Mank

Follows screenwriter Herman J. Mankiewicz's tumultuous development of Orson Welles' iconic masterpiece Citizen Kane (1941).

1930s Hollywood is re-evaluated through the eyes of scathing social critic and alcoholic screenwriter Herman J. Mankiewicz as he races to finish the screenplay of Citizen Kane for Orson Welles.

Starring Academy Award Winner Gary Oldman Amanda Seyfried Lily Collins Arliss Howard Tom Pelphrey Sam Troughton Ferdinand Kingsley Tuppence Middleton Tom Burke and Charles Dance. MANK is directed by David Fincher (Gone Girl).

Mank | Official Trailer

REVIEW: Mank

THE TRUTH BEHIND A KANE MUTINY US 131 MINS This exquisite history lesson on what many hail as the greatest movie ever made has been fast-tracked to the front of Oscars calculations. And rightly so. It is impossible to think of a recent movie featuring better directing writing and acting. Acclaimed filmmaker David Fincher (The Social Network Gone Girl) takes us back to the genesis of the movie masterpiece Citizen Kane. Many people assume this landmark 1941 drama was the sole work of its young whiz-kid creator (and star) Orson Welles. What Mank makes clear is that it was Welles' co-writer Herman Mankiewicz (played by Gary Oldman) who was really responsible for Citizen Kane's game-changing tale of a mysterious media baron and the secret he took to his grave. Oldman's virtuoso performance as Mank - a drinker a thinker and one of the most amusing raconteurs that ever lived

- is something to behold. Not far behind him is an inspired Amanda Seyfried as the fading Hollywood starlet Marion Davies. Filmed beguilingly in black and white just like Citizen Kane.

Reviews by LEIGH PAATSCH from the November 21 2020 issue of The Herald Sun Digital Edition.