Coup 53

This important movie, over 4 years in the making, is even more pertinent today, with renewed tensions with Iran. Prodigious research underlies the revelation of British leadership in the coup that re-installed the Shah of Iran. The film provides evidence and context for subsequent events, without losing focus on the overthrow of a democratically elected leader to preserve British oil interests at Abadan. Currently making the rounds of the festival circuit, the producers are trying for a wide release as soon as possible. The persistence of the director and editing by Murch combine for a film that successfully tells a complex story without unnecessary simplification. It’s a sophisticated and vital film.