The outright fabrications in Mank are just too much to overcome in the David Fincher film and they have not sat well since viewing the film. When it comes to Orson Welles, the film sides more with Pauline Kael’s discredited piece on the Citizen Kane origin. I understand she’s dead and cannot defend herself but history has largely proven her piece to be wrong on the matter. But here’s the thing: there are too many…
"Mank: Fabrications Can’t Be Overcome"Tag: Mank
Mank, directed by David Fincher, takes a look back at 1930s Hollywood through the eyes of Oscar-winning screenwriter Herman J. Mankiewicz. If there is one thing that Mank gets right, it’s Herman J. Mankiewicz being an alcoholic. Well, that and writing Citizen Kane. Oh, and the drama with Orson Welles (Tom Burke) over credit for writing the screenplay. This is where I must recommend Sydney Ladensohn Stern’s biography, The Brothers Mankiewicz. We know that Mank…
"Mank: A Look Back At Classic Hollywood"