F for Fake
Directed by Orson Welles
Written by Orson Welles
1973/France/Iran/West Germany
IMDb page
Repeat viewing/Criterion Channel
One of 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die
Orson Welles: What we professional liars hope to serve is truth. I’m afraid the pompous word for that is “art”.
What is this? Â It’s not a documentary, nor a mockumentary, nor a fiction film. Â Let’s call it a fun essay on the junction between truth and lies.
The setting is the resort island of Ibiza. Â Director Orson Welles, writer Clifford Irving, and painter Elmyr De Hory are enjoying the jet setter life style. Â They are all tricksters in one way or another. Â Irving famously faked an autobiography of Howard Hughes. Â Prior to that he had written the book “Fake” about the prodigious forged output of Elmyr.
Welles is gleeful as he explores the question of the value of art without a name and a certificate of authentication behind it. Â If a forged Modigliani is indistinguishable from a real one is the fake the lesser work of art? Â Welles also gets a chance to perform magic tricks, tell impossible sounding stories, talk about the famous “War of the Worlds” broadcast, and generally pontificate. Â With Oja Kodar, Welles’ real-life girlfriend, as a young beauty who walks out of Picasso’s life with 27 original portraits.
I had fun watching this. Â It’s interesting without necessarily being a must-see IMHO, unless, of course, you are a Welles completist.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=twlA_yzagXo
