to change his culture and that only she has the right to stay with her family.
I understand Mahmoods family very good. I'd better like to see my daughter in Tehran than in the american house of such a woman.
But we will never really know, who was telling lies, but I think, that Betty was...
Those of you who don't believe in Betty then at least read what Mahtob herself has said. She remembers her father beating her mother and has spent most of her life, even as an adult, hiding from him, not wanting contact with him. If he's telling the truth, why don't his daughter want to see him? Is she lying too?
Cher1eNoir 1 month ago
if you live in a islamic country and know their mentality, specially coming from a western mentality country, you DO believe in her version. I also believe that he suffers from beeing far away from his daughter, but after he kept her there without her willing, he was asking for the situation he passt through.
MultiGMH 2 months ago
wait don't tell me... this is a movie defending that guy..
THEGLASSOFMILK2 1 year ago
Mahmoody went nuts....for whatever reason
bennyfifty 1 year ago
This man is probably going delusional in his old age....Or more plausibly, he has always lived in denial of what he has done...I mean there is one thing that stays true : he has forced her and the daughter to stay in Iran against their will.
thisisjustme1 1 year ago
i think that both lied in the end
shinyangel100 1 year ago
Note the womans response who Betty has written about in the book. "I still can't believe this was Betty written a book like that". She is not denying the events, all she talks about how other women felt upset with Betty writing the book and that it made things "worse". Also note her nervous laughs. Textbook case of deflection the events written about are most likely true.
dayspook 1 year ago
What it boils down to is that this woman was given no choice. She was amazingly brave and she protected her daughter from growing up in terrible conditions. Speaking as a daughter who has not seen her father in years for similar reasons, children remember. If she had wanted to, or had any reason to, give him a chance to be in her life, she would have been able to as an adult. If he was as loving a man as he is attempting to portray himself, he wouldn't have lied and kept her in Iran.
jenglen10 1 year ago
As an Iranian, I am more apt to side with Betty Mahmoody's story, though a lot of the details in the book were biased and not taking into account several issues related to Iran in the mid 1980s.
Anyways, I do believe Dr. Mahmoody did try to at least keep their daughter, Mahtob, there against Betty's will and during the mid 1980s at the time of the Iran-Iraq war, Iran was no place to raise your american born child. She had every right to take him from her.
DontForgetIran2010 1 year ago
he looks mean.... and like rest of others I too don't understand what prevented him from going to US to meet his daughter if he loved her so much.. I read the book and the woman has gone thru a lot of problems .
samur420 1 year ago
he has a technical legal point - Betty did kidnap Mahtob - so in law, shes the abductor. Iranians have plenty baths and their food rates among the best in the world. He woulda have been better off tracing Mahtob thru Bettys tours etc.
withoutmercyuk 1 year ago
He can play the saint all he wants, but the bottom line is this--everyone was told they were going away for 2 weeks only. The fact that they did not come back is the big giant red flag that something was off about the situation. If it was truly just a simple vacation, they would have returned. The fact that it took 18 months for her to get out of these proves he never planned to leave. Why are people so blind to that??
katiemc66 1 year ago
Generally, people are going to believe Betty. This documentary is full of Iranian interviewees or people that agree with their oppressed ways and god-awful culture. This documentary has made absolutely no difference in my opinion of the situation. I feel no sympathy to the "good" doctor. The facts within the story are all in debate and I think its stupid to even consider them because the main facts are: She was held against her will. She could not go home without Mahtob.
marinvee 1 year ago
It is a shame he didnt have peace with his ex-wife and daugter before he died. It tells me more about his side of the story by his statement that his only sin was loving his daughter or something like that. It stinks of lies. Everyone has regrets about how they handle relationships and ending relationships. I would accept there are two sides to every story, but his lack of any regrets tells me more.
Merryrobin 1 year ago
Ok this is sad but he deserved it for being such a mean guy who only wants to boss around I think his daughter is better without him come on 20 yrs that's so over the limit
MIRANDA109340 1 year ago
I think Dr. Mahmoody probably died of a broken heart more than anything.
estupido7490 1 year ago
Why did he not leave a message? he don't sound too desperate to make a connection
moneymonk33 1 year ago
Alfred Molina looks nothing like that man. o.O
EckoOutlawProduction 1 year ago
is this the real movie or just a documentary?
RavesandRouge 1 year ago
estupido7490 he is banned from America and can't talk to her by phone or else he would go to jail.
And her mother cant go to Iran either.
Moritz015 1 year ago
well i guess he learn his lesson if he just stayed in America he would have seen he's daughter everyday
CrazyAsianMan18 1 year ago
@CrazyAsianMan18
yea rite, BS
terajasoos 1 year ago
@CrazyAsianMan18 Thumbs up!
Libradiaries 1 year ago
If he had come to this country, he could have seen his daughter in a reasonable way. He could have talked with his ex-wife, filed for common assets. Of course the other American women are going to deny it. They will be BEATEN by their husbands if they don't.
kab1952 1 year ago
Why would he wait 20 yrs to call his daughter. I mean he should have done this a long time ago but he waits for cameras to roll. I think something happened and his daughter witnessed it. My mom was in an abusive relationship when i was around 5 or 6 and that isnt something you 4get... so there is a reason why she never found him. Its not like she didn't know about him, her mom wrote a book and people still talk about it today
fgomez0312 1 year ago
Let us not judge Mahtob to much!
She might have a good reason to not want to see her father.
He805 1 year ago
My english is to bad to understand this Documentary but it will be great to see both sides. Did somebody knows if its possible to look the film in german or with german subtitle?
Genderbutch 1 year ago
I am so sorry about the passing of Moody. I always noped his daughter would at least send him a picture or someting. May his soul be at rest. Forgiving can be a new lifeline.
GSharon710 1 year ago
Um... why didn't he just go back to the US to see her?
estupido7490 1 year ago
well if ure father hit you in the past, and stuff. Then you dont want to see your dad i guess.
I DONT KNOW WHATS TRUE SO>......:S
jackjumperfreak 1 year ago
@estupido7490 because of 2 reasons first the FBI and the CIA were chasing him
and second he needed betty Authorization to go to america
shinyangel100 1 year ago
Thank you for this video, it was important to me from the beginning to get to know both sides, and it makes me so sad, what had to suffer through this poor and broken man. Rest in peace Dr. Sayed Mahmoody!
PoliticalPublicEnemy 1 year ago
to aneigenete the joint family property and thousands of dollars with their book deserves to prohibit the courts and the contact of Dr. Mahmoody with her & her daughter had (...) But as I said, look at the document read, the Koran, speak to Muslims, read books about the Arab world, traveling the country & makes you only an opinion about today's "leftovers" of a former empire, despite the Quran & Islam or perhaps because of, one of the most highly developed culture of its time in the world had!
PoliticalPublicEnemy 1 year ago
One can not read a book and order by which a human being, let alone a whole nation or a religion!? You might even prefer a picture of the country, the culture and looks sure to Documentation with and about Dr. Mahmoody to make you a picture of the other side can(!)
But frankly, I think more like an old record highly intelligent man who desperately tries to contact his now adult daughter, as a woman who was not speaking for the makers of the documentary (...)
PoliticalPublicEnemy 1 year ago
she was six years of age and she was a baby? she might not know that her father is a physician???? He talks about his daughter like she is retarded...just comes to show he has no case.
DontForgetIran2010 1 year ago
In the end it was Mahtob's choice whether to speak or see her father again. She knew where he lived, she knew what he does, I don't blame her either way. It was her decision; she was really put through such abuse that no child should ever have to endure.
JediGoddessChristy 1 year ago
@JediGoddessChristy I agree, if the daughter wanted to see her father when she was of age, she was more then able to do so, despite the negative or positive assumptions she might have had.
Glahnnia 1 year ago
@Glahnnia You know by then she had been posioned against him. Plus there is a cottage industry in dumping on Islam and Islamic socities in any way.
BrendaQG 1 year ago
its very sad that he didnt get to see his daughter before he died but if you take someone against thier will to a strange land on a lie, its not going to turn out ok!! why should betty have lied about what happened? why would she risk her life and that of her daughter to leave if she wasnt desperate?it doesnt make sense
Pussycatfeathers 1 year ago
I can understand both sides of the story but if he really loved his daughter, and family was the most important thing to him he would have gone back to the US for them. Sad he didn't get 2 see his daughter
Sunako24 1 year ago
He was denied a Visa because of what he did. He was labeled as high risk. Honestly his actions were wrong, if he really wanted a healthy relationship with his daughter then he wouldn't have acted in the way he did by tricking your family and betraying their trust only to mentally abuse them, especially right in front his daughter. I think he lost the privilege to be father to her a long time ago and that was his guilt to live with.
JediGoddessChristy 1 year ago
He brought it on himself, if he hadn't done what he did, none of this would have happened.
sweettyme16 1 year ago
Bias American, you are just listening to one side of the story.
JACKOTACO 1 year ago
Forget the fact that he's accused of beating abusing and locking her up for weeks at a time. We'll say that that part isn't true (even though their daughter has repeatedly spoken in public confirming all this and more), we'll say that Betty lied about all that. The fact of the matter is that she and her daughter both American citizens were forced to stay in a strange country against their will. They met, married and concieved in the US that is where they should have stayed. Id have done the same
Auroralabelle 1 year ago
All with all a very tragic story for all parties. No one wins here. Even though the father has done terrible things, it is still Mahtob's father.
MegaPilotpilot 1 year ago
oh no, he died? without seeing his daughter???
KatalinMonaco 1 year ago
At the end of all our lives what really matters is who loves us and who we love, it doesn't matter anymore what we have done, good or bad. All together this is very tragic story, for all parties, but the real victim is Mahtob. She will have to live with the fact that she has lost her father, even though he did very bad things, it was still her father.
MegaPilotpilot 1 year ago
Exactly but in a interview herself Mahtob said her father had changed and that she had already grieved the loss of him a long time ago. She and her mother now go around the world speaking about domestic violence and abuse. Even until her father's death Mahtob said she still feared he was trying to kidnap her. Her father made his bed a long time ago and from what Mahtob said she has moved on with her life and both her and her mother are trying to make a difference by helping other victims.
JediGoddessChristy 1 year ago
Betty Mahmoodi is such a big liar and what ever she wrote about Iran in her book is lie. maybe she wants to revenge from some body in Iran.
TheMrszahra 1 year ago
People do anything for money. It makes sense what her friend said that how can she travel through that long journey in the mountains with a child. It's difficult for women to do that. In a strange place with no facilities. And miliatry surveilance all around. The man who helps her in the movie tells her that it's the most dangerous area at that time when they travel.
salgalla 1 year ago
@TheMrszahra her husband maybe?
You know when you read her book, you know it is how she experienced it, so maybe it is exagerated, but she did went throught terrible things and others women did too; What her husband did to her is unforgivable;
Personaly reading, this book, i didn't get the impression that she generalized... ..try to understand her..and at this time Iran was in a very dark and trouble periode.
petitesouris92 1 year ago
One thing I don't understand!
Why in this documentary he doesn't tell us that he returned to America to find his daugther or speaking to the USA police that Betty kidnapped his daughter right when she left????
If he complains about Betty taking his money then why he didn't returned to the USA to claim his money right away???
He could return to America to solve many problems there, but instead he just stood there and cried for his daughter!
comaster2 1 year ago
@comaster2
in the book it states that since his green card expired he could not return to the us without his wifes permission. also betty had been in cotact with the state department through the swiss embassy for months. who is the state department going to trust an american citizen who has been in contact with the state department for months or an iranian?
kurdo11000 1 year ago
I mean if the daughter also claim about the abuse of the father we have proves that all that the mother said was true. And even if the mother lies is Mahtop decision if the wants to see her father,,
eswinipi 1 year ago
my religion teacher taught Mahtob when she was a sophomore in high school.
MichiganGrl4ever 1 year ago
People. I'm not Irainian but come on. not all iranians are bad. I'm a Divorced father and my Ex mad me out to be a Monster , but now that they are older they see i am not that stuff my Ex made me to be. # 2 with a Movie like that do you think the will allow that man back into this country. # 3 it's a Hollywood Movie. they have to make the Movie Iteresting. Money , Money! of course his daughter was afraid of him , they made him out a Monster. Careful I'm Mexican , i carry swine flu,RUN! lol.
greypond1 2 years ago
i´m sorry very much for him, but his daugther and his wife, refused to have any contact with him. Why? because they have fear to him....
this man is not very good like he´s saying....
zoetutiigirl17 2 years ago
He should have never taken them to Iran in the first place! What the hell was he thinking?
aurayon 2 years ago
Mahtob shared a dorm room with my niece. She was a delightful and very intelligent young woman. She had no desire to be in touch with her father again. She was watched, their phone was bugged, she was afraid of him and feared being taken against her will.
boano1027 2 years ago
@boano1027 i dont blame her!!......
GreekDiva89 2 years ago
I have read that his daughter, Mahtob, refused to have any contact with him.
debrandom 2 years ago
@debrandom
In a situation where the mtther kidnaps the daughter and her father is portrayed as a cruel and bad guy, the daughter may refuse to see her father because she wants to make her mother happy.
This is very sad situation. I think the father got too much punishment. The mother got not only daughter but also the property of Mr Mahmoody. She also made a lot of money by selling this book.
chanabnagar 2 years ago
@debrandom
If the daughter lives with the mother who hates her father how can the daughter want to see her father ? The daughter will always take care of wish of her mother.
If Mahmoody had been an american he would have sued her wife for writing such book and there would have been no such film either
chanabnagar 2 years ago
I cannot believe he even had the cheek to appear on screen........im sure parts of the book were fabricated.. that is always the way .. but the majority is true ! ! !
He is nasty, may he rot in hell !!!! Najess Saag !!!
Colada1985 2 years ago
As an Iranian who grew up in Tehran I can tell you that everything she said about Iranian culture and life in Tehran was a lie. Knowing that this aspect of the book was untrue I can't help but seem sceptical about her relationship claims. Instead of believing everything that is fed to why not do some research an assess the validity of claims. And always remember that there are two sides to ever story.
AussiePersian 2 years ago
i would take it not as "what she said about persia", but rather, "what she said about how his family was". perhaps they were uneducated backward oppressive kind. this movie shouldnt be taken as a criticism of iranian culture/tehran, but rather, as a criticism of mahmoody's family values. my cousin was recently in tehran & she said the women there are most fashoinable, educated, forward. whereas mahmoody's family members dont know english, they're rural kind probably.
VineetaSastry 1 year ago
@VineetaSastry totaly agree
petitesouris92 1 year ago
i'm sorry, but i have no sympathy for this man whats so every
midgetgirl5 2 years ago
Dr. mahmoudi besiar marde bozorg o sharifi bodan. az familhaye ma hastan.
ishon va kasayi ke toye in film hastan va aghvame ma hich kodom chenin karayi ro nakardan va moteasefane aghaye mahmoudi hich vaght nafahmidan hamsareshon chera in karo kardan va dar hasrate didane dokhtareshon jan sepordan. roheshon shad.
khoda hagh ro be hagh dar miresone enshalah.
greanseasen 2 years ago
how come she waited 15 years, then search for her daughter? couldn't he send her an email? He didn't have anyone in the U.S to go and tell the true ????
behnam200219 2 years ago
@behnam200219
execuse me!! how was your feeling if your wife took all of your medical certificate and run away with your daughter to no where??!!
he couldn't find them at all in no where!!
this is just the reality not a fight dear sir :)
greanseasen 2 years ago
@greanseasen He's an intelligent man. He would've known where she had gone. He knew where her parents were. He would've known that she would've gone to her parents, maybe not to live with them, but to at least visit them. So you can't convince me that he didn't know where she was.
rickyfan3956 1 year ago
R I P moody.......teflako che aziat kard in zanike betty ama khob dige taghsire khode marde ham bood ke raft ba 1ki mese un betty dorughgoo
camelia1999 2 years ago
What did Dr. Mahmoody die of?
Noosa1978 2 years ago
"died in a Tehran hospital this morning because of kidney problems and other complications,"
theevilpersian 2 years ago
@theevilpersian
Wow I did't know. RIP.
Molonca 1 year ago
@Noosa1978 he died of a broken heart .. this man is a very well educated and a kind man. what that women did to him is murder, for a man from the eastern culture.. shame on her.. may his soul be free and happy...
reza4 1 year ago
How do you know that Moody is dead? Is it public information?
Noosa1978 2 years ago
Google the following and click the first link:
'Not Without My Daughter' Iranian father dies AFP
All the information should be there
theevilpersian 2 years ago
I hink this lady has no reason to lie-it's also one of my favorite movies-but I believe this woman and I believe that this mn did what was portrayed of him! BUT he has to face the LORD ALMIGHTY GOD..
MsCharamut1969 2 years ago
im reading this book and im almost halfway done.its so good!
playboy6947 2 years ago
notice in this so called documentary, they keep using the word "escape"....'she could not have escaped through Turkey'. Intresting choice of words, ya think? In Mahmoody trying to dispell all that happens makes me sick and it's truly sad that there are those out there who actually think Betty was a liar....sure, she was an escaped liar pfffff
singsow 2 years ago
nothing will defeat freedom.give me liberty or give me death.
alibaba1341 2 years ago
Mahmoody is the creepiest guy, I have been learning about this whole affair and am in the middle of writing about it, and if there is one thing that I learned it is that Mahmoody's defense is riddled with logical fallacies
Example:
he claims he never beat his wife because he is shorter than she is.
lvp20 2 years ago
She is a psycho
Butterflyonocean 2 years ago
i also do wonder, who is the lady talking in the video??? moody did not look like i thought, not at all
anonymajavel 2 years ago
are you talking about the woman with the white scarf?
aliceesharif 2 years ago
Who is the Lady with the orange hair talking in the video?
twinkled86 2 years ago
That is Alice Sharif, she is mentioned in the book as one of Betty's friends, yet in this movie she is claiming Betty was a liar.
RosannasMom 1 year ago
Betty could not have invented this stuff. Read the book and get her account - not the Hollywood version. Ask the daughter. She still remembers what happened. Why should we feel sorry for this guy Mahmoody? He has now met His Creator who is Just and Fair. He knows the truth about what happened and has heard first hand from Mr. Mahmoody himself. (And just as it is appointed unto man once to die, and after this, the judgement.)
upret66 2 years ago
i read the books many times and betty speaks the truth,and i know how those man are not only moslims,i am a liar to i am a batterd woman.
mamasweety201 2 years ago
ok hes old and fragile, but he was once a brutal shit. he might seem nice they all do untill yer behind closed doors. he was a monster and he got what he deserved. at least betty and mahtob can now live again without fear. hes gone and he cant hurt them any more
lisa23fem 2 years ago
Bottom line- even if she was allowed to go out when she wanted, even her husband was not beating her like he denies, even if the movie embellished circumstances like hollywood is known to do- He still held Betty and their child against their will which is wrong!!! I can't imagine the courage it took her to escape and I am glad they made it out. That is justice!
ulothmacmillan 2 years ago
YOU ARE RIGHT!!
Nobody will NEVER know what actually happened because nobody was there except Betty, her daughter and her husband.
EVERY kind of actual fact has it's controversies BUT IF the "buttom line" of the movie is basically truth then Im on Betty's side because this sort of thing happened in my country Puerto Rico and the woman LOST the case!
So even if Betty coudn't get her daughter out of Iran it would still a tale of injustice.
comaster2 2 years ago
exactly but my question is that how come he is still in Iran and wouldn't the daughter be an adult by now? She could have contacted her father why hasn't she?
rara1800 2 years ago
Exactly....
Why did he not go to the USA to search for his beloved daughter?
pop50ma 2 years ago
The fact of the matter is that Betty was in Iran, wanted to go back home, but her husband wou'dn't allow that. She escaped because she wanted to. Of course Seyed sees it different, he feels his daughter was kidnapped, and in his situation, I guess I can't blame him.
timmax9 2 years ago
As a man who lived in a household with a verbally and physically abusive father (to my mother), I find this video absolutely disgusting. You can whine about the "bad Americans" or "Jews" (entirely hypocritical) portraying Iranians negatively, but you cannot deny that there are men in EVERY country who are abusive, but in Islamic fundamentalist countries it is harder for women to seek help. Quit trying to make a tyrant look innocent. Mahtob is an ADULT and still wants nothing to do with him.
eidanisfly 2 years ago
he wanted to veil his girl at 6 !!! his wife resisted , what wrong did she do him , anyway may he rest in peace
rubyrocksallthetime 2 years ago
Mahtob should have talked to her father. The relationship between her mother and father did not include her. Forgiveness anf mercy go a long way. She should have given him the opportunity to say I love you to her.
epicnchrist 2 years ago
adding to my prior post Betty made the mistake of not asking Moody to visit Iran first and seeing how he felt about going home. He should have gone and checked the living situation and then come back home and spoke to Betty about it. I believe they could have worked out the marriage if they both had not been afraid of loosing Mahtob to the other spouse Still Moody has a responsibility to his wife above ALL others When she was not happy for whatever the reason he should have said lets go back
epicnchrist 2 years ago
Without all the ridiculous country vs country childish thought.... I think these parents have both made mistakes. Moody took and American wife lived and American life with her, had an American child and then took her to live in Iran during a tumultous time between the countries. Now the upheaval was not his or her fault thats between governments. Putting aside a lot and coming to the root of it he should have known that it was going to be difficult to move Betty there. He should hve cme home
epicnchrist 2 years ago
What's interesting, is that this Betty Mahmoody was marketed - or marketed herself - as some kind of expert/tour-guide for Westerners, about Iran.
In reality, she saw very little of Iran.
HomeChemist2 2 years ago
Mahmoudy promised on the Koran he would not keep her there if she would go and he broke his sacred promise. It's not kidnapping when it's your own child and you're being held against your will in a foreign country. She was extremely brave and brilliant to outsmart all of them.
fayette202 2 years ago
So Betty says.
Visonu 2 years ago
Sorry for my English I´m Czech :-) But excuse me a comment about Betty´s friend (around 5 min 1 part). Do you see her scarf at the right side of her face????
barborakozakova 2 years ago
So... Theevilpersian... you must have known Dr. Mahmoody personally? after all that's what you are demanding of anyone who supports Betty's story. What right do you personally have to call her a complete liar and a horrible woman/wife/whatever? Are you denying that custody is automatically given to the father or eldest male relative of the father? Or perhaps you think this sort of thing never happens?
I'm curious...
jonokai 2 years ago
And what right do YOU have to speak on MY behalf without even knowing what I know or think on this matter? Unless you are magically quoting my from somewhere please don't speak non-sense for the sake of seeking attention.
theevilpersian 2 years ago
Theevilpersian, jonokai is American, so its obvious he'd take Betty's story as the ultimate truth. That's the problem with most Americans: they take seriously what they see on their beloved tellies and don't bother to look beyond what the media whores say.
I, for one, don't believe a word about the negative points of Moody. A civilised citizen suddenly turning into a backwarded peasant and abandoning all pride and dignity? Unlikely, but Americans, being Americans, obviously believe it.
Visonu 2 years ago
Are we forgetting that Seyed abused his wife and child? Forget the fact that he's Iranian and she's American. He threatened and hurt his family. I don't care who you are, that is wrong. However, we will never truly know what really happened, I believe. Someone's lying, and, though it's hard to not side with Betty, I'm not sure who I can believe.
Oh, wait. Visonu, I'm an ignorant American, right? "Americans, being Americans, obviously believe it." Hmmm, I spy bigotry...
OutOfMyVulcanMind 2 years ago
You must have seen what happened in Iran with your own eyes, Jonokai, if you're criticising someone for doubting Betty's story.
So then, friend, tell us the story, and I'm excluding the bits you saw on your telly.
Visonu 2 years ago
I feel for this man, I mean that he died alone without seeing his daughter, and I think that the girl should have given him the benefit of making him a happy person and die with dygnity.
jblucio3177 2 years ago
It's sad but Mahtob (who is now 30) has publicly stated she never wanted to see her father again. She clearly remembers him beating her mother in Iran-and threatening to track them down 'to the end of his life'. I would not rate any wife-beater a good man. Sorry. Too bad he didn't see her again-but that's on him. The first time he laid hands on her mother is when he lost any right to call himself a father.
faeryquene 2 years ago
I remember the movie shocked me when I first saw it back in 1990; I came to believe Muslim men were horrible people. But now, almost 20 years later, and having Muslim friends myself, I have realized that the movie was just typical overbloated Hollywood propaganda; in this case, against Iran.
thedrmat 2 years ago
I'm trying to keep a netural standpoint on this but here's what I think:
I don't Mahtob remembered most of the story. She just went along with her mom's judgment. No, she wasn't heartless but I don't think me made the right choice to shut out her father. I'll really sad the two never met again.
apedike 2 years ago
I can't believe there are idiots out there who believe the book. I'm sure she made alot of money from the book and I hope she chokes on it.
RIP Dr Mahmoody
Nimairoony 2 years ago
Nimairoony, Dr. Mahmoody was NO saint. Keep in mind that Iran is a country where women are treated as second class citizens and homosexuality is punished by the death penalty. If Mrs. Mahmoody was being dishonest I'm sure Mahtob (who is now 30 years old) would have visited her mother before he died. Dr. Mahmoody brought this upon himself.
1prouddemocrat 2 years ago
Well put.
Dr. Mahmoody certainly does not represerent all men, or all Muslims for that matter-when I saw the movie, and read the book-I believed Betty all the way. And Mahtob's memories are very clear on the matter-he beat her mother, and prevented them illegally from leaving the country-Betty and Mahtob were Americans and Dr. Mahmoody had no right to keep them captive in his homeland.
faeryquene 2 years ago
hey, he knew Betty was going to risk his daughter's life to leave-he should have let them go. he gets what he deserves
carstu08 2 years ago
09:32 Indeed, it seemed totally exaggerated when I read the book. Might alter my view of things this documentary. Maybe the truth was "somewhere in between"..
Wowbagger86 2 years ago
It is interesting to see the other side of this story...
Wowbagger86 2 years ago
He was no devil, just a confused man... but as I see it he did this to himself. Stil, I wish that he could have seen his daughter again. It's a sad story.
Wowbagger86 2 years ago
how heartless can a women be?
R.I.P dr sayed bozorg mahmoody
died last week i guess
KhosrowKhanQashqai 2 years ago
This video is so cruel ...
It is impossible to imagine how a person can be so cruel?
He asks, can you remember you my dear
as you lay in my arm?
and she does not answer!
simaabinaa 2 years ago
I dont believe Mahtab is hearthless.She must be severly traumatized by her terrible memories about her father.I dont agree about her mothers brainwashing either(I lost my grandma about the same age when she fleed from Iran,And all my life,every single day I listened my mothers accusations about her how she was evil but I ve never got brainwashed.After 35 years still I miss her and I wish I could see her ones more).Its harsh but Dr Mahmoody paid his mistakes,
AmdanAbla99 2 years ago
her daughter mahtab is heartless cause at the end of the DAYYYYY thats HER father, his father died today and she never called him, and never answerd his calls, im sorry for YOU.everybody makes mistake,her mother brain washed her for sure,but now she was old enough to talk to her dad. IM SORRY FOR YOU MAHTAB. HEARTLESS <<< one word
shabnamix 2 years ago
I aman american muslim women and i am married to a saudi man and its really not like this lol. i mean it happens but every country is diferent. iran, iraq, lebanon all those are different and its not against the law there, so whatever your comments are towards how its wrong, it really doesnt matter, you dont live there. and this is a religious thing also. its not uncommon (im not saying its right!!) but this doenst happen with everyone here. im also in houston tx, like he was lol
krystalnoelle 2 years ago
He is taking zilch responsibility. Wow. Dangerous man.
faithinthedesert 2 years ago
why am I not able to comment?
fireplug111 2 years ago
You can, you just have to wait for it to be approved. I moderate comments in order to filter out unnecessary insults and disrespectful comments ;)
Cheers
theevilpersian 2 years ago
I would also like to sound in on this issue. I believe Betty 100%. This documentary is bullsh*t. For crying out loud people, Betty trusted her husband so much, that she actually went to Iraq with her daughter. This is fact. This is indisputable!! That means LOYALTY!!!. THAT.....is evidence of a loyal and good wife.
If you think Mahmood is telling the truth.....well, good luck in your life. You'll need it seeing as how you reject clear reason!!
fireplug111 2 years ago
I wish you would at least learn a bit more about something first before commenting on it. This is not about Iraq, it's about IraN. But perhaps this just goes to show that the movie was successful in completely misrepresenting Iran and portraying it to viewers as a country similar to Iraq.
theevilpersian 2 years ago
theevilpersian, after watching both movies, I have come to the conclusion that Betty was mostly honestly and Sayyed mostly dishonest. He may be depressed about the situation, but he brought it upon himself by taking his wife and daughter to Iran during WARTIME and by acting violently toward both mother and daughter.
1prouddemocrat 2 years ago
That is a respectable argument. Although I'm not sure if you are responding to my previous post or simply providing me with your view on it. Because that was not my point in that post. As far as judging one's honesty and dishonesty I personally do not find appropriate to decide solely based on 2 films or books from either side. There is a lot that you and I are unaware of, and that could easily lead us to a misjudgment.
theevilpersian 2 years ago
evilpersian, I was responding to your previous post. For me, the largest factor is the fact that Mahmoody's daughter Mahtob has not contacted him since mother and daughter fled Iran. Given the fact she is almost 30 years old, I think if he wasn't an abusive father, she would have contacted him by now, even against her mother's will. While I do think Betty's book may have a few fictitious elements, I found it to be very credible.
1prouddemocrat 2 years ago
Well my previous post was mainly about the misrepresentation and false portrayal of Iran, and not about mahmoody or betty. However, your reasoning about Mahtob is logical, yet one of many possibilities. Just as it is also a possibility for Mahtob to be avoiding her father in order to avoid going back to whatever drama that may have existed between her parents. Or simply staying away due to other circumstances.
theevilpersian 2 years ago
A thousand apologies for confusing Iran with Iraq. How awful of me. Thats like confusing Russia with the planet Jupiter. Its so stupid of me to confuse the two. Russia being so obviously different from the planet Jupiter. They don't even have the same religion on Jupiter that they do in Iran. Also, that proves conclusively that I'm completely ignorant and Betty is a liar. Look, just remove all my comments. They're unnecessary and youre an idiot for even posting these videos to begin with.
fireplug111 2 years ago
excessive use of sarcasm results in ranting a whole lot about nothing. Thank you for demonstrating that.
theevilpersian 2 years ago
Theevilpersian:
You express yourself skillfully and brilliantly. Thanks!
I do agree with you!
You sound like a wise person!
:-)
Persiaisgreat 2 years ago
Fireplug111,
Instead of arguing this much, use of unnecessary sarcasm and giving ridiculous examples, you could just say "Oh yes! I made a mistake! That country was Iran and NOT Iraq".
If confusing Iran with Iraq isn't that much important and the 2 countries are almost the same, then I'd prefer to call the US, Canada and you're a Canadian!!!
There's not much difference between Canada and the US after all !!!
lol...Your reasoning sucks.
Persiaisgreat 2 years ago
There isn't much difference. The two countries value liberty, freedom, private enterprise, democracy, equal protection under the law, free speech and education. They have independent sovereignty and slightly different laws, but they share the same democratic heritage and protections for citizens.
shadsluiter 2 years ago
Personally, I believe every word said by Betty Mahmoudy.
assaad33 2 years ago
Comment removed
BabsLongfellow 2 years ago 2
"In revenge and in love woman is more barbarous than man." (Nietzsche),
Thumelikar 2 years ago
Personaly I have a hard time believing this guy. But I do love Sally Feild she's such a great actress. I love the show she's in Brother's and Sister's !
watch2muchtv 2 years ago 5
Hey guys,
How is this movie???
I heard that the book is awsome!
tamilmoviesnetwork 2 years ago 4
The book was good. The movie ok.
momlee1 2 years ago
I just finished Betty's book, did not see the movie. I say that the book is extremely compelling. And it does not claim that all Iranians are evil. But it does claim that Iranian society as a whole, esp. the Ayatollah's Iran, is far more restricting than the US.
7beers 2 years ago
Someone tell me who is she in 4:29 minutes? Please.
bzyczka 2 years ago
i think its the women in the flim that she met in her class, not sure
geegee901 2 years ago
I can't comment whether Moody really did abuse Betty or not, I'm simply going to say it'd be impossible to return to the States, if some group wouldn't be watching his ass I'm sure either friends and family of Betty would kick his ass on sight.
Nightwingcder 2 years ago
Why? Why should they hurt Dr. Mahmoody? His heart is already broken. He has lost everything. Why should they want to beat him?
rubyflipper 2 years ago
Woah, did any1 see that woman almost get hit by a car at 4:19?
GoBlue208 2 years ago
It doesn't matter if he beat her or not. The fact is, she didn't want to be there anymore and wanted to come home. That's all that matters.
He kept them there against their will.
directrpep 2 years ago 11
Yes, nobody is saying that Sayyed was without fault, but he was not the abusive monster Alfred Molina played in the film. Betty only made him look like that to provide a good excuse for her smuggling herself out of Iran so as not to go to prison.
Visonu 2 years ago
That makes no sense. She wrote the book after she left Iran, while she was already safely in the US, and was no longer in any danger of going to prison.
7beers 2 years ago 2
If he really loved his wife and daughter he wouldn't have forced them to live in a foreign country against their will. It was his decision to live in America he didn't even give his wife and daughter the choice. Whether he beat her, took away all her money, or did any of the other horrible things portrayed in the movie or not he was wrong in trying to force his family to live in a foreign country. He was wrong.
black88lx 2 years ago
i dont believe this...i think he still abused her coz a woman who is married for 7 years doesnt leave without a warning and without a reason... there must be something that made her leave all of a sudden.... what he is saying doesnt make any sense... there must be a reason D:
SIN4EVER14 2 years ago 6
I think mahmoody deserves at least visitation rights to his own daughter
thedarkandthelight2 2 years ago
Mahtob is 30 now-what visitation rights??in public violence and sexual abuse groups she has stated her father did indeed beat her mother before her very eyes-and she never wanted to see him again which is her perogative. She lived the life not any of us. It was her choice. Her father is dead now so it is all moot any way.
faeryquene 2 years ago
Nope. Its not all moot.
These people were pawns - especially the daughter.
The people who used them, still have to answer for it.
HomeChemist2 2 years ago
I realize that your mother had Kidnapped you ????She was not trying to make things better. Betty to me seemed like a woman who wanted to get away from iran and its ways and did not want to leave without her daughter. A lesson to all bicultural families
cadenza46 2 years ago
These are quotes from Mahtob. Go tell her she lies.
If I was stuck in between my dad and mom, maybe he wouldnt hit her. Maybe if I stuck my finger down my throat and I tried to vomit, I would distract his attention. Maybe if I cried and said I had to go to the bathroom he would let her take me and that would buy more time.
turkmusik 2 years ago
about "Islam." It's about one woman's experience under a cruel theocracy, as the victim, apparently, of an abusive husband.
turkmusik 2 years ago
...correct, but the film does not attempt to go into any depth. The Sharif woman is even interviewed to give her opinion about whether Betty could have escaped over the mountains. So a housewife from Michigan who lives in Tehera is the Finnish director's authority on the possibility of a mountain escape from Iran. That is sad.
I do not think the original film demonized Iranians. There are Iranians who are portrayed as heroically helping her to escape -- hardly "demons." The film is not
turkmusik 2 years ago
...by claiming that in Midnight Express, the author portrays the Turks as "homosexuals who bothered him a lot." This is not true. It is true that the book portrays some of the guards as rapists, but it is also true that the author portrays himself as having a consensual love affair with another man when they were in prison (this part of the book is not portrayed accurately in the film that was later made of the book). Granted, it is difficult for either party to "prove" that their version is...
turkmusik 2 years ago
That said, I acknowledge the possibility that this documentary is true. But, we may never truly know. If this film is to be believed, than Mahmoodi has my deepest sympathies.
God knows that men don't exactly have it well here in the States. What with the female bias and divorce courts stacked against males and all. It sucks!
So, in the event this film is the truth, I feel sorry for the guy.
shinobivega 2 years ago
Just because Moody was abusive (if the movie was true) does not mean the movie was saying all Iranians are bad.
You guys keep saying that's the message, but I never got that message.
There are bad men and good men everywhere. Hell, just look at the smugglers who got Betty & Mahtob out of Iran. They were Persians and yet they were GOOD.
How come you guys never seem to acknowledge THAT? Like I said, good and evil are everywhere. That's what I carried away after seeing that movie.
shinobivega 2 years ago 3
You say that NOW, and are obviously a more analytical person than general public. But you must look at everything in its respective context and time. Given the social and political status at the time this movie was produced, it can only be assumed that different intentions were in mind as different messages were received by the audience.
theevilpersian 2 years ago
@theevilpersian
"You say that NOW."
And I said that then. When I first saw this movie, I also saw that there were good people in Iran, too. Those good Persians were the ones who got her out.
To this day, I have yet to see the real Betty Mahmood tell the world that all Persians are evil bastards. Nor has her daughter, Mahtob.
If Hollywood's true intent was to demonize Persians, they would've made the rescuers white, not Persian.
shinobivega 2 years ago 2
I also mentioned that you also seem more analytical than the general public. And yes, they did show a few "good Iranains" for helping Betty, but the way the country, the environment, and the people are portrayed both in the movie and in the book itself give a completely different, more violent, backward, and this dirty perception of Iran and Iranian people to the general public.
theevilpersian 2 years ago
Do you mean to tell me that showing people speak normal dialogue with an unnecessary violent tone, and beat down buildings and cars as the city of Tehran...and then Betty describing the family eating worms are not made to degrade Iranians? And that is irregardless of whatever the situation was within the mahmoody family. Those are the typical sensationalizing methods of any country's media if you ask me.
theevilpersian 2 years ago
The whole film is aimed at perpertrating the myth that all Persians are backward wife-bashers.
Just look at how they are portrayed: being evil for killing a goat, brandishing guns in public, refusing to accept women.
There is no doubt that women lack rights in Iran but this does not mean all Iranians are anti-woman, far from it: there is a women's rights movement happening on campuses in Tehran as we speak.
punktravesty 2 years ago 2
A very poor man. I Hate women like Betty Mahmoody which get married with a man from a foreign country and which think that only the man has to change his culture and that only she has the right to stay with her family.
I understand Mahmoods family very good. I'd better like to see my daughter in Tehran than in the american house of such a woman.
But we will never really know, who was telling lies, but I think, that Betty was...
WakeUPforTRUTH 2 years ago