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01/09/1973 Documentary 1h 29m
74
User score

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

Overview

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.

  1. Orson Welles

    Director, Writer

  2. François Reichenbach

    Writer, Director

Top billed cast

  1. Orson Welles

    Self

  2. Oja Kodar

    The Girl

  3. Elmyr de Hory

    Self

  4. Clifford Irving

    Self

  5. Laurence Harvey

    Self

  6. Edith Irving

    Self

  7. David Walsh

    Self

  8. Paul Stewart

    Self

  9. Richard Wilson

    Self

  10. View more

Full Cast & Crew

Reviews

A review by C_Hickcock
Written by C_Hickcock on 2025-10-24
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.
Read All Reviews

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Status
Released

Original Language
French

Budget
$0.00

Revenue
$0.00

Keywords