RKO 281
UK, 1999, 85 minutes, Colour.
Liev Schreiber, John Malkovich, Melanie Griffith, James Cromwell, Fiona Shaw, Brenda Blethyn, David Suchet.
Directed by Benjamin Ross.
RKO 281 is a Home Box Office telemovie produced and directed in the United Kingdom. The director is Benjamin Ross, who made The Young Poisoner's Notebook.
The film focuses on the making of Citizen Kane and draws on the Orson Welles archives for the screenplay by John Logan. The film opens with a background of Welles and his childhood - the child genius. It then moves to his success in the media, especially his terrifying people with the broadcast of The War of the Worlds in 1938, which listeners took to be an actual invasion from Mars. Feted at 24, he was then offered the opportunity to make any film he wanted at RKO. As the film opens, he is working with Herman Mankiewicz (John Malkovich). Invited to a banquet at San Simeon, the home of William Randolph Hearst and his mistress Marion Davies, he feels insulted by Hearst. He then has the idea of making a film about a media tycoon, modelled on Hearst. It is a secret project but the gossip columnists, especially Hearst's columnist Louella Parsons, make Welles promise that the film is not about Hearst.
Welles is an amateur at filmmaking and asks celebrated cinematographer Gregg Toland to work with him. He takes Mankiewicz name off the screenplay, which plunges Mankiewicz once more into alcoholic bouts. He clashes with people on the set, especially RKO head George Schaeffer (Roy Scheider).
Welles has moods which go up and down, he reinstates Mankiewicz and together they complete the film. Hearst hears about it from Hedda Hopper and sends Louella Parsons with an ultimatum. He meets the studio heads, especially Louis B. Mayer (David Suchet), to work together to prohibit the film's release. In the meantime, Hearst is losing money and faces bankruptcy. He is advised by Marion Davies to sell a lot of his possessions to cover his costs. Taking advantage of this, RKO released the film, which is a critical success - though did not succeed in its time at the box office.
Liev Schreiber, star of many independent films, is excellent as Welles. John Malkovich subdues a number of his mannerisms to make Mankiewicz a credible character.
1. A television movie for Home Box Office. The range of audience interest, film buffs, historians, the history of Hollywood? The cinema issues of production, publicity, gossip columnists? The pressures of production, powers that be, influence of moguls as the head of the studios as well as the role of Hearst.
2. The re-creation of the period, Hollywood, San Simeon, the studios? An atmosphere of Hollywood in the '30s?
3. Liev Schreiber as Orson Welles? The young boy genius and the background of his youthful success? His own memories of his childhood, his father, cutting off his alcoholic father? The effect of the rejection - and his repeating it with Mankiewicz? The War of the Worlds and its success? Hailed as a genius in his twenties, the possibility of making any film he wanted? His delaying? The dinner at San Simeon, the clashes with Hearst, his feeling insulted? His decision to make the film - the discussions with Mankiewicz, Mankiewicz revealing that he had written on Hearst before? The beginning of the collaboration?
4. George Schaeffer and RKO Studios, deference to Welles, friendship with him? Schaeffer on his side, yet the exasperation? The messenger running to him about budgetary decisions, photography? The growing pressure on Schaeffer? The pressure from Hearst, from the studio heads to ban the film? Listening to Welles, giving him more chances? Welles's final plea that during World War II and Hitler's dictatorship, freedom of expression should be allowed in the United States?
5. The film's production, the re-creation of the scenes, the issues of cinematography, the work of Gregg Toland? Welles and his moods? The clash with Mankiewicz and taking his name off the screenplay? His later going to him and reinstating him? Their work together? The completion of the film?
6. William Randolph Hearst and his place in American history, his own background, the tycoon, his fascist stands? Wealth and greed, San Simeon, the statuary? His wanting a divorce from his wife, relationship with Marion Davies? His spoiling her, buying things for her, the sexual relationship - and his age. Her calling him "Pops"? His reaction to Welles? The reaction to the film, his wanting privacy? His sense of menace, going to Louis B. Mayer, the pressure on the studio heads? Summoning Louella Parsons and pressurising her? His financial difficulties, wanting to buy the paper, having to sell his wealth?
7. Melanie Griffith as Marion Davies, the Hollywood star, simple, swearing, alcoholic, wanting a career in comedy? Yet her love for Hearst? Her reaction to the film? Rosebud? The image of Susan Alexander and her admitting that she was really like this? Her continued support of Hearst?
8. The Hollywood world, Clark Gable and Carole Lombard at the dinner, Carole Lombard and friendship with Marion Davies? Hedda Hopper and Louella Parsons and their power, Hedda Hopper threatening Welles, ringing Hearst, the role of Louella Parsons in exerting pressure on RKO?
9. A glimpse of Hollywood, the intricacies of producing a film - and the irony of Citizen Kane being such a success emerging from this background as Project RKO 281?
