The Fake

New Yorker Paul Mitchell (Dennis O'Keefe) is visiting London's Tate Gallery during a rash of art heists. A gang of thieves has been stealing the works of Leonardo da Vinci, and replacing them with fakes.

When the Tate's own da Vinci is found to be bogus, the hunt is on. Not only for the crooks, but also for the modern master behind the replacements.

The secrets of THE FAKE are revealed slowly, as in any good mystery. The motive for the thefts is baffling, due to da Vinci's legendary status in the art world.

This is a very good drama with a classic ending...

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.

Dennis O'Keefe stars in "The Fake," a 1953 film set in London. There are a lot of these films from the '50s featuring an American or two, such as Cesar Romero, in a British mystery.

O'Keefe plays Paul Mitchell, who is checking on the security of the Tate Gallery (with scenes actually filmed there) as the gallery gets ready to show Da Vinci's Madonna and Child. He is also interested in the $50,000 reward for two other stolen masterpieces where the paintings in their place were found to be fakes. He begins to suspect that the father of an employee (Colleen Gray), who is an accomplished painter, might have painted the fakes. But for whom? This is a pretty good mystery with a nice upbeat performance by the affable O'Keefe, and it's always great to see Colleen Gray in anything. For my money she was underused by Hollywood.

These types of films are usually quite enjoyable and atmospheric, and also on the short side. They make for good watching.

It is well written with qualified actors, but it's not just a thriller about forgeries and thefts and the madness of a great art collector and lover gone wrong. The most interesting story here is the tragedy of the artist, John Laurie, who is a perfectly honest and meticulous artist who knows his profession and tries hard to stick to his good decent work, but he never reaches recognition and is ruthlessly used by art parasites which dilemma leads to his ruin. Fortunately though he achieves some posthumous triumph by in his last painting giving away his profiteers by presenting it with a clue and a lead, which saves more lives than one. The film is mainly shot within the Tate Gallery, which provides many fascinating scenes and shots, and for music the film makes use of Mussorgsky's "Pictures at an Exhibition" aptly enough and no other music. You might object against two Americans given the leads, Dennis O'Keefe and Colleen Gray, in this very British museum drama, while all the English actors are rather played down, even Hugh Williams. Nevertheless, as an art thriller it is interesting indeed and better than most art thrillers.

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.