'Mank' is a bio-pic of the screen writer Herman J. Mankiewicz. Staring the always great Gary Oldman in the title role, it uses "Manks" writing of 'Citizen Kane' as the framing story to tell in flash back of the authors complicated relationship with the thinly valid subjects of Kane, William Randolph Hearts (Charles Dance) and Marion Davis (Amanda Seyfried), as well as studio meddling in the 1934 California gubernatorial in election against openly socialist Democrat Upton Sinclair.
The film is full of the kind of golden age Hollywood name dropping that I like and is exceedingly well written. There are rich, long conversation scenes that fill me with joy to see on the big screen (the film is coming to Netflix shortly but was given a limited theatrical run). I sincerely think it is even better then Aaron Sorkin's offering this year 'Chicago Seven', and he is perhaps my favorite screen writer working today. 'Mank' was written by in the 1990's by Jack Fincher, the father of the films director David Fincher. This movie was almost made circa 1997 with Kevin Spacy and Jodi Foster but fell apart in pre production. If Jack when the Oscar for original screen play this year it will be well deserved, and also historic in that Jack Fincher died back in 2003.
David Fincher does a very able job directing, it's kind of a dark film but still different from what we usually see from him. The black and white cinematography from Erik Messerschmidt is great, again Oscar worthy, it is movie about the making of 'Citizen Kane' that is shot as if it is 'Citizen Kane'. My favorite all around film of the year so far. ****
Fun Fact: That is 'Bill Nye the Science Guy' in cameo as Upton Sinclair.
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