Movie-A-Day #126: F For Fake (1974).

Today marks the birth of Orson Welles, a singular genius if there ever was one. He may have redefined radio with “War of the Worlds” and filmmaking with “Citizen Kane,” but his immense talent came with an equally immense ego, leading to a career full of tantalizing or flawed near-masterpieces. If there’s a film that captures his intellect, ego and aesthetic vision best, it’s “F For Fake,” his semi-documentary/visual essay on the world of art forgery and its place in the larger creative world. It’s one of the least known entries in the Welles canon, but perhaps one of the most essential.