I am actually surprised that the subject of this film, Guy Ribes, a professional art forger, is still alive. There must be so many powerful people *very* angry about what he did and probably afraid to subject some of their collected pieces to scrupulous scientific analysis for fear that they might number among the thousands of fakes still in circulation. Ribes´ complete lack of contrition and general low-brow criminal attitude, as amply displayed in this film, is only going to exacerbate the resentment, it seems to me.
I don´t know why, but I find Guy Ribes much less likable than Wolfgang Beltracchi. This film was also quite a bit less varnished, comprising mostly footage of Ribes talking about himself, with an emphasis on how clever he was and how stupid and gullible the dupes were. But he does manage to illuminate how dealers contributed to the infusion of his fakes throughout the art world. And at least he didn´t kill people, as his father appears to have done. A bit odd that he grew up in a brothel. Quite the nature vs. nurture backstory here...
I don´t know why, but I find Guy Ribes much less likable than Wolfgang Beltracchi. This film was also quite a bit less varnished, comprising mostly footage of Ribes talking about himself, with an emphasis on how clever he was and how stupid and gullible the dupes were. But he does manage to illuminate how dealers contributed to the infusion of his fakes throughout the art world. And at least he didn´t kill people, as his father appears to have done. A bit odd that he grew up in a brothel. Quite the nature vs. nurture backstory here...
