97 Lincoln, Hood Release Latch Won't Work

I am trying to help a woman who's '97 Lincoln, (on second thought, I am not sure if it is a Continental, it seems to be the same general size as my 97 Mercury Sable). It has been stuck in a parking lot for a couple of months. I just found out about this. Her battery died, she knows nothing about cars and doesn't have a lot of money. I offered to take the battery out and either have it charged or replaced, (the battery is under warranty). When we went to the car, she pulled on the hood latch in the passenger compartment but the hood won't budge.

I have heard there is a way to get underneath the front of the car and snake a rod or something up to the latch from laying underneath the car. I was wondering if anyone knows about this and can offer some suggestions.

PS: My own car is a '97 Mercury Sable. The front of the Lincoln looks like it might have some similarities to the Sable. I was thinking that if the hood latch assembly is the same in both cars, I could practice on my own car fabricating a rod to open up the latch with my hood up, and then use this rod on the Lincoln. Does anyone know if the hood latch assemblies in the front of the car are the same in the two models?

It's OK, I got the answer. Keep the hood latch in the passenger compartment permanently open whether by having the latch propped open or by having an assistant manually hold it open. Then pound on the front of the hood a few times, then reach around the edge of the hood to pull it up-it might not pop up when unlocked, but stay in the down position, even though it is unlocked.

Got it from this video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iSklly5nJnI

I got some good advice on another car question I asked before, so I thought I would just let the forum know where I got the answer, in case they find it useful.

That is what we call a "Two Man Hood" --- Lube the latch mechanism with silicon grease and you should be fine- and return to a "One Man Hood"