The Hoax (2006)

Director:

Lasse Hallström

Writers (WGA):

William Wheeler (screenplay)
Clifford Irving (book)

Release Date:

20 April 2007 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Tagline:

Based on the true story. Would we lie to you?

Plot:

In what would cause a fantastic media frenzy, Clifford Irving sells his bogus biography of Howard Hughes to a premiere publishing house in the early 1970s.

Plot Keywords:

Hoax | 1970s | Book | Manuscript | Writer

Awards:

2 nominations

Cast

David Aaron Baker	...	Brad Silber
John Carter	...	Harold McGraw
Judi Barton	...	Marion
Raul Julia Jr.	...	Bike Messenger
James Biberi	...	McGraw-Hill Security
Richard Gere	...	Clifford Irving
Hope Davis	...	Andrea Tate
Christopher Evan Welch	...	Albert Vanderkamp
Okwui Okpokwasili	...	Malika
Alfred Molina	...	Dick Suskind
Bob Wiltfong	...	Sporting Goods Salesman
William Fowle	...	Car Salesman
Marcia Gay Harden	...	Edith Irving
Julie Delpy	...	Nina Van Pallandt
Antonie Knoppers	...	Fredrick Van Pallandt

MPAA:

Rated R for language.

Runtime:

116 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

SDDS | Dolby Digital | DTS

Certification:

USA:R | Finland:K-11 | Netherlands:12 | Portugal:M/12 | Ireland:15A | Brazil:12 | Spain:13 | Sweden:7 | Singapore:NC-16 | UK:15

Filming Locations:

Armonk, New York, USA

Company:

Miramax Films

Trivia:

The books being burned at the end of the movie are surplus copies of 'Knife of Dreams', the eleventh novel in Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series. The series logo and gate-fold map are clearly visible in one shot.

Goofs:

Factual errors: About 12 minutes into the movie before Irving is to meet with McGraw Hill, there is a southerly view of Manhattan with the Empire State Building in the foreground. In the distance looking toward lower Manhattan are the buildings of the World Financial Center. These buildings did not exist in 1971. Also, in 1971 the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center would be visibly under construction albeit not very tall at that time.

Quotes:

Edith Irving: You're always so careful when you talk, always so soft like a cushion for what you want. But I am leaving. But before I go, I give you something. You are exhausted from your lies. So tell the truth. Tell me the truth about what you did with her this time. It is your moment to be clean.
Clifford Irving: I saw her.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Siskel & Ebert & the Movies: (2007-04-07)" (2007)

Soundtrack:

Come See Me Tonight

Gripping film and difficult to find fault with

I really enjoyed this film from beginning to end and generally I'm difficult to please. I'm a little older than the average audience and so I knew this story really well having watched it unfold at the time. I also remember watching Orson Welles' masterpiece 'F for Fake', based around the same subject and anyone who's seen 'The Hoax' should watch 'F for Fake'. Richard Gere, and in fact, all the cast, were at their best and delivered a great script with all the tension and dynamics it needed. Gere and Molina worked very well together and I'd say it was probably Molina's best performance to date. Beautifully shot and cut, it was pacy but not too pacy like many current films. I liked the few library shots to help with creating a feeling for the period and of course, the music helped with that too. The story was told well, although if you weren't quite familiar with the outline of what happened, there could be some moments of doubt. However, knowing the story well made it all the more enjoyable.