Gere pulls off Irving in “The Hoax”

April 6, 2007 saw a revival of one of the most interesting dramas in the American history. It was on this day that the Hollywood film “The Hoax”, starring Richard Gere, was released for worldwide viewership. The film, directed by Lasse Hallstrom, is based on the fraud attempted by author Clifford Irving, back in the '70s.

American writer, Clifford Irving, portrayed by Gere in the film, is widely known for his “authorized autobiography” of Howard Hughes, which was a premeditated hoax. Howard Hughes was a pioneering American industrialist, aviator, and a film producer.

Hughes was largely known to be recluse in his later years, due to many alleged reasons. He had a particular distaste for public scrutiny, and thus did not indulge in any interviews. In 1970, Irving conspired with an old friend, Richard Suskind, who was an author himself, to create a scheme to write Hughes’ autobiography. Alfred Molina plays Suskind’s character in the movie.

While Suskind carried out research in news archives, Irving forged Hughes’ handwriting and signatures to strike a deal with his publishers-McGraw Hill. Irving claimed that Hughes had expressed interest in letting him write his autobiography.

Irving managed to strike a deal worth $765,000 with the publishers. The hoax was brought to light in 1972, and both Irving and Suskind were indicted with charges of fraud. Irving spent 14 months in prison, after which he delivered various bestselling novels.

Screenwriter William Wheeler and the director, Lasse Hallstrom, have utilized their creative licenses to the optimum. Certain fictitious parts have been added to the story, which leads to a well-plotted drama. Although the screenplay is an adaptation of Irving’s memoir of the fraud, various liberties have been taken with the plot.

The author himself is not happy with the result. According to Irving, the film bears not much resemblance to his experiences. He goes as far as to state that the other important contributors to the fraud, i.e. his good friend and collaborator Dick Suskind (Alfred Molina), his then-wife painter Edith (Marcia Gay Harden), and his mistress, the Danish singer Nina Van Pallandt (Julie Delpy) – have been portrayed as stupid imitations of the real people.

"I think it's a movie about a hoax, perpetuated by a man who happens to bear my name," Irving said Wednesday, from his home in Aspen, Colorado. "I think he's (his character in the film) a hysteric. A crackpot. Richard Gere plays him as nasty, manipulative and humorless. I have said before, if I were that guy, I'd shoot myself. I'm not saying it's not a good movie. I'm simply saying it's a hoax about a hoax."

Irving had also requested that his name should be deleted from the credits of the film, where he has been mentioned as technical advisor.

According to critics though, Gere has delivered one of his finest performances. He has added the necessary charm and audacity to the character, which could con the media, handwriting analysts, publishers. As far as the legend goes, Irving also duped President Nixon and the congressman who later investigated Watergate, into believing that the reclusive Howard Hughes had dictated his memoirs to him. Gere infuses the character with deception and craftiness, bringing to life the real conman.

Irving’s book by the same name, “The Hoax”, is available for download at cliffordirving.com. Irving likes to call it “a novel in the form of an autobiography”, and thinks that it is a “terrific book.”

Irving looks upon the completely fraudulent scheme, in which he involved his wife and mistress as well, as an interesting challenge. "It was exciting," he said. "It was a challenge. It became an adventure. It's very hard to look back 35 years and say why you did anything. I'm not sure ... We make up stories that are comfortable, that make us feel comfortable."

"We had Howard Hughes' voice nailed," he said. "That was through research. The story seemed true, and all the parts that were bizarre and made up seemed even more true to the readers -- and McGraw-Hill. Add to that, the fact that they wanted it desperately to be true. And they loved the fact' that Hughes went to India to find a guru because he decided later in life his life was too superficial. So he hooks up with Sai Baba in India. Before that, he becomes friends with Ernest Hemingway and this is the best friendship of his life. And it was all made up. We were just trying to give a better life to this poor, half-demented reclusive billionaire than he had in actuality."

Irving is now 76 and is involved in a novel based on Claude Monet. He lives with his sixth wife and shuttles between his houses in Colorado and Mexico.

The movie, spanning duration of 116 minutes, has been filmed in Puerto Rico and New York. Filming began in June 2005.

It received a favorable review by A.O. Scott, in the New York Times: “... The brilliance of Mr. Gere’s performance — one of his best since middle age liberated his wily charm from his leading-man looks — is that he makes you believe in Irving without believing a word out of his mouth... Mr. Hallstrom, now that he has moved on from the somber duties of spinning middlebrow best sellers into high-toned Oscar bait (“The Shipping News,” “The Cider House Rules”), has proven himself to be a nimble filmmaker with a light and subtle touch. His underrated “Casanova,” starring Heath Ledger, managed to be both farcical and subtle, and “The Hoax,” with an excellent script by William Wheeler, achieves a similar complexity of tone. It is for the most part a jumpy, suspenseful caper, full of narrow escapes, improbable reversals and complicated intrigue. But it has a sinister, shadowy undertow; an intimation of dread that lingers after Irving’s game is up.”