Manik

Mank initially refused Orson Welles' offer because he disagreed with Welles' liberal politics and viewed him as a privileged dilettante. However, Mank eventually agreed after Welles visited him in the hospital following his car accident, where Mank was bedridden with a broken leg and financially desperate. Welles offered him complete creative control and a substantial payment, and despite his reservations, Mank needed the money and the opportunity to prove himself as a serious screenwriter.

Earlier scenes show Mank frustrated with studio politics and his own lack of creative control, hinting that the chance to write without interference would eventually appeal to him.

Orson Welles was only 25 years old when RKO gave him complete creative control as part of a special deal, which was unusual in Hollywood at the time. He wanted to assemble his dream team and make a groundbreaking film without studio interference. He specifically chose Mank as his screenwriter because of Mank's reputation as a talented but struggling writer, believing Mank could deliver the sophisticated screenplay Welles wanted.

Mank wrote the Citizen Kane screenplay in 13 days while bedridden at North Verde Ranch with a broken leg. Producer John Houseman provided him with a special device to help with his writing, and Mank worked through the nights fueled by alcohol. The intense deadline and his desperate financial situation pushed him to work at an extraordinary pace, though his alcoholism made the process chaotic and painful.

Mank's contract with RKO contained clauses that prevented him from receiving official credit due to previous agreements with other studios. Although he was the primary writer of the Citizen Kane screenplay, the contract stipulated he could not be listed as the sole author. Welles received sole credit initially, though the Writers Guild later awarded Mank shared credit. This denial of recognition deeply affected Mank, who felt exploited by the studio system.

Mank modeled the character Charles Foster Kane in Citizen Kane after media magnate William Randolph Hearst, whom he knew personally from attending parties at Hearst Castle. The character represents Mank's critique of Hearst's enormous power and influence over politics and media. Hearst was a notorious figure who built a media empire and used it to attack political enemies, making him a perfect target for Mank's satirical screenplay.

Mank was a vocal supporter of progressive politician Upton Sinclair, who ran for California governor in 1934 against Frank Merriam. Sinclair was a socialist who advocated for social welfare programs and stricter regulations on large businesses. Mank's political sympathies aligned with Sinclair's progressive platform, and he openly expressed his support at gatherings like Irving Thalberg's birthday at Hearst Castle, much to the disapproval of studio heads like Louis B. Mayer who backed Merriam.

Mank was a severe alcoholic whose drinking worsened during the writing of Citizen Kane. While producer John Houseman provided alcohol as a creative stimulant and to help Mank cope with his pain from the broken leg, Mank's drinking had become compulsive. His alcoholism was driven by personal demons, including guilt over his failing marriage, financial troubles, and his disillusionment with Hollywood politics. The drinking made the writing process chaotic but also contributed to the raw, inspired quality of his work.

Mank made a drunken, defiant appearance at Hearst Castle where he confronted the powerful media tycoon about his attempts to suppress the film. Mank refused to alter his screenplay to protect Hearst's reputation, even when Marion Davies pleaded with him to change the character. Hearst offered Mank a cynical allegory comparing him to an organ grinder's monkey, reflecting Hearst's view of Mank's dependency on the studio system. This confrontation represented Mank's final act of artistic defiance despite knowing the personal and professional consequences.

Neither Mank nor Welles attended the 1942 Academy Awards where Citizen Kane won Best Original Screenplay. Their absence reflected the fractured relationship between them. Welles sent a radio message jokingly dismissing Mank, saying "kiss my half," while Mank publicly claimed he had written the entire screenplay alone without help. Despite their collaboration, neither could celebrate together, and Mank's acceptance of the award alone underscored the tension and resentment that had developed between them.

Mank died eleven years after winning the Oscar, at age 55, from complications directly related to his alcoholism. After Citizen Kane, he was effectively blacklisted in Hollywood due to the film's controversial portrayal of Hearst and never worked on another major film project. His career declined rapidly, his health deteriorated from years of heavy drinking, and he spent his final years feeling trapped and self-destructive. He died largely forgotten by the industry that had once promised him greatness.

Mank's car accident, caused by a young man named Tommy, resulted in a broken leg that left him bedridden in the hospital. This injury and his vulnerable state became the turning point where Orson Welles visited him and convinced Mank to write the Citizen Kane screenplay. Had the accident not happened, Mank might never have been in a position where he needed the work and had the time to commit fully to the project. The accident, while painful, gave Mank the opportunity and motivation to create his masterpiece.

Welles chose to create a film attacking William Randolph Hearst because Hearst represented everything Welles wanted to critique about media power and corruption. Hearst was arguably the most powerful media figure in America, and Welles saw an opportunity to create a groundbreaking film that would expose the dangers of concentrated media influence. The choice was both artistically ambitious and politically risky, as Hearst used his newspapers to launch smear campaigns against anyone who opposed him.