F for Fake

PG

Released Jan 30, 1976

1h 28m

Documentary

List

88%

Tomatometer

52 Reviews

88%

Audience Score

5,000+ Ratings

Orson Welles' final film documents the lives of infamous fakers Elmyr de Hory and Clifford Irving. De Hory, who later committed suicide to avoid more prison time, made his name by selling forged works of art by painters like Picasso and Matisse. Irving was infamous for writing a fake autobiography of Howard Hughes. Welles moves between documentary and fiction as he examines the fundamental elements of fraud and the people who commit fraud at the expense of others.

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Critics Consensus

F for Fake playfully poses intriguing questions while proving that even Orson Welles' minor works contain their share of masterful moments.

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Roger Ebert

Chicago Sun-Times

F For Fake is minor Welles, the master idly tuning his instrument while the concert seems never to start again. But it's engaging and fun, and it's astonishing how easily Welles spins a movie out of next to nothing.

Rated: 3/4

Oct 11, 2015

Full Review

Gary Arnold

Washington Post

The result is a curious, unsatisfactory pastiche of documentary tidbits acquired from Reichenbach and speculative filler supplied by Welles himself.

Oct 11, 2015

Full Review

Wendy Ide

Times (UK)

The last film to be completed by Orson Welles is also probably his most challenging. A tricksy combination of documentary, discourse and sleight of hand, F for Fake is as elusive as it is playful.

Rated: 3/5

Oct 11, 2015

Full Review

Josh Larsen

LarsenOnFilm

Orson Welles goes full Godard...

Rated: 2.5/4

Jan 25, 2023

Full Review

Gérard Legrand

Positif

In F for Fake, the creation of illusion completely overtakes the craving for power. Hence the exceptional euphoria generated by the film.

May 4, 2022

Full Review

A.S. Hamrah

n+1

Did Welles write those marvelous lines about reality himself? He must have.

Nov 29, 2018

Full Review

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Simon T

Many have made huge claims for this late low-budget Welles fluff, not least Welles himself, but it is a self-indulgent, often incoherent and lazy, home movie. Ostensibly a celebration of fakery - in particular that of Elmyr De Hory and Clifford Irving - it's actually 90 minutes of Welles reading his script lazily and showcasing his ego. The subject of forgery is fascinating. If only Welles had got out of his way.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

02/05/24

Full Review

Russ

It's disjointed, and most annoyingly, the viewer can quickly grasp that it's by design, not an accident. IOW, this is a fake, too.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

02/03/24

Full Review

Frances H

Boed me and I love art! One Welles voice kept me watching. Citizen Kane it wasn't!

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

01/31/24

Full Review

Joel H

F for Fake is a fascinating film because I've never seen a documentary quite like it. Orson Welles was given a very long leash and experiments with the format. The way the story is edited together makes it almost impossible to take your eyes off the screen, but it's also a dizzying cacophony of images, sounds, and ideas. At first the experience is amusing, but it begins to wear on you after a while. And, at times, Welles seems more interested in showing off his girlfriend than explaining the strange true events he's presenting. I feel like the story got lost in the storytelling during F for Fake.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

11/22/23

Full Review

Christopher B

A very fun and unique documentary/expose on trickery and it covers a lot of ground with a wonderful and whimsical charm. The last work of the legendary director and actor.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

11/29/22

Full Review

Alexander D

Groundbreaking documentary on art with a fascinating directing style.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

03/13/22

Full Review

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Orson Welles

Director

Orson Welles

Self

Oja Kodar

The Girl

Joseph Cotten

Special Participant

Francois Reichenbach

Special Participant

Richard Wilson

Special Participant

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Synopsis

Orson Welles' final film documents the lives of infamous fakers Elmyr de Hory and Clifford Irving. De Hory, who later committed suicide to avoid more prison time, made his name by selling forged works of art by painters like Picasso and Matisse. Irving was infamous for writing a fake autobiography of Howard Hughes. Welles moves between documentary and fiction as he examines the fundamental elements of fraud and the people who commit fraud at the expense of others.

Director: Orson Welles
Producer: Francois Reichenbach
Screenwriter: Orson Welles, Oja Kodar
Distributor: Criterion Collection
Production Co: Janus Film
Rating: PG
Genre: Documentary
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jan 30, 1976, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Jan 14, 2017
Runtime: 1h 28m
Sound Mix: Mono

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