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Mank Review


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Mank

Netflix

R.         131 MIN

In these most unpleasant of times as those of us who love movies are forced to watch the industry destroyed by panic technology politics Etc. there comes a film called MANK a spectacular black and white extravaganza set against the good the bad and the ugly factions of old Roosevelt era Hollywood. Herman Mankiewicz is a brilliant but troubled writer who has been tapped to write the screenplay for the Orson Welles classic Citizen Kane a film spoken of in many circles as possibly the greatest film ever made. Keep in mind the New Yorker Welles is a Hollywood outsider as well  as an arrogant genius so there’s a bit of a rub right there in a world dominated by arrogant geniuses. That’s basically the core of the film but there is so much more. Other themes include the upcoming California election pitting socialist vs. Free Traders. Partially fueled by that political climate there’s a massive power struggle brewing among the gods of the industry Louie B Mayer William Randolph Hearst and the monolithic MGM and RKO Empires.  All these forces fight tooth-and-nail and we are never sure if KANE will see the light of day. In part of that problem is Manks own personality flaws and alcoholism. And that would mean both he and Welles might have wound up as merely a footnote in cinema history. But we know what happened. What I didn’t know was the conflict as to whether or not Mankiewicz was to receive a writer’s credit even though I am of the opinion he did the yeoman’s work. The power brokers wanted to pay him off and send him on his way but for the first time in his life he refused the payoff  had took his chances which might have led to coming up completely empty.

I love pieces about Hollywood I love the look of this film I love the acting (Gary Oldman is at least one of three of the greatest actors alive) and I love the life of firming ending. I also know Hollywood loves this kind of stuff so I’m expecting to see some big noise around Oscar time.

A

WSS

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Hollywood does love it but I personally was less impressed with it than you were. First I didn’t really care about any of the main characters they didn’t produce anything that caused you to have any emotional ties to them including Mankiewicz. The infusion of politics just buzzed up stuff as far as I’m concerned. It didn’t seem to be central to the story of his writing of the screenplay it was just a sidebar that got in the way. I didn’t care about the girls much. I certainly recognize Oldman doing fine acting job but like I said I just wasn’t taken in by the story. It will probably win because Hollywood is in love with itself and will vote for Hollywood themed movies over other perhaps more meritorious efforts often. So yeah it’ll win some stuffBut it’s not by any means  the best thing I’ve seen this year. 

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I have only see 3 of them:  Mank,  Sound of Metal,  Trial of Chicago 7.     Those are the ones I could find on the streaming services that I have....that I don't have to pay a bunch of money for.  For some of these they wanted like $20.00 a pop. 

And of those, I also liked the Trial of the Chicago 7 best. 

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15 hours ago, The Gipper said:

I have only see 3 of them:  Mank,  Sound of Metal,  Trial of Chicago 7.     Those are the ones I could find on the streaming services that I have....that I don't have to pay a bunch of money for.  For some of these they wanted like $20.00 a pop. 

And of those, I also liked the Trial of the Chicago 7 best. 

 I paid the 20 bucks for the father but that was early release.  I think it's actually playing at 1 of the brick and mortars.The price will go down later.  Promising young woman on Amazon is 6 bucks. About what you would pay in the theatre.  I imagine because of the nominations they will wind up somewhere local.

 

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