Con Man Extraordinaire
Hubs and I watched The Hoax, starring Richard Gere, Alfred Molina, and Marcia Gay Harden, this week. I thought it was an interesting look at hubris and the art of a con.
Clifford Irving (Gere) is a writer. Problem is, he's having a tough time getting his books published. Bills are mounting, Clifford's pride is wounded, and he keeps getting the brush-off from his contact at McGraw-Hill. Desperate for a book idea that will sell, Clifford comes up with what he thinks is a brilliant plan - he'll tell his agent that he's received authorization to write the definitive autobiography of Howard Hughes from the reclusive billionaire himself. Hughes doesn't go out, right? He doesn't talk to anyone. He doesn't make personal phone calls, and a recent legal settlment means the eccentric man won't set foot in a courtroom to prosecute. No one will REALLY know if the autobiography is truly authorized or not.
Clifford sells his idea to McGraw-Hill with little more than a few forged letters. Then, he begins concocting the hoax of a lifetime. He works with his trusted researcher, Dick Suskind (Molina), and his wife Edith (Harden) to produce a reasonable account of Hughes' life. He fakes letters from Hughes, aborted visits to the publishing house, the whole nine yards. When the book is complete, the publisher is thrilled with the result, and even interviewers who have actually spoken to Hughes himself agree that the manuscript is genuine.
Copies of the book are printed and are on the verge of being distributed. But when the billionaire decides to make a rare public statement, Clifford's carefully constructed hoax folds like a house of cards.
Perofrmances in this film were great. All three of the primary characters have wonderful moments. As Clifford takes on Hughes' persona, Gere does some great work as a writer who finds himself in his subject. Molina's tragic realization of a man who discovers he has been unfaithful is touching, and Harden's "chance to be clean" speech has some of the best lines written for a lover's quarrel.
And the ultimate con? This movie, and the book is it derived from, are based on the true story of Clifford Irving's actual con of McGraw-Hill and the American public. Looks like Irving found a story that would sell after all . . .
Clifford Irving (Gere) is a writer. Problem is, he's having a tough time getting his books published. Bills are mounting, Clifford's pride is wounded, and he keeps getting the brush-off from his contact at McGraw-Hill. Desperate for a book idea that will sell, Clifford comes up with what he thinks is a brilliant plan - he'll tell his agent that he's received authorization to write the definitive autobiography of Howard Hughes from the reclusive billionaire himself. Hughes doesn't go out, right? He doesn't talk to anyone. He doesn't make personal phone calls, and a recent legal settlment means the eccentric man won't set foot in a courtroom to prosecute. No one will REALLY know if the autobiography is truly authorized or not.
Clifford sells his idea to McGraw-Hill with little more than a few forged letters. Then, he begins concocting the hoax of a lifetime. He works with his trusted researcher, Dick Suskind (Molina), and his wife Edith (Harden) to produce a reasonable account of Hughes' life. He fakes letters from Hughes, aborted visits to the publishing house, the whole nine yards. When the book is complete, the publisher is thrilled with the result, and even interviewers who have actually spoken to Hughes himself agree that the manuscript is genuine.
Copies of the book are printed and are on the verge of being distributed. But when the billionaire decides to make a rare public statement, Clifford's carefully constructed hoax folds like a house of cards.
Perofrmances in this film were great. All three of the primary characters have wonderful moments. As Clifford takes on Hughes' persona, Gere does some great work as a writer who finds himself in his subject. Molina's tragic realization of a man who discovers he has been unfaithful is touching, and Harden's "chance to be clean" speech has some of the best lines written for a lover's quarrel.
And the ultimate con? This movie, and the book is it derived from, are based on the true story of Clifford Irving's actual con of McGraw-Hill and the American public. Looks like Irving found a story that would sell after all . . .
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