Back
F for Fake

Documentary

F for Fake

A magician is just an actor playing the part of a magician.

7.4(365) 9/1/1973 1h 29m
Documentary

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.

Play Trailer

Trailer

Advertisement · movie-mid-43003

Top Cast

Orson Welles

Orson Welles

Self

Oja Kodar

Oja Kodar

The Girl

Ed

Elmyr de Hory

Self

Clifford Irving

Clifford Irving

Self

Laurence Harvey

Laurence Harvey

Self

EI

Edith Irving

Self

DW

David Walsh

Self

Paul Stewart

Paul Stewart

Self

Directed by

Orson Welles

Production

Reviews

C_Hickcock

10/10

10/24/2025

This movie is a masterpiece -- it is equal parts an insightful essay, a magic trick and a prank. Welles considered it a new type of film -- its subject matter explores what is a forgery/counterfeit vs. what is authentic and the film wrestles with its subject by blurring those lines in a way that is both entertaining and fun. It's a masterclass in editing and a must for any student of filmmaking.

Where to Watch

Streaming availability powered by JustWatch via TMDB

Community Reviews

Be the first to rate this title.

Loading…