FILM REVIEW: "Art and Craft"

Art forger Mark Landis

This engrossing but disturbing documentary shines a harsh spotlight on the damaged mind of a schizophrenic art forger who duped countless museums over his 30-year long career. Plying his so-called "philanthropy," Mark Landis used his artistic gifts to make exacting copies of the work of other artists. Then, posing as a priest or benefactor acting on behalf of a wealthy, dead relative, he traveled far and wide to donate the finished works to an impressive list of museums, ostensibly for the joy of doing something besides watching TV.

We see very little of Landis painting the masterpieces during "Art and Craft," which is too bad since the process is interesting the few times we do. Instead we watch Landis living his lonely, miserable existence, eating frozen Marie Callendar dinners in front of reruns of "I Love Lucy" and schlepping to his social worker appointments, where he is repeatedly asked, "Are you having suicidal thoughts? Have you been hearing voices?" He answers no, but at this point some members of the audience might start to.

A perky soundtrack and lively visits to several cities -- New York, Philadelphia, Cincinnati, somewhere in Mississippi-- keep the grim proceedings visually appealing. But then there we'd be again, back in Landis's borderline hoarder's apartment, his skinny 122-pound frame hunched over a TV tray, mumbling in a Truman Capote-ish whisper about his nervous breakdown at 17 when his father died or the tragic loss of his mother two years ago, and here come those tears again...

In the end Landis got caught through the unflagging diligence of one particular museum worker. Then his story exploded into the news, followed by a magazine article exposing all, an ensuing exhibition at a museum, and now this movie. His mental illness is never really addressed, and when the film ends he's still lost in his own world, except now he can't ply his trade anymore. But what else can he do?

Don't see this movie if you are feeling fragile. Instead, write a check to the American Psychiatric Association and hope for a cure.