F for Fake (1973)

A documentary about fraud and fakery.

Directors:

Orson Welles, Gary Graver (uncredited)

Writer:

Orson Welles

Stars:

Orson Welles, Oja Kodar, François Reichenbach

3 wins.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Orson Welles	...	Himself - Narrator (voice)
Oja Kodar	...	Herself - The Girl
François Reichenbach	...	Himself - Special Participant
Elmyr de Hory	...	Himself
Clifford Irving	...	Himself
Laurence Harvey	...	Himself
Edith Irving	...	Herself
David Walsh	...	Himself
Paul Stewart	...	Himself - Special Participant
Richard Wilson	...	Himself - Special Participant
Joseph Cotten	...	Himself - Special Participant
Howard Hughes	...	Himself (archive footage)
Richard Drewitt	...	Himself - Associate Producer (as Richard Drewett)
Alexander Welles	...	Special Participant (as Sasa Devcic)
Gary Graver	...	Special Participant

Storyline

Orson Welles' free-form documentary about fakery focusses on the notorious art forger Elmyr de Hory and Elmyr's biographer, Clifford Irving, who also wrote the celebrated fraudulent Howard Hughes autobiography, then touches on the reclusive Hughes and Welles' own career (which started with a faked resume and a phony Martian invasion). On the way, Welles plays a few tricks of his own on the audience.

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Plot Keywords:

fraud | biographer | ibiza | hoax | expert | 

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Genres:

Documentary

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Certificate:

PG

Details

Country:

France Iran West Germany

Language:

English French Spanish

Release Date:

12 March 1975 (France)

Also Known As:

F for Fake

Filming Locations:

Orly Airport, Orly, Val-de-Marne, France

Company Credits

Production Co:

Janus Film, SACI

Technical Specs

Runtime:

89 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Actress Oja Kodar, who appears in a muse-like fashion in this film, was Welles' real-life girlfriend at the time.

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Goofs

The word "practitioners" is misspelled "practioners" in the opening credits.

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Quotes

Orson Welles: I did promise that for one hour, I'd tell you only the truth. That hour, ladies and gentlemen, is over. For the past seventeen minutes, I've been lying my head off.

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Connections

Referenced in L'homme qui a vu l'homme qui a vu l'ours (1990)

User Reviews

What a fun film!

Of the Orson Welles films I have seen, this has to be the most fun to watch. "F for Fake" is about an art forgerer and his biographer who was a forgerer himself. (He faked a biography about Howard Hughes.) What's great about the film is that Welles constantly keeps you guessing at what's real and what's fake and why at all that might be important. I also give Welles credit for pulling the greatest plot twist I have ever not seen coming. And this is a documentary! There's not supposed to be a plot, is there? (wink, wink) Giving the surprise away would ruin all of the fun. What I can say is that you should find this somewhat rare film and watch it with a clock close by.