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.
Direction
Welles edits reality like a card shark shuffles.
Editing
The last hour is a masterclass in misdirection.
Writing
Welles's narration is pure showman poetry.
Director
Orson Welles
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
The Picasso expert who authenticates de Hory's fake was later fooled by another forgery scandal himself. Welles would have loved that.
This basically invented the 'essay film' as we know it—every Adam Curtis documentary owes Welles a drink.
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