Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
David Aaron Baker | ... | Brad Silber | |
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John Carter | ... | Harold Mcgraw |
Judi Barton | ... | Marion | |
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Raul S. Julia | ... | Bike Messenger (as Raul Julia Jr.) |
James Biberi | ... | Mcgraw-Hill Security | |
Richard Gere | ... | Clifford Irving | |
Hope Davis | ... | Andrea Tate | |
Christopher Evan Welch | ... | Albert Vanderkamp | |
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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 |
Early in 1971, the publishing company McGraw-Hill passes on Clifford Irving's new novel. He's desperate for money, so, against the backdrop of Nixon's reelection calculations, Irving claims he has Howard Hughes's cooperation to write Hughes's autobiography. With the help of friend Richard Suskind, Irving does research, lucks into a manuscript written by a long-time Hughes associate, and plays on corporate greed. He's quick-thinking and outrageously bold. Plus, he banks on Hughes's reluctance to enter the public eye. At the same time, he's trying to rebuild his marriage and deflect the allure of his one-time mistress, Nina van Pallandt. Can he write a good book, take the money, and pull off the hoax? Written by <jhailey@hotmail.com>
I watched this movie right after I had seen the amazingly boring "I'm Not There." at the Camerimage Festival in Poland. It came as a real relief to me. "The Hoax" is a pretty conventional movie about an unbelievable fraud that has taken place in the 70's. A guy called Clifford Irving actually convinced some publishers that he would write a biography about Howard Hughes authorized by no one but Hughes himself. Basically the whole movie is Richard Gere lying and dragging some people down with him. It wouldn't be such an entertaining affair if it wasn't for the great performances. Gere in particular never struck me as an outstanding actor, but he really shines here and has a great on screen-chemistry with the always good Alfred Molina.
"The Hoax" may not be Lasse Hallström's best movie, but it's a nice little companion piece to Scorsese's Hughes-biopic "The Aviator".