The Hoax (2006)

Director:

Lasse Hallström

Writers (WGA):

William Wheeler (screenplay)
Clifford Irving (book)

Release Date:

20 April 2007 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Tagline:

Based on the true story. Would we lie to you?

Plot:

In what would cause a fantastic media frenzy, Clifford Irving sells his bogus biography of Howard Hughes to a premiere publishing house in the early 1970s.

Plot Keywords:

Hoax | 1970s | Book | Manuscript | Writer

Awards:

2 nominations

Cast

David Aaron Baker	...	Brad Silber
John Carter	...	Harold McGraw
Judi Barton	...	Marion
Raul Julia Jr.	...	Bike Messenger
James Biberi	...	McGraw-Hill Security
Richard Gere	...	Clifford Irving
Hope Davis	...	Andrea Tate
Christopher Evan Welch	...	Albert Vanderkamp
Okwui Okpokwasili	...	Malika
Alfred Molina	...	Dick Suskind
Bob Wiltfong	...	Sporting Goods Salesman
William Fowle	...	Car Salesman
Marcia Gay Harden	...	Edith Irving
Julie Delpy	...	Nina Van Pallandt
Antonie Knoppers	...	Fredrick Van Pallandt

MPAA:

Rated R for language.

Runtime:

116 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

SDDS | Dolby Digital | DTS

Certification:

USA:R | Finland:K-11 | Netherlands:12 | Portugal:M/12 | Ireland:15A | Brazil:12 | Spain:13 | Sweden:7 | Singapore:NC-16 | UK:15

Filming Locations:

Armonk, New York, USA

Company:

Miramax Films

Trivia:

Larry David makes a cameo.

Goofs:

Errors made by characters (possibly deliberate errors by the filmmakers): McCullough congratulates Irving on the authenticity of the manuscript by citing a conversation he had with Hughes that he didn't tell anyone else. However, this conversation was noted in the Newsweek article on Hughes.

Quotes:

Edith Irving: You're always so careful when you talk, always so soft like a cushion for what you want. But I am leaving. But before I go, I give you something. You are exhausted from your lies. So tell the truth. Tell me the truth about what you did with her this time. It is your moment to be clean.
Clifford Irving: I saw her.

Movie Connections:

Features Full Metal Jacket (1987)

Soundtrack:

Rue De Noir

Not bad

Saw a sneak preview of this earlier this evening. Not bad as some other comments would have you believe, but not perfect either. The historical details are a bit inaccurate in some areas, but those are relatively minor ones which don't affect the story too much. At it's core, the film focuses on the lies told by Clifford Irving and how he charmed everyone into believing them. The lies don't just affect his writing career, but also the lives of those around him and eventually comes to the point where it's difficult to distinguish fact from fiction in what Irving says, a task which is made all the more difficult given the eccentricity of nearly everything done by Howard Hughes during that period of time. Overall, the film isn't too bad, the main characters are nicely developed, the plot is interesting, and the acting isn't bad. The subtle 1970s touches (vintage Coca Cola and Tab cans, news footage, hairstyles, commercials, cars, Watergate, etc) also make it fun to watch. Overall, the story, acting, and the attention to detail force me to give this a 8/10 despite the few flaws here and there. Definitely a must see for the Howard Hughes buffs along with "The Aviator".