AllMovie

This documentary, part of the 20th Century With Mike Wallace series from CBS News and the History Channel, examines the 1979 fall of the Shah of Iran and the hostage situation that arose from the turmoil. Narrated by series host and CBS News correspondent Mike Wallace, this episode looks at the preceding and following events of the fall of the Iranian leader, with a detailed study of the 444-day hostage crisis where many of the hostages were Americans. 20th Century With Mike Wallace features footage of interviews with many of the people who were intricate players in these events, including President Jimmy Carter, Ayatollah Khomeini, Anwar Sadat, and the Shah. Historians and political experts talk about how those events of the late '70s and early '80s are still affecting relations between Middle Eastern countries and America's relations with the Middle East.