It's inconceivable how Cifford Irving could pull the scam about his book on Howard Hughes. One wonders what world did all those editors lived in. The mere idea the reclusive and paranoid Hughes would consent in having his life told to all that had the money to buy the book, was just crazy. Here was a weird man that was afraid of coming in close contact with humans who wanted open himself for all to pass judgment at him, something that didn't make any sense. There were a lot of clues to be considered by all those naive, but greedy, literary figures. They preferred to go along with the hoax Mr. Irving sold them.
Clifford Irving was an ambitious man that thought his fabrications would not come back to him. He was basically a con man who pulled the wool over everyone's eyes. His life was a mess. He had cheated on his artist wife Edith for years. With the help of his assistant, the researcher Dick Suskind, he pulled one of the biggest scams in literary America by pretending he knew Hughes and that the man had entrusted him to tell his side of the story.
Lasse Hallstrom, the director, showed he had a good understanding for the material. He does a great job in the way he staged the film. This is one of his best efforts in the American cinema. The screenplay by William Wheeler is based on "The Hoax" by Clifford Irving. The book was a confession of the author chronicling his scheme to con the literary circles that thought he was a man without talent, but who jumped in the band wagon because he saw the word bestseller all over the place.
Our surprise in watching the film was Richard Gere's take on the title character. This actor does much better when he plays against the romantic personal Hollywood created for him. With his curly hair, Mr. Gere does a great Clifford Irving. Also good is Alfred Molina playing the assistant to the author. Mr. Molina is fine as the man that knows he is committing a serious fraud, but goes along with the con artist that employed him. One thing for sure, Suskind was a bad liar, something that comes across in the film.
The supporting cast include people of the caliber of Hope Davis and Marcia Gay Harden, two of the best actresses any director would be lucky to get to be in their films. Eli Wallach shows up as Noah Dietrich, who worked for Hughes. Stanley Tucci, Zeljko Ivanek, and the rest of the cast are fine.
Oliver Stapleton captures the images of that era well. The musical score is by Carter Burwell who has been busy lately in a lot of worthwhile projects. Credit must go to Mr. Hallstrom for this highly entertaining account of one of the biggest scams in America.
Clifford Irving was an ambitious man that thought his fabrications would not come back to him. He was basically a con man who pulled the wool over everyone's eyes. His life was a mess. He had cheated on his artist wife Edith for years. With the help of his assistant, the researcher Dick Suskind, he pulled one of the biggest scams in literary America by pretending he knew Hughes and that the man had entrusted him to tell his side of the story.
Lasse Hallstrom, the director, showed he had a good understanding for the material. He does a great job in the way he staged the film. This is one of his best efforts in the American cinema. The screenplay by William Wheeler is based on "The Hoax" by Clifford Irving. The book was a confession of the author chronicling his scheme to con the literary circles that thought he was a man without talent, but who jumped in the band wagon because he saw the word bestseller all over the place.
Our surprise in watching the film was Richard Gere's take on the title character. This actor does much better when he plays against the romantic personal Hollywood created for him. With his curly hair, Mr. Gere does a great Clifford Irving. Also good is Alfred Molina playing the assistant to the author. Mr. Molina is fine as the man that knows he is committing a serious fraud, but goes along with the con artist that employed him. One thing for sure, Suskind was a bad liar, something that comes across in the film.
The supporting cast include people of the caliber of Hope Davis and Marcia Gay Harden, two of the best actresses any director would be lucky to get to be in their films. Eli Wallach shows up as Noah Dietrich, who worked for Hughes. Stanley Tucci, Zeljko Ivanek, and the rest of the cast are fine.
Oliver Stapleton captures the images of that era well. The musical score is by Carter Burwell who has been busy lately in a lot of worthwhile projects. Credit must go to Mr. Hallstrom for this highly entertaining account of one of the biggest scams in America.