The Fake

Dennis O'Keefe stars as a self proclaimed adventurer who is interested in the $50,000 reward for the recovery of stolen da Vinci paintings. His investigation leads him to London's Tate Museum where he arrives just in time to prevent another theft. The thieves method of operation is to break into the museum, steal the masterpiece, and replace it with an excellent forgery.

The film is set up in such a way that it is obvious that someone connected to the Tate is the thief O'Keefe seeks. Is it the pretty Tate employee (played by Colleen Gray), whose father just happens to be an excellent painter? Or the Tate's own investigator, played by that excellent actor, Guy Middleton? This film is no masterpiece by any means, but still an enjoyable mystery. The film is shot in England with some scenes located right in the Tate Museum. O'Keefe and Gray have a nice chemistry together and the British actors in the character roles are excellent as one would expect.

Dennis O'Keefe shines as a detective hired to protect a famous da Vinci painting on exhibition at the Tate in London. Later, he engages himself in trying to uncover an art forgery ring to cash in on a $50,000 reward. Hugh Williams, Guy Middleton, John Laurie, and Coleen Gray are marvelous in support. I love the way "Pictures at an Exhibition" is used as the soundtrack through the film. IMO grossly underrated on this site for reasons that aren't totally clear. This is another solid O'Keefe vehicle to go along with "The Leopard Man", "Lady of Vengeance", and "T-Men" in which I have enjoyed his performances.

Most valuable today for it's record of early fifties London in general and the Tate Gallery in particular (an unlikely place to show a Da Vinci, by the way), the soundtrack is probably the most imaginative thing about it, from the gallery acoustics to the Mussorgsky score.

Forget the criticism about this motion picture "The Fake." This is a gem of a movie...with good characters,acceptable plot line and lots of British and American flavor. The male lead is a somewhat obnoxious--but charming--American private investigator who is attempting to solve the case of the disappearance of several Da Vinci paintings. Low budget, but still worthwhile (Hell, some low budget films have earned Oscars!)...and there are a few real chuckles...and some very neat scenes, such as the chemist's lab (took me back to my high school and college chemistry classes...and the Hollywood horror films of the fifties and sixties, with people like Vincent Price and Peter Cushing.. and the museum boiler room.

The romantic development is worthwhile too. Oh...black and white, so it has a film noir air about it. I liked the picture enough to burn to disc...and grinned through much of the action.

This British clunker may have had some noble ambitions by its makers, but it emerges as just another mediocre, misguided attempt at providing a modicum of entertainment. Buried in the UA catalogue it's a nothing burger.

As emblazoned in an opening thank you credit, it was shot at London's Tate Gallery -sounds like a big deal. But the low-budget quickie is in black and white, making all the paintings on view nothing to look at. And it's a crime drama, so the dim and moody lighting further detracts. What's the point? Would "Lust for Life" be watchable if given the b&w quota quickie treatment?

Dennis O'Keefe is insufferable playing an uppity investigator from the States in London to solve the mystery of who is stealing priceless Da Vinci paintings. The culprit is obvious from the outset and it's a boring slog until O'Keefe catches him. Femme lead Coleen Gray has little to do.

Simply a bore.