Not Without My Daughter (1991)
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An American woman must navigate a perilous journey to escape her abusive husband and reclaim her daughter in Iran.
The story
In 1984, an American woman named Betty travels to Iran with her husband, Sayyed Bozorg "Moody" Mahmoody, and their young daughter, Mahtob. While the trip was intended as a brief visit, Moody reveals he never intended for them to return to the United States. As the reality of their situation sets in, Betty finds herself trapped in a country where she lacks legal protections and is subjected to his growing hostility. To save her daughter from a life of forced marriage or conscription, Betty must find a way to navigate the complexities of Iranian law and local alliances to secure their escape back to America.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
In 1984, Betty Mahmoody and her daughter Mahtob travel to Iran with Betty's husband, Sayyed Bozorg "Moody" Mahmoody. Upon arrival, Moody reveals he has no intention of returning them to the U.S., and Betty is subjected to his abuse and the restrictions of local law. After learning she has no legal standing to leave alone, Betty makes contact with a local man named Hamid, who connects her with Houssein, a humanitarian. After several attempts to flee are thwarted by Moody, Betty and Mahtob eventually manage to escape during a period when Moody is distracted. They travel through the Persian Gulf to Ankara and eventually reach the United States. Following their escape, Betty divorces Moody and becomes a successful author and advocate for others in similar situations.
- First release year
- 1991
- Runtime (minutes)
- 116
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English; Persian
- Directors
- Brian Gilbert
- Writers
- David W. Rintels · screenplay
- Cast and characters
- Sally Field · Betty Mahmoody; Alfred Molina · Sayyed Bozorg "Moody" Mahmoody; Sheila Rosenthal · Mahtob Mahmoody; Roshan Seth · Houssein; Sarah Badel · Nicole Ajamian; Mony Rey · Ameh Bozorg; Georges Corraface · Mohsen; Mary Nell Santacroce · Mrs. Lover
- Genres
- drama
- Themes
- domestic violence; maternal protection; cultural conflict
- Tone and mood
- dramatic; tense
- Premise and plot tags
- based on true events; escape; international relations
- Source material / true-story basis
- Not Without My Daughter by Betty Mahmoody and William Hoffer
- Content notes
- domestic violence
- Reception
- The film was initially dismissed as a melodrama but has gained a controversial reputation for its portrayal of Iranian culture and men.
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 50% · scale: percentage · review count: 16
- Awards and nominations
- Young Artist Award · Best Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture · 13th Youth in Film Awards · won; Golden Raspberry Award · Worst Actress · 12th Golden Raspberry Awards · lost
- Production trivia
- The film inspired the 1998 Indian film Anthahpuram.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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