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Two instances I recall in movies/TV where the wrong gesture lead to problems: 1. In Inglorious Basterds, when British undercover agent Lt. Hicox's cover is blo
by FabHK 5y ago
Two instances I recall in movies/TV where the wrong gesture lead to problems:
1. In Inglorious Basterds, when British undercover agent Lt. Hicox's cover is blown after he orders three scotch with the British three (index, middle, and ring fingers), rather than the German (thumb, index, and middle fingers) [1].
2. In the TV series Tehran, when an Israeli undercover agent posing as a Persian at a Iranian checkpoint gives the thumbs-up gesture, which, as covered in the article, is not a good thing in Iran. (Frankly, that stretched credulity. I don't think the Mossad would overlook something so basic.)
[1] https://screenrant.com/inglourious-basterds-tarantino-3-fingers-hicox-hellstrom-theory/ https://screenrant.com/inglourious-basterds-tarantino-3-fing...
- jonshariat 5y agoIranian American here, funny story about that thumbs up gesture: When we were kids, my Persian grandma made us dinner and she asked in farsi if my little sister enjoyed the meal, having food in her mouth she gestured with a thumbs up. Thumbs up mean essentially f- you. My grandma froze, shocked, then realized what my sister meant and we all laughed.
- DonHopkins 5y agoAnd an instance where a correctly learned gesture led to confidence and success: the Naked Gun Student Driver Car Chase scene. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tz6A6t55qXk&ab_channel=MarkCousens https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tz6A6t55qXk&ab_channel=MarkC...
- jimmygrapes 5y agoEvery single set of predeployment briefing for US troops includes local body signal briefings when appropriate, such as the thumbs up example given, pointing with index finger, using the right vs left hand for certain actions, bowing, and anything else the State Department and/or CIA has recognized. Very few people in these briefings remember them, mostly because there's another thousand things being blasted at you that are arguably more relevant to survival and success. I say this to agree: Mossad would definitely recognize and brief people on this, but retention of training can never really be guaranteed.