LOS ANGELES (US) – Audiences will get a chance to view the golden age of Hollywood of the 1930s and have a look at the making of one of the rare gems of the industry with the streaming of the movie “Mank” on Netflix on Friday.
The black and white flick focuses on writer Herman J. Mankiewicz as he works on the 1941 classic “Citizen Kane” and it is considered by many the greatest movie of all time. Mankiewicz had a duel with director Orson Welles over who enjoys credits for the screenplay.
“Mank” was directed by David Fincher and inspired by a screenplay written by his father, Jack, who died in 2003. Fincher said he wanted the movie to put the spotlight on the process of filmmaking and the personalities behind the whole process.
“This was a really wonderful sandbox,” he said during an online screening of the movie.
“You had a great character at the center of it who can expound very delightfully on everything that he encounters. And he was a great avatar to take a look at Hollywood in its heyday.”
The movie has got the attention of film critics and has an 89% positive rating on the Rotten Tomatoes website.
According to Gary Oldman, who essays the role of Mank, he performed without the aid of prosthetics or props unlike in other roles.
“I’m glad we went that route because there’s no tricks, there’s no fireworks, there’s no wigs, there’s no false noses, there’s no prosthetics, there’s no padding,” Oldman said. “It’s just raw and there it is.”
The makers of the movie have recreated the film sets of the 30s, the fashion, lighting and editing styles of that era.
According to Amanda Seyfried, who dons the role of actress Marion Davies, the “Mank” sets were “surreal.”
“I was enveloped in this era, this golden age of Hollywood on the lot,” she said.