How Argentina’s Currency Crisis Inspired a Fight Scene in ‘Silver Circle’
October 10th, 2013
It’s Thursday once again, and that means it’s Easter egg day on the Silver Circle blog, when we discuss some of the allusions and references that have been hidden in the film for fans to find. Keep your eyes peeled for them as you are watching the movie online or on --> -->DVD --> -->. Today’s installment refers back to the Argentine currency crisis of 2001, which indirectly inspired an action scene in the film.
In Silver Circle, Federal Reserve investigator Jay Nelson is assigned to look into a suspicious arson case. During the course of his investigation, he is attacked by muggers, who attempt to intimidate him, telling him not to investigate the crime too closely. Zoe Taylor arrives in the nick of time and pins an assailant between her car and another, rescuing Jay. This fight scene, which was set at the corner of in Washington DC, was inspired by an anti-carjacking tactic from Fernando “Ferfal” Aguirre’s book about the Argentine currency crisis, . Check out a documentary on Argentina’s 2001 currency crisis below, and let’s discuss the finer details after the jump.
Rolled Like a Tortilla
Argentina’s currency crisis caused widespread poverty and unemployment. Alternative currencies emerged as a response. As citizens struggled to deal with a collapsing economy, crime levels rose. In The Modern Survival Manual: Surviving the Economic Collapse, Fernando Aguirre documents the extraordinary risk of carjacking that the Argentine people faced during the crisis. Many motorists refused to stop at intersections out of fear.
Aguirre also described a tactic, meant to prevent carjackings, in which a motorist would pin the carjacker between his or her vehicle and another car, thus “rolling” the attacker “like a tortilla.” Zoe Taylor’s rescue of Jay is a recreation of this survival technique and a tip of the hat to a survival manual from a real-life currency crisis.
Google Maps: The Scene of the Crime
The mugging and subsequent car chase are geographically faithful to the map of Washington DC. The assailants confronted Jay at . Silver Circle features scenes in lots of places that you might recognize from the nation’s capital.
Director Pasha Roberts and the Silver Circle team heavily researched past currency crises before writing the movie. Since Argentina’s currency crisis happened so recently, it naturally influenced the plot and even inspired some of the pulse-pounding action for which the film is known. Next time you are watching Silver Circle, keep your eyes peeled for this explosive scene. For those who haven’t had the chance, research Argentina’s currency crisis, as it may provide a window into the future, considering the current trajectory of the real-world US economy.
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