An American woman, trapped in Islamic Iran by her brutish husband, must find a way to escape with her daughter as well.
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Title: Not Without My Daughter (1991)
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2 wins & 1 nomination.
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Directors:
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Edit
Cast
| Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
| Sally Field | ... | Betty Mahmoody | |
| Alfred Molina | ... | Moody | |
 |
Sheila Rosenthal | ... | Mahtob |
| Roshan Seth | ... | Houssein | |
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Sarah Badel | ... | Nicole |
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Mony Rey | ... | Ameh Bozorg |
| Georges Corraface | ... | Mohsen | |
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Mary Nell Santacroce | ... | Grandma |
| Ed Grady | ... | Grandpa | |
| Marc Gowan | ... | Doctor | |
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Bruce Evers | ... | Doctor |
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Jonathan Cherchi | ... | Mammal |
|
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Soudabeh Farrokhnia | ... | Nasserine |
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Michael Morim | ... | Zia |
| Gili Ben-Ozilio | ... | Fereshte | |
Edit
Plot Summary
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Add Synopsis
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Storyline
"Moody" is an Iranian doctor living in America with his American wife Betty and their child Mahtob. Wanting to see his homeland again, he convinces his wife to take a short holiday there with him and Mahtob. Betty is reluctant, as Iran is not a pleasant place, especially if you are American and female. Upon arrival in Iran, it appears that her worst fears are realized: Moody declares that they will be living there from now on. Betty is determined to escape from Iran, but taking her daughter with her presents a larger problem. Written by Murray Chapman <muzzle@cs.uq.oz.au>
Plot Keywords:
binational couple | tyrant husband | female protagonist | domestic violence | mother daughter relationship |Taglines:
In 1984, Betty Mahmoody's husband took his wife and daughter to meet his family in Iran. He swore they would be safe. They would be happy. They would be free to leave. He lied.Parents Guide:
View content advisory »
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Details
Country:
USARelease Date:
11 January 1991 (USA) See more »Also Known As:
Jamais sans ma fille See more »Edit
Box Office
Gross USA:
$14,789,113Company Credits
Show more on
IMDbPro »
Technical Specs
Runtime:
Sound Mix:
DolbyColor:
ColorAspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1
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Written by Mildred J. Hill & Patty S. Hill
Published by Warner/Chappell Music
See more »
Did You Know?
Trivia
Mahtob's father, Seyyed Bozorg Mahmoody, later told his view of the events in the documentary film Ilman tytärtäni (2002), aka "Without My Daughter." See more »Goofs
The way which Muslims pray in all of the praying scenes are wrong, and the opposite of Islamic rules. See more »Quotes
Betty Mahmoody: [Betty escapes from Moody into town after a violent outburst] Nicole, he's going to kill me!See more »
Soundtracks
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOUWritten by Mildred J. Hill & Patty S. Hill
Published by Warner/Chappell Music
See more »
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A hamfisted plot, lame lines and unbelievable characterization all conspire to sink this ridiculous movie.
I'm not Iranian, but even I had a sneaking suspicion that Not Without My Daughter wasn't exactly cinema verite. The filmmakers don't portray Iran in a very positive light, to say the least, and this unflinchingly negative depiction just gets way too extreme. In other words, I can believe the basic premise - a woman escaping her abusive husband in a repressive country - but I certainly can't believe it as it's handled in Not Without My Daughter. The movie is simply too illogical to resonate emotionally. Moody's abrupt reversals, Mahtob's strategically placed pleas, Betty's American friend who's also in a heinous marriage... it's all too much, and too cheesy. Not to mention the completely over-the-top depictions of Moody's family. It's like "My Big Fat Iranian Family."
Speaking of over-the-top, Sally Field *does* try her best, but she is ultimately betrayed by a heinously manipulative script. Alfred Molina does what he can with a cardboard character, but he gets even less to work with than Field. Nobody's motivations make any sense! Why would Betty marry Moody, only to condemn his culture as "primitive and backwards" later on in the movie? How stupid is she? How does Moody transform from a slightly grumpy doctor into a wifebeating maniac? How does Mahtob stay so placid through all of these traumatic events? Etc., etc.
The funny thing is, although this movie is infuriatingly stupid, I find myself glued to it every time it comes on television. This is mainly thanks to Molina's charisma (even at his most abusive, he brings a certain spark to his character), as well as the general "train wreck" quality of this movie. File it under "guilty pleasure" -- at best.