Incognito

Incognito

Year: 1997

Runtime: 108 mins

Language: English

Director: John Badham

CrimeThrillerDramaRomance

Harry Donovan, a consummate art forger, creates a counterfeit Rembrandt that sells for $500,000. While in Paris he becomes involved with Marieke, a woman who later reveals herself as an art expert hired by his clients to authenticate the very forgery he produced, forcing him into a web of deception he cannot escape.

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Timeline & Setting – Incognito (1997)

Explore the full timeline and setting of Incognito (1997). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

Late 1990s

The events unfold in a contemporary art-forgery milieu, marked by cross-border travel and a global market for masterpieces. The era’s atmosphere—before digital authentication fully reshaped the field—lets physical artifacts, provenance, and expert opinion drive the tension. The pacing mirrors a modern thriller, with glamorous settings, international hops, and courtroom drama.

Location

Amsterdam, Paris, London, Spain, Museo del Prado, Mentmore Towers

Set across Europe, the story follows Harry from Amsterdam to study Rembrandt, then to Paris where a Rembrandt scholar enters the frame, with London acting as the nexus for dealer intrigue. Action shifts to Spain, near the coast, where a farmer appears to 'discover' the painting, and back to England to a country estate like Mentmore Towers for the climactic play of deception. The Louvre and Prado laboratories provide crucial moments of authentication and provenance that propel the plot.

🎨 Art world 🧭 Travel 💼 High-stakes crime

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 16:27

Main Characters – Incognito (1997)

Meet the key characters of Incognito (1997), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Harry Donovan — Jason Patric

A gifted painter who earns a living by forging works of lesser masters in hopes of someday being recognized as a legitimate artist. He is ambitious, calculating, and willing to take extreme risks to escape the cycle of imitation. His father’s disapproval fuels a stubborn drive to prove himself, even as his schemes threaten his freedom.

🎨 Artist 💰 Forger 🧭 Risk-taker

Marieke van den Broeck — Irène Jacob

A brilliant Rembrandt scholar who meets Harry under the guise of a student. She provides key access to authentic materials and becomes emotionally entangled with him. Her theoretical certainty about authentic Rembrandt draws her into a dangerous complicity with the forgery.

🎓 Scholar 💡 Knowledge 💖 Romance

Alastair Davies — Thomas Lockyer

A ruthless art dealer who orchestrates the forgery scheme for profit. He wields influence, manipulates collaborators, and does not hesitate to use violence to protect his interests. His ambition ultimately leads to murder when a partner becomes a liability.

💼 Art dealer 🗡️ Violence 💰 Profit

Thomas Agachi — Togo Igawa

One of the dealer-clients who bankrolls the forgery operation. His role as a partner in the scheme ends abruptly when Davies murders him to silence a liability. He embodies the opportunistic risk-taking that drives the art-fraud underworld.

🧭 Partner 💵 Money ⚖️ Risk

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 16:27

Major Themes – Incognito (1997)

Explore the central themes of Incognito (1997), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

🎨 Authorship and Authenticity

The film questions what truly makes a painting 'Rembrandt'—technique, provenance, or reputation. Harry’s scheme hinges on convincing experts and buyers, blurring lines between authentic creation and convincing imitation. Marieke’s scrutiny adds a moral probe, showing how attribution can be manipulated in the high-stakes art market.

🔎 Forgery and Market Power

The forgery operation exploits a transnational art market—museums, collectors, and dealers—where profit and prestige trump caution. Greed leads to violence and murder, exposing the fragility of trust among buyers and experts. The plot tracks how law, reputation, and national interests collide as the truth surfaces.

💘 Romance and Trust

Harry’s relationship with Marieke blends desire with deception, complicating his criminal scheme. Their bond reveals vulnerability and tests trust as they navigate a dangerous game. The romance becomes a catalyst for both growth and downfall, shaping the protagonist’s choices.

⚖️ Justice and Consequence

A courtroom showdown reframes forgery as a question of truth, art, and accountability. Witness testimony and expert debate determine whether the painting is fake and who should pay the price. The ending suggests art's value lies beyond private gain, distributed across institutions and nations.

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 16:27

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Incognito Summary

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Incognito Summary

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Incognito (1997) Plot Summary & Movie Recap

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