Mank True Story: How William Randolph Hearst Reacted To Citizen Kane

How did William Randolph Hearst, played by Charles Dance in Mank, react to his depiction in Citizen Kane? Orson Welles’ 1941 classic isn’t an official biopic of the American businessman’s life, but rather a fusion of fiction and facts from screenwriter Herman J. Mankiewicz. The 2020 Netflix film Mank explores the creative process for Citizen Kane, and how the script was influenced by Hearst’s relationship with actress Marion Davies.

Mank stars Gary Oldman as the title character, a veteran Hollywood screenwriter who struggled with alcoholism and had a powerful circle of associates. The Netflix film explores Mankiewicz now-iconic collaboration with Welles, and goes back in time to explain how the Citizen Kane screenwriter learned private details of Hearst’s life through Davies. By the final act, Mankiewicz’s brother and industry colleagues warn him about the potential consequences of his screenplay, and Davies suggests that details be changed for the sake of Hearst’s mental health. The Citizen Kane storyline revolves around the cryptic world “Rosebud,” which is uttered early on by the main character Charles Foster Kane, whose narrative arc was inspired by Hearst. In Mank, it’s suggested that “Rosebud” was Hearst’s nickname for Davies’ genitalia.

In Mank, director David Fincher doesn’t show a Hearst reaction scene but rather focuses on the calm before the storm. Midway through, Mankiewicz is questioned about his motivations for incorporating Hearst into Citizen Kane, and the screenwriter cites “the parable of the organ grinder’s monkey.” The true meaning of the sequence isn’t revealed until a climactic flashback sequence, in which Mankiewicz attends a Hearst dinner party and drunkenly rambles on about the details of a movie that could theoretically be made about the businessman’s life. Rather than forcing Mankiewicz to leave, Hearst eventually walks the man out and tells him about the aforementioned parable of the organ grinder’s monkey, which is essentially a warning to the screenwriter that he can boast and boast but ultimately has little power. Later, when Hearst struggles financially and receives a $1 million loan from his own mistress, Mankiewicz recognizes that the fallen mogul is now the monkey of the parable; a man to make fun of in Citizen Kane.

In real life, Hearst famously tried to prevent the release of Citizen Kane without having read the script. This fact is briefly referenced in Mank but not fully explored. In January 1941, the newspaper mogul blocked any type of ads for Welles’ film in his newspapers. Just days prior, gossip columnist Hedda Hopper had seen a preview screening of Citizen Kane and provided all the details to Hearst, who was reportedly (via HISTORY) most angry about the depiction of his mistress, Davies. In real life, the actress eventually rejected her inheritance after Hearst’s death and lived off her own money, but Citizen Kane was so culturally impactful that it negatively affected her reputation.

Hearst also lashed out against the studio system in Hollywood, which resulted in a clash with new school filmmakers. Meaning, Welles was just 26 years old when he wide released his directorial debut, Citizen Kane, and he collaborated with a man, Mankiewicz, who didn’t necessarily play by the rules. Hearst was also famously conservative and opposed the rise of immigrants within the Hollywood industry. Specifically, he used his newspapers to warn readers of a “Mexican threat.” As for Mankiewicz, he never wrote a full screenplay again after Citizen Kane, which is acknowledged during the credits of Mank. He died in March 1953 at age 55, less two years after Hearst passed away at age 88.

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Q.V. Hough
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Q.V. Hough is a senior writer at Screen Rant. He’s also the founding editor at Vague Visages, and has contributed to RogerEbert.com and Fandor.

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