Review of F for Fake (1973) by Eric H — 23 May 2016

One of my favorite films. Orson Welles' approaches his audience from the standpoint of a documentary. The whole experimentally genius of a movie starts with one very clear statement from Welles:

"This is a promise. For the next hour, everything you hear from us is really true and based on solid fact.".

He did not falter on his promise. The thing is that "F For Fake" runs just under 90 minutes. Everything is "true" for the first hour.

Orson Welles, one of the greatest artists and intellects of his time was also an eccentric who loved to toy with ideas as much as put them into his art. This is a brilliant example of a profoundly gifted filmmaker playing not only with his audience, but with cultural ideas around "truth" and "reality" -- how important is "true authenticity" anyway? If the answer seems apparent to you, then this is a film you must see. Actually, this is a film everyone should see.

He seems to be making a documentary about fakery. His main focus is on two equally odd men. Infamous and notorious Art Forger and charming, Elmyr de Hory is one. The other is Hory's friend and "biographer" Clifford Irving. Irving had set out to expose Hory as the "Faker" he was but would soon become the major player at one of the biggest acts of "Fakery" of all time. His "true" transcription of Howard Hughes' autobiography remains a cultural focal point of deception, confusion and infamy.

Was it just great luck that Orson Welles fell into the company of these two fraudulent men or planned? Does it really matter?

As Welles' freely points out, his entire life has been a series of self-created "fakes" -- from an untrue resume to his infamously radio storytelling experiment regarding an invasion from Mars.

Just as you think you know where Welles is taking us, with the ever-slightest of hands -- he pulls the rug out from under the audience more than a couple of times. And he poses a number of key philosophical questions about life and human existence.

This is a magical experimental film so far ahead of it's time it remains one step ahead of our curve. Quite a feat from an early 1970's film when viewed with the fresh eyes of the 21st Century.

Pures cinematic magic and a whole lotta fun!