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RKO 281

  • TV Movie
  • 19991999
  • RR
  • 1h 26m
IMDb RATING
7.0/10
6.2K
YOUR RATING
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • IMDbPro
RKO 281 (1999)
Home Video Trailer from HBO Home Video
Play trailer1:15
1 Video
16 Photos
  • Biography
  • Drama
Orson Welles produces his greatest film, Citizen Kane (1941), despite the opposition of the film's de facto subject, William Randolph Hearst.Orson Welles produces his greatest film, Citizen Kane (1941), despite the opposition of the film's de facto subject, William Randolph Hearst.Orson Welles produces his greatest film, Citizen Kane (1941), despite the opposition of the film's de facto subject, William Randolph Hearst.
IMDb RATING
7.0/10
6.2K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Benjamin Ross
  • Writers
    • John Logan
    • Richard Ben Cramer(documentary "The Battle Over Citizen Kane")
    • Thomas Lennon(documentary "The Battle Over Citizen Kane")
  • Stars
    • Liev Schreiber
    • James Cromwell
    • Melanie Griffith
Top credits
  • Director
    • Benjamin Ross
  • Writers
    • John Logan
    • Richard Ben Cramer(documentary "The Battle Over Citizen Kane")
    • Thomas Lennon(documentary "The Battle Over Citizen Kane")
  • Stars
    • Liev Schreiber
    • James Cromwell
    • Melanie Griffith
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 58User reviews
    • 27Critic reviews
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Won 3 Primetime Emmys
      • 15 wins & 28 nominations total

    Videos1

    RKO 281
    Trailer 1:15
    RKO 281

    Photos16

    James Cromwell co-stars as William Randolph Hearst
    Welles & Hearst meet in an elevator
    Hearst & Marion Davies
    Welles and Mankiewicz toast Kane
    The Citizen Kane Premiere
    Liev Schreiber stars as Orson Welles
    James Cromwell, Melanie Griffith, John Malkovich, Liev Schreiber, Brenda Blethyn, and Roy Scheider in RKO 281 (1999)
    RKO 281 (1999)
    RKO 281 (1999)
    RKO 281 (1999)
    RKO 281 (1999)
    RKO 281 (1999)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Liev Schreiber
    Liev Schreiber
    • Orson Wellesas Orson Welles
    James Cromwell
    James Cromwell
    • William Randolph Hearstas William Randolph Hearst
    Melanie Griffith
    Melanie Griffith
    • Marion Daviesas Marion Davies
    John Malkovich
    John Malkovich
    • Herman Mankiewiczas Herman Mankiewicz
    Brenda Blethyn
    Brenda Blethyn
    • Louella Parsonsas Louella Parsons
    Roy Scheider
    Roy Scheider
    • George Schaeferas George Schaefer
    Liam Cunningham
    Liam Cunningham
    • Gregg Tolandas Gregg Toland
    David Suchet
    David Suchet
    • Louis B. Mayeras Louis B. Mayer
    Fiona Shaw
    Fiona Shaw
    • Hedda Hopperas Hedda Hopper
    Anastasia Hille
    Anastasia Hille
    • Carole Lombardas Carole Lombard
    Roger Allam
    Roger Allam
    • Walt Disneyas Walt Disney
    Simeon Andrews
    • John Housemanas John Houseman
    William Armstrong
    • Mr. Lewisas Mr. Lewis
    Jay Benedict
    Jay Benedict
    • Darryl Zanuckas Darryl Zanuck
    Ron Berglas
    Ron Berglas
    • David O. Selznickas David O. Selznick
    Paul Birchard
    • Top Brass #2as Top Brass #2
    Neil Conrich
    • Mr. Thomsonas Mr. Thomson
    Michael Cronin
    • Joseph Willicombeas Joseph Willicombe
    • Director
      • Benjamin Ross
    • Writers
      • John Logan
      • Richard Ben Cramer(documentary "The Battle Over Citizen Kane") (in part)
      • Thomas Lennon(documentary "The Battle Over Citizen Kane") (in part)
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
    • All cast & crew

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      The film shows RKO production chief George Schaefer announcing to Orson Welles and Herman Mankiewicz that he has lost his job on the very day of the opening of Citizen Kane (1941) in May 1941. In fact, Schaefer did not get fired until late in the following year, and this was less because he had promoted the film career of Orson Welles than because almost all the films RKO had made during his tenure had been flops.
    • Goofs
      In 1940, Disney was not the major studio it was today. It had few major releases by that date, all animated and all of which were released through other distributors. The meeting of studio chiefs depicted in the movie probably did not take place- certainly not in the form shown- but even if it had, Walt Disney would probably not have been invited. (Samuel Goldwyn, also shown as present, had sold his share in MGM to Louis Mayer years earlier, but was still a major producer.)
    • Quotes

      [last lines]

      Herman Mankiewicz: Was it worth it?

      Orson Welles: I don't know. I can't imagine doing it any other way. I suppose it's just my character.

      Herman Mankiewicz: It won't be easy having made your masterpiece at 26.

      Orson Welles: Is that what you think - that I'm just going to burn out at the ripe old age of 26?

      Herman Mankiewicz: All stars burn out, Orson. It's the flame that counts.

      Orson Welles: [toasting] To the flame.

      Herman Mankiewicz: To the flame.

    • Crazy credits
      Epilogue:  "Citizen Kane was released in 1941 to critical acclaim and box office indifference.  William Randolph Hearst gradually withdrew from public life. Marion Davies continued to live with him as his mistress.  Until his death in 1951, Hearst never permitted a single advertisement or review of Citizen Kane in any of his newspapers.  Orson Welles struggled yet succeeded in making films for the rest of his life, including The Magnificent Ambersons, Touch of Evil and Chimes at Midnight. He died in 1985.  Citizen Kane is widely considered the greatest American film ever made."
    • Connections
      Featured in The 57th Annual Golden Globe Awards (2000)
    • Soundtracks
      I Can't Get Started
      Written by Ira Gershwin and Vernon Duke

      Performed by Bunny Berigan

      Courtesy of The RCA Records Label of BMG Entertainment

    User reviews58

    Review
    Top review
    Good.. could've been much better..
    You've probably read a lot of other comments, so I'll spare you the details of what "RKO 281" is about.. rather, my comments pertain to made-for-HBO films, particularly this one..

    HBO's movies always strike me as a cut above the usual made for the small screen fare, but just a notch below being theatrical quality. There's a strange feeling of being manipulated, that I get from almost all their films, especially biopics like this one, "Truman", and their latest "Path To War" which they're running this month. HBO likes to take on monumental, historical characters, like Orson Welles, Harry S Truman, and LBJ, but seems to always surround them with characters who are portrayed as being slightly dumb, and made to look like fools, on purpose. It's as though HBO is telling us to look back into history and laugh at how naive and silly people were in decades past.. look at the dumb clothes they wore, the silly hairstyles, their mannerisms, while at the same time idealizing them..

    In these kinds of films, cars are never dirty or dented. People never flub their words when speaking to each other. Homes and offices are always a paragon of cleanliness. Everything looks brand new. Staged. Too perfect.. Okay, perhaps realism is not what we want in our movies.. we live in homes that have dirty dishes in the sink and rumbled towels in the bathroom, and stacks of magazines on the tables.. but there ARE period films in which the "lived in" look IS quite well done.. witness Bob Raefelson's "The Postman Always Rings Twice."

    While the set and art direction of "RKO 281" is stunning, everything is beautiful to look at: all the vast, wood-panelled offices of the Hollywood moguls, somehow, everything has an artificial look to it.

    And then, there's Liev Schreiber's portrayal of a young Orson Wells.. Again, sometimes HBO can create a convincing lookalike - Gary Sinese as Harry S Truman was right on the money, Michael Gambon as LBJ comes sort of close, but doesn't quite ring true, but Schreiber simply doesn't look or sound anything like Orson Welles did. Welles had a booming baritone voice, an in-your-face style of projecting his words, and a simply riveting screen presence. Schreiber's lack of a jaw, and his delivery simply never convinced me that this man was Orson Welles.. This is not to take away from Schreiber's acting abilities at all.. he was simply the wrong actor for the part. And since he is the centerpiece of the film, the entire film suffers because of his weak Welles clone..

    However, "RKO 281" _is_ worth watching, if just for the lush sets and atmospherics, and the far too few glimpses we get of the making of "Citizen Kane." But again, HBO made this film as a drama, not a documentary, and a drama relies on conflict.. and thus the film concentrates on the clash of personalities, not the creation of the best film ever made..
    helpful•14
    3
    • hrlaser
    • Jun 3, 2002

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • November 20, 1999 (United States)
    • Countries of origin
      • United States
      • United Kingdom
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • RKO 281: The Battle Over Citizen Kane
    • Filming locations
      • St. Pancras Chambers, St. Pancras Station, St. Pancras, London, England, UK
    • Production companies
      • HBO Pictures
      • WGBH
      • Scott Free Productions
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $12,000,000 (estimated)
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 26 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
      • Black and White
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Digital
    • Aspect ratio
      • 16:9

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