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Poster for F for Fake

F for Fake

Seen it?

1973 | 89 min | Documentary

Sunday Safe Bet

Why it’s a Sunday Safe Bet

Critics loved it (88% on Rotten Tomatoes). A safe bet when you want something reliable.

Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.

Is it for you?

Who'll love it
Made for the curious. Critics rate it higher than audiences do, so it rewards patience more than it chases thrills.
The mood
Eye-opening.
The pace
Moves along nicely, at 1 hr 29 min.
What might put you off
  • Rated PG. Worth a look first if you have very young kids.
  • It's in French, so expect subtitles (or a dub).
  • Made in 1973: an older pace and style.
  • Audiences were cooler on it than critics.

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.

How it earned its rating

  • CriticsVery strong

    88% on Rotten Tomatoes, 87 on Metacritic

  • AudiencesSolid

    7.4 out of 10

  • AwardsNot counted

    No major awards or nominations

  • Reach & staying powerSolid

    Streaming release that reached a modest audience; still draws a steady audience long after release

  • Buzz & cultural impactSolid

    About 67K people sought it out in the past year

Trailer

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Cast & crew

Directed by Orson Welles, François Reichenbach

  • Orson WellesSelf
  • Oja KodarThe Girl
  • Elmyr de HorySelf
  • Clifford IrvingSelf
  • Laurence HarveySelf
  • Edith IrvingSelf
  • David WalshSelf
  • Paul StewartSelf
  • Richard WilsonSelf
  • Joseph CottenSelf