What is the plot?

The plot of the film tells us the process of creating the script of the masterpiece of cinema: Citizen Kane. Orson Welles hires renowned screenwriter Herman Mankiewicz to write the script, whose protagonist is inspired by William Randolph Hearst and whom Mankiewicz knew very well. The film inserts flashbacks about the writer's life, his wife, his work, alcohol addiction and his relationship with the people who ran the film industry.

_Source

Mank , is a very personal film for David Fincher. The script was written by his late father, and he finished molding it into a movie. Therefore, Mank is a film in which Fincher pays tribute to his father, while at the same time it functions as a tribute to the golden age of cinema in the late 1930s and early 1940s.

But I perceived that homage to those times of the magic of cinema. With a bittersweet taste. It is a truthful recreation of the era, in which the great names who directed the industry are not well represented, especially the character Louis B. Meyer. That is why the bittersweet flavor, on the one hand we have those wonderful scenes in which they show us how movies were made in those times, but at the same time, we are witnesses of the personalities of the powerful men who decided everything about the movies, besides having questionable moral behaviors.

We also see a well-deserved tribute to all the screenwriters of Hollywood, who for many decades were the weakest link in the whole system, where for many it was impossible to survive or to get any of their scripts sold. Although Mankiewicz was successful and well paid as a screenwriter hired by the studio. The tribute is noticed when doing the flashbacks, inserting on the screen the texts that carry the scripts to determine the place and date of a scene. A detail that I loved.

Through the story of Herman Mankiewicz and the writing of the script by Citizen Kane, who initially agreed to write the original script, waiving his rights and not being credited, but who changed his mind, having to deal and negotiate with Orson Welles, Fincher attributes that the script in its entirety was the work of Mankiewicz and that Welles' contributions were minimal. This has been debated for years, with statements from those involved, opinions and research from third parties. A film critic named Pauline Kael wrote an essay titled "Raising Kane," where she claims the script is entirely by Mankiewicz. In the following link you can read about that writing: Link

The truth is that both Mankiewicz and Welles were winners of the Oscar for best original script. The only Oscar that the film won, out of the nine nominations it received. Something incredible, because Citizen Kane has been considered the best film in the history of cinema for decades. An absolute masterpiece. But those acclaimed awards have always been a marketing platform, rather than a real organization that rewards the best.

_Source

Citizen Kane is a jewel, a masterpiece. But not only because of the excellent script, whether it is true or not that all the writing is by Mankiewicz , a film is a team effort, where there are many people involved, each with different points of view and who must work together, under the guidance of the director, who was Orson Welles. Citizen Kane is a masterpiece of cinema not only because of the script, but also because of all the work in the direction of Orson Welles and all the team involved (director of photography, makeup, music, technicians, actors, etc.).

All the technical work in Mank is fabulous, something that was to be expected being David Fincher a methodical and detail-oriented director. Filmed in black and white, the director had the film processed to give it the texture of the films of the period in which it is set.

The use of flashbacks to show us Mankiewicz's life, referring to the same resource used by the pro-Welles in Citizen Kane, shows us the writer Mank from several successful movies, addicted to alcohol and how he met the magnate William Randolph Hearst, who was one of the most powerful men in the United States at the time, owner of a media empire. It was in the figure of William Randolph Hearst that Mankiewicz would be inspired to make the script for Citizen Kane. Mank was a frequent guest at Hearts parties, in addition to befriending the young actress who loved the millionaire, Marion Davies.

According to Fincher's film, the political factor played an important role in Mankiewicz's decision to write the script, as he was tired of the manipulation exercised by the powerful Hearst, with the help of the men who directed Hollywood. To learn more about William Randolph Hearst, you can read the following article: Link

_Source

Gary Oldman is a chameleon, those who have followed the actor's career know that he is capable of transformation and offers a memorable performance. He has already done so in many other films and again gives us an excellent performance. Oldman plays Mank, that great sharp-worded screenwriter, who speaks his mind, even though that opinion erodes relationships with the people around him. He's the whole movie and it's definitely a great pleasure to see his performance.

Amanda Seyfried stands out in her interpretation of Marion Davies, she is a young woman who enters into a relationship with Corazones, opening the doors of Hollywood to her, being that relationship the reason for her career in the industry. It is a very subtle performance and conveys a great beauty in each painting.

The actress Lily Collins plays the assistant who was hired to write the script, having to work with Mank during the whole time the script was written. That working relationship is what provides some small moments of humor. The actress is correct in her performance, she has been nominated for a Golden Globe and for those who don't know, she is the daughter of the famous musician Phill Collins.

Charles Dance, the extraordinary actor known by the great public, for having been Tywin Lannister in Game of Thrones, is in charge of playing the mogul William Randolph Hearst. An ideal character for the actor, who with only gestures and looks, is able to transmit the essence of the character.

The selection of the cast is another detail that they do perfectly, both for the interpretation and for the physical similarities, helped by the make-up work. For example, the work of Arliss Howard, Ferdinand Kingsley and Toby Leonard Moore playing Louis B is remarkable. Mayer, Irving Thalberg and David O. Selznick. In addition to actors Tom Burke as Orson Welles and Tom Pelphrey as Joseph Mankiewicz, Mank's younger brother.

Fincher has again worked with people from his environment, who have participated in previous films of the director and know him. The director of photography is Erik Messerschmidt, with whom I work with Fincher on Gone Girl and some episodes of Mindhunter. The music is by Trent Reznor, who worked with Fincher on The Social Network , for which he won the Golden Globe and the Oscar and later also worked with the director on the film The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo. And for the editing of the film, he had Kirk Baxter, who edited the films The Social Network and The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo.

Trailer

_Source

POSTER

_Source