Obviously, it is very common for the Hollywood industry to request various entities of the US government to provide assistance in the production of films and/or television series; Are there practical questions inherent in filming authorizations, requiring expertise on specific issues… For example, NASA regularly offers its valuable assistance to Hollywood productions.
The Department of Defense, otherwise known as the DOD, has an old and long tradition of working with Hollywood in this context — nearly 100 years — to the point of having a liaison office specifically for it.
The same is true of the CIA, which also has a liaison office in Hollywood to study the various demands of the entertainment industry.
But this help does not come without compensation. For example, the right to revise the script…
My stepfather and I were censored by the CIA
The first installment was released in 2001 in a saga that still lost a lot of flavor with episodes, the romantic comedy “My Father-in-law and Me” was a huge success at the worldwide box office, grossing more than $330 million.
The adventures of Greg Focker (Ben Stiller) against his father-in-law Jack Byrnes (Robert De Niro), a former CIA agent, brought good laughs to the audience. On the other hand, on the CIA side, which opened a liaison office in Hollywood in 1996, the smile was a little strained…at least when reading the original script.
In it, a scene was supposed to show Greg Focker coming across CIA torture manuals in his father-in-law’s possession. Small memories of a more or less bygone era… So the agency asked to change this sequence. In the film, Greg Focker now only finds photos of Robert De Niro with international personalities. It is immediately much less problematic and above all completely harmless.
FYI, it turns out that Chase Brandon, the CIA liaison officer who made the booking, is the cousin of someone…Tommy Lee Jones. The world is obviously small and sometimes well designed.
Source: Allocine
Rose James is a Gossipify movie and series reviewer known for her in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the latest releases. With a background in film studies, she provides engaging and informative reviews, and keeps readers up to date with industry trends and emerging talents.
