RKO 281
What went on the screen was nothing compared to what went on behind the scenes.
New from Executive Producers Tony Scott (Enemy of The State) and Ridley Scott (Thelma and Louse), RKO 281 the working title for "Citizen Kane" has been called the greatest movie of all time. Its visionary creator, Orson Welles, was only 24 when he arrived in Hollywood following the acclaim and scandal that erupted over the live radio broadcast of "War Of The Worlds". This was to be his first motion picture. The subject? An aging, obsessive newspaper publisher who controlled his enemies as ruthlessly as he controlled his friends; whose lavish estate was half the size of Rhode Island; and whose mistress was destined for fame whether she wanted it or not.
He would bear so close a resemblance to the wealthy newspaper publisher William Randolph Hearst, that Hearst himself would do anything to shut the movie down.
The battle between Welles and Hearst over "Citizen Kane" is the stuff of legend, rich with tales of sexual blackmail, money changing hands and threats behind closed doors. Now those doors are being opened.
Take a front row seat. The battle over RKO 281 is about to begin.
Member Reviews
Entertaining - seenonflickr
This was an HBO movie about the making of Citizen Kane starring Liev Schrieber as Orson Welles and James Cromwell as William Randolf Hearst. Lovely shots of what I assume is the real Hearst Castle*, and an interesting look at the way films were shot back in the day. John Malkovich was particularly good as co-writer Herman "Mank" Mankiewicz. (Good line: "I expected better of you, Mank." / "Me too, but I got used to it.")
*Though a guide at Hearst Castle told me it was all done on sets. Well done, set-makers/decorators!The Epci Battle Brought to the Screen... - MovieProf
...in only 86 minutes?! I was shocked so see that such a famous story amongst film historians made for such a short film.
I remember seeing "Citizen Kane" in my second year of film school. I had heard so much about it, and when such hype is doled out on a film, it rarely delivers. I saw the film and thought predictably, "Is this all there is?"
Over time I have grown to appreciate the greatness that is "Citizen Kane." That's why I was so excited to see "RKO 281." There's a decent cast here: Liev Schreiber, James Cromwell, John Malkovich, Melanie Griffth, and Roy Scheider. As well, the film does a good job dramatizing various scenes of the actual film. My favourite is the cutting of the floor of the studio to allow for the camera to be placed at a rediculously low angle in order to please Orson Welles on the set.
However, this is not a great movie. It feels a bit "made for TV-ish," and as I mentioned in my intro, it is just too short. I wanted to see more of Welles as the boy genuis--more insight into how and why he was ushered into Hollywood with such acclaim, so we understand more of the ego that motivated him. We see news snippets at the beginning of the film, but that's about it. Clearly the producers weren't interested in delving into this subject matter, as their focus was on the Welles-Hearst battle over "Citizen Kane." As well, I thought more on Hearst himself would have been great. Welles makes his mind up about Hearst after one dinner conversaton between the two. Hmm. I would think it'd take more than that.
All in all, not terrible. Just not great.An Acquired Taste - xYJx
While this film has an audience, its not broad. Anytime a film is associated with Citizen Kane (be it, documentary, satire, etc), it immediately has higher expectations (as Kane is arguably one of the best films ever produced). This film is no different and falls flat. That's not to say that this is a bad film, however, the film doesn't seem satisfying. Perhaps its like your first kiss, you will never be able to recapture the magic.
Worth a watch if you're a Schreiber fan, but on the whole, this is skippable. There's better ways to spend 83 minutes. Or if you're really jones'ing for Citizen Kane info, just rent the special edition DVD instead.
Member Reviews
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Entertaining - seenonflickr
This was an HBO movie about the making of Citizen Kane starring Liev Schrieber as Orson Welles and James Cromwell as William Randolf Hearst. Lovely shots of what I assume is the real Hearst Castle*, and an interesting look at the way films were shot back in ...The Epci Battle Brought to the Screen... - MovieProf
...in only 86 minutes?! I was shocked so see that such a famous story amongst film historians made for such a short film.
I remember seeing "Citizen Kane" in my second year of film school. I had heard so much about it, and when such hype is doled ...An Acquired Taste - xYJx
While this film has an audience, its not broad. Anytime a film is associated with Citizen Kane (be it, documentary, satire, etc), it immediately has higher expectations (as Kane is arguably one of the best films ever produced). This film is no different and ...