{"id":11738,"date":"2010-07-24T14:17:22","date_gmt":"2010-07-24T21:17:22","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=11738"},"modified":"2023-09-21T23:15:06","modified_gmt":"2023-09-22T06:15:06","slug":"f-for-fake-1973","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=11738","title":{"rendered":"F for Fake (1973)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>&#8220;Don&#8217;t be spooked by the experts.&#8221;<\/strong><\/p>\n<table>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/07\/F-for-Fake-Poster-1.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/07\/F-for-Fake-Poster-1-222x300.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"222\" height=\"300\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-64497\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/07\/F-for-Fake-Poster-1-222x300.png 222w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/07\/F-for-Fake-Poster-1-758x1024.png 758w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/07\/F-for-Fake-Poster-1-95x128.png 95w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/07\/F-for-Fake-Poster-1-768x1038.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/07\/F-for-Fake-Poster-1-200x270.png 200w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/07\/F-for-Fake-Poster-1.png 825w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 222px) 100vw, 222px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Synopsis:<\/strong><br \/>\nOrson Welles investigates the nature of &#8220;truth&#8221; in art via the stories of famed forger Elmyr de Hory and his fraudulent biographer, Clifford Irving.\n<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p>\n<strong>Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Artists<\/li>\n<li>Documentary<\/li>\n<li>Orson Welles Films<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Review: <\/strong><br \/>\nThis fascinating meditation on the nature of artistic veracity is a fitting capstone to Orson Welles&#8217; lengthy yet infamously helter-skelter career. Ostensibly a documentary about one of the most famous forgers in the art world (Hungarian expatriate <a href=\"http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Elmyr_de_hory\">Elmyr de Hory<\/a>) being interviewed by his biographer, Clifford Irving:<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/07\/F-for-Fake-Irving.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/07\/F-for-Fake-Irving-1024x656.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"410\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-64503\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/07\/F-for-Fake-Irving-1024x656.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/07\/F-for-Fake-Irving-300x192.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/07\/F-for-Fake-Irving-128x82.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/07\/F-for-Fake-Irving-768x492.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/07\/F-for-Fake-Irving-1536x984.png 1536w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/07\/F-for-Fake-Irving-421x270.png 421w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/07\/F-for-Fake-Irving.png 1615w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p> Welles uses the fortuitous revelation of <a href=\"http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Clifford_irving#Fake_autobiography_of_Howard_Hughes\">Irving&#8217;s fraudulent book about Howard Hughes<\/a> (nicely told, btw, in the 2006 film <a href=\"http:\/\/www.imdb.com\/title\/tt0462338\/\"><em>The Hoax<\/em><\/a>, starring Richard Gere as Irving) as an excuse to blast the notion of artistic &#8220;truth&#8221; completely out of the water. It&#8217;s no surprise Welles was fascinated by this material: a notorious trickster himself, he staged the most infamous hoax in American history back in 1938 by broadcasting <a href=\"http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/The_War_of_the_Worlds_%28radio%29\">H.G. Wells&#8217; &#8220;War of the Worlds&#8221; <\/a> over the radio as though a Martian invasion was really occurring (an event he alludes to in the film). <\/p>\n<p>Welles bookends his movie with a cinematic lust paean to his lover and final companion in life, Oja Kodar &#8212; first by showing clips from what may or may not be an authentic &#8220;Candid Camera&#8221;-like attempt to document men&#8217;s ogling reactions to Kodar as she sashays down the street in a form-fitting dress:<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/07\/F-For-Fake-Kodar-Legs.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/07\/F-For-Fake-Kodar-Legs-1024x630.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"394\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-64504\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/07\/F-For-Fake-Kodar-Legs-1024x630.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/07\/F-For-Fake-Kodar-Legs-300x185.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/07\/F-For-Fake-Kodar-Legs-128x79.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/07\/F-For-Fake-Kodar-Legs-768x473.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/07\/F-For-Fake-Kodar-Legs-1536x946.png 1536w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/07\/F-For-Fake-Kodar-Legs-439x270.png 439w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/07\/F-For-Fake-Kodar-Legs.png 1681w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&#8230; and later by telling a just-so story about an encounter between Kodar&#8217;s grandfather (presumably an infamous Hungarian art forger in his own right) and a teed off Pablo Picasso. By the end of Welles&#8217; trickily edited film, he has successfully convinced us that there may very well be no such thing as &#8220;truth&#8221; when it comes to storytelling &#8212; and that we should be duly forewarned. Knowing <em>ex post facto<\/em> that <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tcm.com\/tcmdb\/title\/486939\/f-for-fake#articles-reviews?articleId=93540\">the footage Welles used of de Hory and Irving wasn&#8217;t his own<\/a> (he &#8220;borrowed&#8221; it from the French filmmaker Francois Reichenbach) simply adds one more delicious dimension to this mind-bending cinematic essay. <\/p>\n<p><strong>Redeeming Qualities and Moments: <\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>A fascinating, cleverly edited expose of fraud and &#8220;fakery&#8221; in art<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/07\/F-For-Fake-Still.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/07\/F-For-Fake-Still-1024x632.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"395\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-64501\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/07\/F-For-Fake-Still-1024x632.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/07\/F-For-Fake-Still-300x185.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/07\/F-For-Fake-Still-128x79.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/07\/F-For-Fake-Still-768x474.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/07\/F-For-Fake-Still-1536x948.png 1536w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/07\/F-For-Fake-Still-438x270.png 438w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/07\/F-For-Fake-Still.png 1671w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/07\/F-for-Fake-Cinematography.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/07\/F-for-Fake-Cinematography-1024x635.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"397\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-64502\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/07\/F-for-Fake-Cinematography-1024x635.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/07\/F-for-Fake-Cinematography-300x186.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/07\/F-for-Fake-Cinematography-128x79.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/07\/F-for-Fake-Cinematography-768x476.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/07\/F-for-Fake-Cinematography-1536x953.png 1536w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/07\/F-for-Fake-Cinematography-435x270.png 435w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/07\/F-for-Fake-Cinematography.png 1659w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/07\/F-for-Fake-Cinematography2.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/07\/F-for-Fake-Cinematography2-1024x628.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"393\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-64500\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/07\/F-for-Fake-Cinematography2-1024x628.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/07\/F-for-Fake-Cinematography2-300x184.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/07\/F-for-Fake-Cinematography2-128x78.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/07\/F-for-Fake-Cinematography2-768x471.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/07\/F-for-Fake-Cinematography2-1536x942.png 1536w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/07\/F-for-Fake-Cinematography2-440x270.png 440w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/07\/F-for-Fake-Cinematography2.png 1675w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Must See? <\/strong><br \/>\nYes, as an immensely creative swan song by a master director.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Categories<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Important Director<\/li>\n<li>Good Show<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p> (<span style=\"color:red;font-weight:bold;\">Listed in <a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-static\/1001Movies.htm\"><em>1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die<\/em><\/a><\/span>) <\/p>\n<p><strong>Links: <\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.imdb.com\/title\/tt0072962\/\">IMDb entry<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/1975\/09\/28\/archives\/film-festival-a-wellesf-for-fake-is-an-illusionists-trick-with.html\">NY Times Review<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.combustiblecelluloid.com\/fforfake.shtml\">Combustible Celluloid Review<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.slantmagazine.com\/film\/review\/f-for-fake\/1354\">Slant Magazine Review<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/movies.tvguide.com\/f-fake\/review\/130888\">TV Guide Review<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tcm.com\/tcmdb\/title\/486939\/f-for-fake#articles-reviews?articleId=93540\">TCM Article<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.qnetwork.com\/review\/3153\">Q Network Review<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.dvdtalk.com\/dvdsavant\/s1582fake.html\">DVD Savant Review<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.timeout.com\/movies\/f-for-fake\">Time Out Capsule Review<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;Don&#8217;t be spooked by the experts.&#8221; Synopsis: Orson Welles investigates the nature of &#8220;truth&#8221; in art via the stories of famed forger Elmyr de Hory and his fraudulent biographer, Clifford Irving. Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors: Artists Documentary Orson Welles Films Review: This fascinating meditation on the nature of artistic veracity is a fitting capstone to Orson Welles&#8217; lengthy yet infamously helter-skelter career. Ostensibly a documentary about one of the most famous forgers in the art world (Hungarian expatriate Elmyr&#8230;<\/p>\n<p class=\"read-more\"><a class=\"btn btn-default\" href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=11738\"> Read More<span class=\"screen-reader-text\">  Read More<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-11738","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-reviews"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11738","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=11738"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11738\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":91905,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11738\/revisions\/91905"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=11738"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=11738"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=11738"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}