Mank | David Fincher & Gary Oldman

[SwordOfMorning]

What a great movie. Can sort of see why this wouldn't be of enormous interest to people who aren't already interested and somewhat versed in classic Hollywood history but as someone who is super into that (thanks in large part to Karina Longworth's You Must Remember This, by far the best film podcast out there) this was a total delight, not the most accurate by any means but it captured the spirit of the time so well.

While obviously uncharitable to Welles (Mank got me reading Pauline Kael's Raising Kane, which is even more unfairly biased but is a wonderful essay in many ways despite its enormously questionable history) it's great to see a movie make a case for screenwriters as the ultimate authorial voice in film. Not universally true, of course, but one of my least favourite things about film discussion and scholarship is the cult-like worship of directors at the expense of all other artists - I can think of so many classic movies where the writers voice is every bit as strong as the "auteurs".

 

[Sawyer]

TCM Host Ben Mankiewicz "Met" His Famous Grandfather for the First Time Thanks to 'Mank'

Knowing how much of a film guy he is, I’d been curious to know his take on this.

 

[DarkKnight88]

Anyone watch the 1999 HBO movie that covers similar ground, in very different ways of course. Very interesting comparing the two. Especially how John Malkovich plays Mankiewicz compared with Gary Oldman.

 

[terry78]

I guess I better watch this now.


Golden Globes 2021: 'Mank' leads with six nominations

 

[Boom]

I really loved this, but it's a pretty cold movie. Would not surprise me if its success with HFPA doesn't translate over to AMPAS.

 

[DarkKnight88]

I finally saw this and I appreciate it a hell of a lot but I can't say that I loved it or felt too invested in it. The flashbacks were definitely the highlight and the better parts. The actual writing of Citizen Kane and the whole Orson Welles stuff felt slow and meandering. Also knowing most of it didn't happen that way in terms of their relationship made it suffer a bit.

It did get me to seek out the HBO film RKO 281. While clearly the lesser film - and Mank not being the focus - it was interesting to see the Welles/Mank relationship played more or less closer to reality.

 

[kvz5]

I love this man:

 

[Albright]

Wow dude turned old

 

[weezerspider]

I’ve seen it three times and I have definitely cooled on it. Still a very good film, but very minor and low key when you consider it’s about the making of the greatest movie of all time.