MANK Trailer

Hollywood looks back at itself in Mank, the latest from director David Fincher.

Citizen Kane was Orson Welles’ baby. No one doubts that the young man who directed, produced, co-wrote, and starred in the film that would become known as the greatest of all time deserved the praise lavished on him, but it’s that co-writer credit – co-writer – that often gets overlooked.

Herman Mankiewicz isn’t remembered for the movie even though it’s his name leading the screenwriting credits. Turns out it was a struggle from the beginning to get credit for all the work he did, which involved sequestering at a ranch and confronting his problems with booze and women along with churning out most of the complex script. Mank is here to at least tell the tale, even if it is too late to rewrite film history.

MANK Trailer
source: Netflix

It’s an intriguing premise made all the more enticing for being led by Fincher, who’s already sliced out his own bit of history. He rarely goes wrong, and you know he understands the intricacies and struggles of getting a film made.

And then there’s the prospect of Gary Oldman playing the titular Mankiewicz, a role that should give the beloved actor plenty to sink his teeth into. Co-starring with him is Amanda Seyfried, Lily Collins, and Charles Dance.

It’s a story we know and don’t know from some of the best in the business being delivered right to our homes via Netflix. What more do you want?

Mank is directed by David Fincher and stars Gary Oldman, Amanda Seyfried, Lily Collins, and Charles Dance. It will be released worldwide on Netflix on December 4th, 2020 with a limited theatrical run in the US in November.

Will you go back in time with this one? Let us know in the comments!

Does content like this matter to you?


Become a Member and support film journalism. Unlock access to all of Film Inquiry`s great articles. Join a community of like-minded readers who are passionate about cinema – get access to our private members Network, give back to independent filmmakers, and more.

Join now!

Similar Posts

  • Usuki Stone Buddhas in Usuki, Japan

    The city of Usuki in Oita Prefecture is noted for its Stone Buddhas believed to date back to the 12th-century. Their origins are quite unclear, as no historical records of them have survived. According to local folklore, they were created in memory of a princess who died young, but according to archaeological evidence, this seems…

  • Our Home Video Pick of the Week is the Bomb, Yo

    Phantoms [4K UHD, Scream Factory] What is it? An ancient evil rises from the earth. Why see it? Dean Koontz’s Phantoms was the very first of his novels I ever read, and it remains a favorite of mine. This adaptation from the 90s should have been something special, but instead the Weinsteins made one poor…

  • How to Give Stolen Artifacts Back to Historic Sites

    In the year 79, Mount Vesuvius spewed scalding ash and lava across Pompeii and Herculaneum. As a pyroclastic flow surged, Pompeii was famously laid to ruin—its inhabitants killed, its homes and public spaces obscured under a terrible blanket. The city was snuffed out so speedily that many aspects of daily life were eerily preserved—a carbonized…

  • Dulsie Bridge in Nairn, Scotland

    Dulsie is said to have its origins in the word dhulfhasaidh, which means meadow. Read moreA Guide to The Perfect Bong Joon-ho MarathonThe current bridge dates to 1755, when it was constructed by Major William Caulfield and men from Lord Robert Manner’s Regiment. Around this time, hundreds of miles of military roads were constructed across the…

  • A Few Bad Men Display ‘Conduct Unbecoming’

    Welcome to The Prime Sublime, a weekly column dedicated to the underseen and underloved films buried beneath page after page of far more popular fare on Amazon’s Prime Video collection. We’re not just cherry-picking obscure titles, though, as these are movies that we find beautiful in their own, often unique ways. You might even say we…

  • Garðar Cathedral Ruins in Igaliku, Greenland

    In the early 12th-century, Norse settlers of Greenland established the first bishop seat on the island in the southern village of Garðar. There, a cathedral dedicated to Saint Nicholas, patron saint of sailors, was founded by Greenland’s first bishop Arnaldur in 1126. Read moreA Guide to The Perfect Bong Joon-ho MarathonThe church was composed of red…