F for Fake

THE FILM:

The year is 1974. Time has passed since Orson Welles' previous film, the heavily underrated Chimes At Midnight. His fan's beg of him to create something like the classic Welles such as Citizen Kane, Touch of Evil or The Magnificent Ambersons, however Orson Welles gives them something completely different - he gives them one of the most surprising films of all time. F for Fake suffered from a small audience due to the fact that it was a 'documentary'. However, everyone who decided not to attend the playing of F for Fake missed out on one of the most shocking moments in cinema history. F for Fake has finally seen it's proper restoration recently when it was refurbished in quality by The Criterion Collection.

THE PLOT:

Magic and tricks are what illuminate Orson Welles'           F for Fake. It's a movie about fakers  and tricks. Orson Welles zeroes-in on two art forgers - Elmyr de Hory and Clifford Irving. Elmyr and Clifford have never met, but their ingenious knack for reproducing classic art pieces is a common factor for the two men. However, these men are not displayed as criminals, all their crimes done in a good-natured manner, they commit their forgeries as a statement.

SPOILERS Now, until the final moments in F for Fake, the film is a typical entertaining documentary, not an act of sheer genuis. That's when Orson Welles finally confess. What we have just witnessed has been one big lie. None of the documentary was actually true. And Orson Welles preforms the final trick of his career as he vanishes from the screen. SPOILERS






THE CRITIQUE:

The Good                                                              

Orson Welles creates an entertaining un-cliched    
documentary exploring a  clever topic. As we      
watch F for Fake, we are enlightened by his          
marvelous knack for storytelling. Welles combines  
magic, fraud, lying, trickery in his final project.        
As well, it was great fun to see Joseph Cotten in    
another Orson Welles film.

 The Bad                                                                          
 Despite being a work of genuis, F for Fake could easily         
 be considers a mess. From the abrupt jumps from idea 
 to idea, it would be understandable for you to get lost. 
Welles demonstrated no clear line between idea and    
 idea, it's as if he jotting down whatever thoughts come
 to mind.                                        
 The Ugly
 Orson Welles could really benefit from a shave in this film.






F for Fake,
1974,
Starring: Orson Welles, Joseph Cotten and Peter Bogdanovich
Directed by Orson Welles
9.5/10 (A+)

RANKED:
1. F for Fake