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David Fincher is best known for his darker, edgier films—films like Se7en and Fight Club. But in his latest film, Mank, he takes a step away from edgy thrillers to explore one perspective on the story behind one of Hollywood’s most beloved classics, Citizen Kane.
Mank journeys back to the days of classic Hollywood to explore the story behind the Orson Welles masterpiece. Screenwriter Herman Mankiewicz (Gary Oldman) is checked into a remote ranch, where he’s given 60 days to write the first draft while also recovering from a broken leg. But the writing goes slowly—especially since the ranch is dry, and Mank isn’t accustomed to doing much of anything while sober. And as he works on his tight deadline, he looks back on his relationship with the man who inspired the film.
When Citizen Kane was released in 1941, its inspiration was clear. It was impossible to ignore the similarities between Charles Foster Kane and William Randolph Hearst. And Mank builds on that Hollywood scandal with plenty of scandal of its own, using frequent flashbacks to explore Mank’s friendship with Hearst’s long-time mistress, Marion Davies (Amanda Seyfried)—and even Hearst himself (Charles Dance).
The film also offers a fascinating and often playful look at the Golden Age of Hollywood—an age that may not have been as golden as we’d like to believe. We get to tag along with the screenwriter to attend glamorous parties that end in awkwardness. We meet the great names behind the studios and see the lengths to which they’d go to make the right friends, make a buck, and even sway elections. Sure, there are still plenty of Hollywood antics, but the other side of it is just too much for Mank, who can’t hide his cynicism about the whole system—and that cynicism tends to get him into trouble.
Everything about this film just feels classic—from its crisp black-and-white cinematography to its dramatic score to its clipped dialogue. Oldman himself gives the film a classic feel with his performance as the talented but haunted screenwriter. And it all comes together in a way that’s mysterious and witty and enjoyably timeless.
If you love the classic black-and-white films and the stories behind them, you’ll enjoy this look behind the scenes of the great Citizen Kane. It may or may not be the real story, but it’s a wonderfully dishy drama with a classic feel—a worthy departure from Fincher’s typical work.
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