F for Fake

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

1973 1h 29m FR

👍

7.4

SOLID

🍅

88%

FRESH

💯

METACRITIC

⭐

7.7

IMDB

★7.4TMDB · 380🍅88%Rotten Tomatoes●87Metacritic★7.7IMDB · 19,960

Documentary

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

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.

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

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Where to watch · US

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Cast

Orson Welles
Self
Oja Kodar
The Girl
Elmyr de Hory
Self
Clifford Irving
Self
Laurence Harvey
Self
Edith Irving
Self
David Walsh
Self
Paul Stewart
Self

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Orson Welles
Writers: Orson Welles, Oja Kodar, François Reichenbach
Languages: English, French, Spanish
Countries: France, Germany, Iran

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

RUNTIME

Did you know

89 minutes exactly — the "classic feature" runtime most directors aim for.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

ERA

Did you know

53 years old — a genuine piece of film history.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

Dialogue crosses 3 languages: English, French, Spanish.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

International production across 3 countries: France, Germany, Iran.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Orson Welles, shot by François Reichenbach. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Michel Legrand. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Marie-Sophie Dubus shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Orson Welles and Oja Kodar and Elmyr de Hory carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Orson Welles directs. François Reichenbach behind the camera. Michel Legrand scores. Marie-Sophie Dubus cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Produced in France, Germany, Iran. Dialogue in English, French, Spanish.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

189 minutes exactly — the "classic feature" runtime most directors aim for.
253 years old — a genuine piece of film history.
3Dialogue crosses 3 languages: English, French, Spanish.
4International production across 3 countries: France, Germany, Iran.
5Directed by Orson Welles, shot by François Reichenbach. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
6Original score by Michel Legrand. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
7Editor Marie-Sophie Dubus shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
8Orson Welles and Oja Kodar and Elmyr de Hory carry the top of the cast.
9Marketing tagline: "A magician is just an actor playing the part of a magician.".
10IMDB entry: tt0072962 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
11Classified under 9 themes, including "artist", "manipulation", "illusion", "deception".
12Released under 16 different titles around the world.

The technical file

Cinematography: François Reichenbach
Original score: Michel Legrand
Editing: Marie-Sophie Dubus
Runtime: 89 min · 1h 29m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Original language: FR
Certification (US): PG
IMDB: F for Fake (1973)
Rotten Tomatoes: 88% 🍅 Fresh
Metacritic: 87/100
IMDB rating: 7.7/10 · 19,960 votes
MPAA: PG

Awards

3 wins total

Also by

Orson Welles

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Trailers & featurettes

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Community reviews

What people are saying

C_Hickcock2025-10-24
★ 10/10
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.

Production companies