Of particular inspiration were Liman 's father Arthur Liman 's memoirs regarding his involvement in the investigation of the Iran – Contra affair . Many aspects of the Alexander Conklin character were based on his father 's recollections of Oliver North . Liman admitted that he jettisoned much of the content of the novel beyond the central premise , in order to modernize the material and to conform it to his own beliefs regarding United States foreign policy . However , Liman was careful not to cram his political views down " the audience 's throat " . There were initial concerns regarding the film 's possible obsolescence and overall reception in the aftermath of the September 11 attacks , but these concerns proved groundless
September 11 attacks
September 11 attacks
The Bourne Identity (2002 film)