Clifford Irving is a modestly successful writer. When the well-known publisher McGraw-Hill unexpectedly canceled the publication of his novel, he was up to his neck in water. Desperate, he invents a new book project: The Autobiography of Howard Hughes, written by Irving in personal collaboration with the eccentric billionaire, who is completely closed to the public. An absolute sensation! The mediocre author turns out to be such an ingenious imposter that everyone in charge falls for him and a scandal of the century takes its bizarre course...