The Hoax (2006)

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.

Director:

Lasse Hallström

Writers:

William Wheeler (screenplay), Clifford Irving (book)

Stars:

Richard Gere, Alfred Molina, David Aaron Baker

1 win & 3 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
David Aaron Baker	...	Brad Silber
John Carter	...	Harold Mcgraw
Judi Barton	...	Marion
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
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

Storyline

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?

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Plot Keywords:

howard hughes | rooftop | f word | 1971 | mcgraw hill publishing company | 

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Taglines:

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

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language

Details

Official Sites:

Miramax [United States] Official site

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

20 April 2007 (USA)

Also Known As:

Apgaule

Filming Locations:

New York, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$25,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$1,449,320, 6 April 2007, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$7,156,933, 27 May 2007

Company Credits

Production Co:

Miramax,Bob Yari Productions,The Mark Gordon Company

Technical Specs

Runtime:

116 min

Sound Mix:

SDDS Dolby Digital DTS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Clifford Irving died December 19, 2017. He was 87.

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Goofs

A document in one of the files sent to Irving states that Howard Hughes loaned Donald Nixon, brother of Richard Nixon, $205,000 in 1956 to secure Pentagon contracts; Irving concludes that this information will bring Richard Nixon down if made public. In fact, the loan was to help Donald Nixon save his restaurant chain, and became public knowledge during the 1960 presidential race.

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Quotes

Clifford Irving: Bumped by this adolescent coffee boy. My lit professor at Cornell compared me to Hemingway! The middle of my life is at hand, and I don't have a couch.
Dick Suskind: Think about this: Henry Miller was 38-years-old, unpublished. His wife left him for a lesbian.
Clifford Irving: You're kind to tell me that, Dick. You're a very good man. You're a good friend. Need a loan?
Dick Suskind: Always.

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Connections

Referenced in Elvis Mitchell: Under the Influence: Richard Gere (2008)

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Soundtracks

Hot Liquorice
Written by Dick Walter
Courtesy of Associated Production Music, LLC

User Reviews

Enjoyable Screen Adaptation of a Fascinating True Story

The Hoax is a screen adaptation of the true story of one of the most daring, bold, and intricate confidence schemes ever plotted. As a long-time fan of heists, cons, and trickery, I already knew the story before seeing the film, and so seeing the movie, I judged the portrayal rather than the story itself. Lasse Hallstrom does not make a great film, but he definitely makes an enjoyable film. Certain scenes aren't quite filmed the most powerful way they could be. Clean, nice, standard cinematography is used in scenes that have less atmosphere because of it. Other scenes, in particular the scenes of theft, lying, drama, and other intense things provoked by the dangerously dishonest mind of Clifford Irving, are given a thrilling, extremely exciting pins-and-needles feeling. In terms of the story, I learned a lot about it that I didn't know that amazed and impressed me, mostly involving the influence the scheme inadvertently had politically.

Richard Gere plays Clifford Irving well enough, but the entire time, I kept thinking of different actors who would've been much more becoming and much more intense. Clifford Irving was a man of dark, magnetic, manipulative vigor and depth. Gere plays him more dryly, as though Irving was virtually cool and carefree rather than coolly masking that intensity.

Alfred Molina, a scene-stealer as always, upstages Gere greatly as his nervous friend and partner in crime who is made to do all the high-risk dirty work, which translates into hilarity on screen.

The Hoax is a wonderful story and a good movie. If it had a different lead and broader scope in the directing, it could've been a wonderful movie, too.