Customer Reviews

Rko 281 [VHS]

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(14)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Telling true stories is always a tricky affair. Unlike simple fiction, you have to tell the truth *and* a good story simultaneously.

I don't know how good the *truth* is in RKO 281. I'm not a CITIZEN KANE expert. The closest I come is being able to mention that the screenplay is based on an acclaimed PBS documentary. If PBS' history was right, I guess, RKO 281 stands a better chance of being real as well.

I do know, however, that the *story* of RKO 281 is good enough that I want to *believe* it's the truth. In this current era of unrestricted parody and vigorously litigated free speech cases, it's hard to imagine a time in America where artistic criticism of a private individual would've caused movie studios consternation, but RKO 281 convincingly captures the fear of the period. Along the way, it gives us a tantalizing peek into the lives of the people involved with CITIZEN KANE, dropping hints about their personalities. I found myself constantly wanting to know more about the characters than this movie told, but there's enough characterization here for a great story. This is, after all, not a biography of Orson Wells or William Randolph Hearst, but the story of the making of one film.

HBO managed to assemble a stellar cast to inhabit the lives of these characters for this made-for-cable movie, and the money was obviously worth it. Each major character is consistently well acted, and one can't help but be drawn into their stories. John Malkovich and Liev Schreiber's Mankiewicz and Wells play particularly well off each other, defining the moral heart of CITIZEN KANE as they show themselves to be each other's conscience. Having the friendship parallel the creation of the film is a clever dramatic tool, serving up a human subplot while simultaneously moving along the greater narrative.

Absorbing as the characters are, however, it's not a perfect film. Details about the Hearst side of the argument are sketchier, and despite attempts to explore the personal relationship between Hearst and his mistress, we're left asking significant questions about him. Was he really as cold-blooded as portrayed here, or was he just personally wounded by CITIZEN KANE? What happened to his threat to expose Hollywood if the movie was released? Though in decline, he still retained newspapers at the time of the movie's release, so why didn't he carry through with his threat to publish details about Hollywood's private lives? Wouldn't that have sold papers and increased his revenue at a time when he needed the money? RKO 281 builds Hearst up as a heavy in its first hour, and then kind of just forgets about that side of him in the second. In my mind, there's a metamorphosis of his character from confident to defeated that isn't sufficiently explained in the movie.

[DVD notes: For a film about the making of film, this DVD has ironically no additional features. This is an entirely criminal example of neglect, and the film loses mass quantities of brownie points for it. At the very least there should've been a director's commentary. Additionally I think it would've made some great sense to have packaged this as a double DVD, along with the PBS documentary.]

I have to disagree with those who look at this as an historical narrative. This is a great story of a man fighting against a system that treated its employees as slaves. Actors, directors and writers were loaned and traded at the whim of the powerful studio bosses at the time of Kane. This shows the will of one brash, arrogant, young man who dared to stand up to that power and fight for the film he thought should be made.
This may not be historically 100% accurate, but it doesn't need to be. It needs to be the spirit, not the letter. And I believe that it is. Wells was one of the most important people in the history of film, and this dramatizes his beginnings. We should view it as such, and not as a documentary about the making of Kane.
I am in the camp that feels that this is not even Welle's best film. I feel that Touch Of Evil is a better film. But if it were not for Kane, there would have been no Evil.
(Trivia, for the non-movie-buffs. In this film they ask Welles to direct a film version of War Of The Worlds. He actually wanted to direct a version of Conrad's "Heart of Darkness." The studio wouldn't let him. 30+ years later, Francis Ford Coppola wanted to film a version of "Heart of Darkness." Both times, the studio turned them down, saying it was not a viable film. While it may be argued that in the hands of Welles or Coppola "Darkness" may have been viable, this is an example of studios having divine inspiration. Their denials gave us Kane and The Godfather. Both were the second choices of the directors. Thank you RKO and Paramount.)

I saw this movie on TV over here during an Orson Welles day, right before they screened Citizen Kane, and it was a perfect prequel to the movie. I had seen neither before that night, and since have both become 2 of my all time favourites. Gritty and very frank look at Hollywood, sleaze, and corruption in the WWII era.

John Malkovich is stupendous, as is Liev Schreiber. James Cromwell gives great support as well as the maniacal Hearst.

"Inspired" by the American Experience documentary on the making of 'Citizen Kane', this film might have been a good one had the writers stuck to the facts (and in this case truth is much more interesting and surprising than RKO 281's fiction) and the cast been of a better caliber. In other words, a good idea, poor execution. Melanie Griffith's execrable performance is so bad it's beyond laughable and is a total insult to the talented and bewitching Marion Davies. John Malkovich is wasted and I'm afraid that Welles is too much of a giant for Liev Schrieber; (perhaps Vincent D'Onofrio could have handled the role).

After watching this film I had to put in "The Battle Over Citizen Kane" from the Kane DVD to purge the sour taste of infotainment brought on by this HBO production.

This is a wonderful movie that had to be made. Citizen Kane is widely regarded the greatest film ever made and this is the story of how close it came to never being released. Liev Schriber (sp.) gives a masterful perfomance as the legendary filmaker Orson Welles, and James Cromwell is brilliant as media tycoon William Randolph Hearst whom Citizen Kane was based upon. John Malcovich and Roy Schieder also give great perfomances as the film's writer and producer. The dialogue is wonderful, the name of the writer escapes me for the moment. And so is the musical score which has some of the music from Bernard Hermann's score of Citizen Kane. If you have never seen Citizen Kane I suggest you do so and if you liked it, see RKO 281 next, and see how the world of cinema was forever changed by a rogue 25 year old fledgling director.

Anyone who was lucky enough to see this film on HBO knows what a fascinating look this is at the making of one of the greatest films ever made, "Citizen Kane". Having only previously seen Liev Schreiber in the "Scream" movies, I had NO idea how he was going to make anyone believe he was Orson Welles. But he does, and does it beautifully! Once you watch this movie, and find out what went on behind the scenes of "Citizen Kane", and how it almost didn't get made or released, you'll watch "Kane" with an all new set of eyes. This is an outstanding tribute to a great filmmaker. James Cromwell is also amazing as William Randolph Hearst, and by the end of "RKO 281", I actually ALMOST had some sympathy for the guy, which shows just how talented Cromwell and Melanie Griffith (who plays his girlfriend/lover) are as actors. If you didn't get to see this on HBO, and you're a "Citizen Kane" or Orson Welles fan, this is DEFINATELY a MUST SEE! Buy it now!

Everyone knows that Citizen Kane is the greatest movie of all time, but this movie pretty much filled me in on what was going on with the making of the film! The reason I even bothered to watch this movie at all was because it stared Liev Schreiber, one of the best young up and coming actors I have seen.

When you watch this movie you believe that Mr. Schreiber is Orson Wells. His acting in this film is simply outstanding in everyway! This is definitely one of those movies that you can't walk away from. The struggle that Orson went through just to get his picture released is something straight out of a soap opera! The absolutely amazing thing about him is that he was 26 when he created his classic piece of film.

This is an excellent movie to watch if you are interested at all in Orson Wells and early Hollywood movie making, Liev is simply great and very believable, I was very pleased and entertained. Definitely check this one out!

How can you capture the persona of Orson Welles without finding the essense of that wonderful vocal instrument that was his hallmark? You can't, but thankfully Liev Schreiber comes amazingly close to doing justice to Welles vocal delivery. If you're a Welles fan you'll recognize how Schreiber has studied and nearly mastered Welles' unique vocal delivery cadence: this is the most interesting aspect of the movie for me. The story is absorbing, especially if you are not familiar with it; well worth the viewing time. I recommend it.

I have to say I love this movie for its passion and the story behind it. Liev Schreiber is brilliant as the young Orson Welles fighting back against Hearst well played by James Cromwell. I could not see a better Welles until I saw the film "Me and ORson Welles' with Christian McKay at the role and all I could say is wow because it seems he's a runner-up for Best Supporting Actor Oscar Nomination. They both matched his intelligence, wit, perfectionistic demeanor, and mostly his tinacity to get the job done right. Either way these are both great performances but I like Schreiber's performance better. If anybody disagrees tell me.

I'm surprised to read positive reviews of this movie. If you are a fan of Citizen Kane, (the greatest movie ever made), and you want to find out about the real behind the scenes of the making of this classical movie, then don't watch this. RKO 281 comes across as a true story. Anyone familiar with the real story knows that there are so many made up events in this movie, it's laughable. Well's visit to Hearst's castle, never happened. Well's meeting with Hearst in an elevator, never happened. Walt Disney meeting with all the big studio executives on the future of Kane, never happened. The list goes on. Liev Schreiber's performance of Well's is way to tame. Well's would be tough to portray, being such a powerful presence. I just didn't buy Schreiber's Well's. Well's had as big an ego as Hearst. That was what was so fascinating about the conflict between Well's and Hearst. If you want to see the real story about the battle between Citizen Kane and Hearst, please see the Disc two in the Citizen Kane DVD, the documentary called "the Battle over Citizen Kane". The real story is more entertaining than RKO 128 and best of all, It's true!