Lasse Hallstrom could not have timed the release of his movie of Clifford Irving‘s fake Howard Hughes biography any better. In the wake of James Frey, J.T. Leroy, Nasdijj and Kaavya, the story of how Irving concocted a bogus “autobiography” of the reclusive billionaire – selling it to McGraw-Hill in 1971 for a reported $1 million – resonates all the more deeply now. And as Reuters reports, the film is winning praise at the Rome Film Festival, where the premiere screened Sunday.
Richard Gere won warm applause for his portrayal of Irving, who wasn’t thrilled with his on-screen portrayal. But Gere cut the author some slack. “It (the scam) was actually quite innocent,” Gere told reporters after a media screening of the film. “There were no really harmed people. There were a lot of harmed egos, especially in the literary community, and it caused anxiety in the Nixon administration, but that anxiety was well-deserved.”
Though originally slated for release in April, “The Hoax” won’t be out until April 2007 at the earliest now.