Mank

Set against the vibrant backdrop of 1930s Hollywood, Mank tells the story of Herman J. Mankiewicz, the brilliant and troubled screenwriter behind Orson Welles' masterpiece, Citizen Kane. As the film embarks on an intricate dance of reality and fiction, audiences are transported to an era of cinematic innovation, lavish parties, and backroom politics within the film industry. At the center of this rich tapestry is Herman J. Mankiewicz, a cynical and sharp-witted writer whose sharp tongue and biting wit make him a formidable critic of the Hollywood establishment. A self-proclaimed alcoholic, Mankiewicz has grown disillusioned with the industry's penchant for mediocrity and corruption, fueling his creative output with whiskey-fueled tirades against the phoniness of Tinseltown. With his biting satire and clever wordplay, Mankiewicz has established himself as a thorn in the side of Hollywood's power brokers. As the story unfolds, we find Mankiewicz in a state of creative and personal flux. The Hollywood establishment has grown weary of his biting commentary, and he finds himself increasingly ostracized and marginalized. Despite this, Mankiewicz remains driven by an unyielding passion for the art of storytelling. As the summer of 1940 unfolds, Mankiewicz is tasked with penning the screenplay for Orson Welles' ambitious biographical epic, Citizen Kane. As Mankiewicz takes up the challenge of tackling the complex and enigmatic figure of Charles Foster Kane, he finds himself drawn into a maelstrom of personal and creative struggles. With his unique voice and irrepressible wit, Mankiewicz brings a distinctive perspective to the project, imbuing the screenplay with a level of depth and nuance that challenges Welles' more bombastic tendencies. Throughout Mankiewicz's tumultuous journey, the film takes a wry and knowing look at the inner workings of the Hollywood machine. From the backroom deals and high-stakes negotiations to the glamorous soirees and decadent lifestyle of the industry's elite, Mank captures the essence of a bygone era with precision and wit. As the script for Citizen Kane begins to take shape, Mankiewicz finds himself increasingly embroiled in the personal and professional machinations of his fellow creatives. He forms a complicated and often fraught relationship with Welles, a brilliant but mercurial director whose ego and ambitions threaten to overshadow the project. A tangled web of alliances and rivalries develops between Mankiewicz and the film's various stakeholders, including studio mogul Louis B Mayer and actress Marion Davies. Throughout his struggles, Mankiewicz remains steadfast in his pursuit of artistic integrity, even as the industry's pressures and temptations threaten to undermine his creative vision. In a climactic confrontation with his own demons and the commercial imperatives of the film industry, Mankiewicz must confront the harsh realities of living up to his own high standards and forging a true masterpiece in the face of overwhelming odds. Told through a deft mix of flashbacks, asides, and present-tense narration, Mank defies easy categorization as strictly biographical or fictional. By blurring the lines between fact and fiction, the film creates a rich and multidimensional portrait of Herman J. Mankiewicz, a brilliant but troubled artist struggling to leave his mark on the world. With a masterful performance by Gary Oldman as Mankiewicz, the film captures the full measure of its subject's wit, intelligence, and vulnerability, transporting audiences to a lost era of cinematic innovation and artistic passion. Mank's greatest achievement lies in its nuanced portrayal of the complex and often fraught relationships between artists, executives, and the broader cultural landscape of 1930s Hollywood. With each frame shot in exquisite black-and-white, and an accompanying sonic tapestry of sweeping jazz and period music, Mank brings the vibrant world of Old Hollywood to vivid life. The film is a testament to the indomitable power of creative vision and the enduring spirit of artistic resistance, even in the face of overwhelming adversity. As Mankiewicz so succinctly puts it, "The way it looks like it's going to be."