Mank

Netflix’s Mank, directed by David Fincher and starring Gary Oldman is a depiction of Hollywood in the 1930s, a Hollywood which, unlike recent times, leaned politically conservative and was aligned with the U.S. Republican Party.

With Mank, David Fincher undertakes something new compared to his earlier works. Aside from The Social Network, which was about the creation of Facebook, and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, which had a philosophical theme, most of Fincher’s films—such as Fight Club, Zodiac, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, and others were psychological thrillers.

Fincher meticulously crafted the unforgettable Mank, with Gary Oldman’s outstanding performance, based on the life of Herman Mankiewicz, the chief screenwriter at Paramount Studios and Hollywood in the 1930s. Perhaps Fincher’s precision in recreating the atmosphere of that era and his use of black-and-white cinematography to capture the details of American cinema in that historical period was inspired by the screenplay’s author: his father, Jack Fincher, who had written the story of Mank years earlier.

Although Mank portrays a slice of Mankiewicz’s life, in truth it recounts the origins, creation, and behind-the-scenes story of another film: Citizen Kane, directed by Orson Welles. Citizen Kane won the Academy Award for Best Screenplay and has been hailed by critics and film institutions around the world for decades as one of the greatest films ever made. Despite its distinct subject matter and its portrayal of a powerful press magnate resembling its central character, Citizen Kane was not initially well received. Over time, however, it secured its place as the greatest film in American history. In 1942, Mankiewicz and Welles jointly received the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay. Thus, Mank holds special appeal for viewers who have seen Citizen Kane and are familiar with the history of 1930s–40s American cinema.

The film interweaves flashbacks with present-day scenes from Herman Mankiewicz’s life, blending his personal, social, and family characteristics with the process of conceiving and writing Citizen Kane. It shows how Mankiewicz’s professional life, ideas, and perspectives became the backbone of Citizen Kane. Yet his name went uncredited on most major films of the time (except for a few, like The Wizard of Oz), despite his role as their writer. Mankiewicz, ever present at Hollywood studio moguls’ gatherings, never hesitated to voice dissenting views. Such circles exposed him to right-wing ideologies that openly flirted with Nazi sympathies. Mank clearly saw how figures like William Randolph Hearst (the real-life model for the main character of Citizen Kane, portrayed by Welles) wielded enormous influence—through ownership of major newspapers, corporations, and political clout (as dramatized in a scene where Hearst’s daughter remarks that her father could pick Roosevelt’s cabinet members). He recognized the danger posed by such fascist-leaning power in American society.

One unforgettable scene is when a drunken Mank, at a Hearst dinner party, mockingly suggests to Louis B. Mayer (head of MGM) the idea of making a contemporary Don Quixote film. This becomes one of Fincher’s brilliant allegories, comparing 1930s America with our era of 2020. In this moment, Mank calls Hearst the Don Quixote, with Mayer as his Sancho, and suggests that such a pair might even run for president and win. Staggering around the table, Mank’s imagined tale eerily predicts our own 21st-century times:

Mank: “This powerful tycoon (Hearst), like Don Quixote, rails against corruption, talks about eight-hour workdays for laborers, speaks of fair taxation and better schools. He even advocates public ownership of railroads… Our hungry, thirsty Don Quixote, in his lust for votes, makes everyone fall in love with him—so much so they might even elevate him to the presidency. But the people won’t do it, because they’ll eventually realize he seeks power, not the people.”

Fincher also draws on the historic 1934 California gubernatorial election, in which Mank was deeply involved, to show that “fake news” is far from new—it has deep roots in American history. Hollywood’s right-leaning studios at the time produced pseudo-documentaries—actually propaganda films—that smeared the Democratic candidate Upton Sinclair as a communist, thus aiding Republican Frank Merriam during the Great Depression.

Mank tells the real history of Hollywood: the history of screenwriters whose stories fueled the growth of the industry, but who also, in critical moments of history, bore the weight of responsibility on their shoulders. Despite threats of unemployment, their courage influenced America’s political direction. Even when defeated (as in the California election), Mankiewicz persisted, writing Citizen Kane, which helped reshape Hollywood’s political trajectory in years to come.

Mank can be considered David Fincher’s masterpiece. With Gary Oldman’s masterful performance and Amanda Seyfried’s role as Marion Davies, it will undoubtedly be nominated for multiple Academy Awards. The film’s cohesive narrative and strong dramatic pull make it compelling even for those unfamiliar with American film history or who have never seen Citizen Kane.

April 26, 2021