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Home , Charles Foster Kane, Charles Lederer, Mank, Marion Davies

b y R a y M o r t o n Legends of Screenwriting

Herman J. Mankiewicz– Screenwriter of

Herman Jacob Mankiewicz was born in City on November 7, 1897. The eldest of three children (the youngest of whom, Joseph L. Mankiewicz, would also grow up to become a legendary screenwriter, director and producer) of German-Jewish immigrants, Herman was raised in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania and later attended Columbia University.

“When sound arrived, Herman’s sharp wit served him in good stead as he created scintillating dialogue ... ”

Scenes from Citizen Kane C o u r t e s y : W a r n e r H o m e V i d e o

e graduated in 1917 and, after spending and Robert E. Sherwood, as well as the plays Herman was hired as a contract writer, first at several years in the military, became The Good Fellows (with George S. Kaufman) Paramount and then later at MGM, Colum- the director of the American Red Cross and The Wild Man of Borneo (with Marc bia, and other studios, concocting stories press service in Paris. After leaving that Connelly). From 1923 to 1926, he was a and titles for such as Gentlemen Prefer Hposition, Mankiewicz joined the drama critic at and was Blondes (1928) and The Canary Murder Case Tribune as a Berlin-based foreign correspon- the theatre critic for the newly founded The (1929). When sound arrived, Herman’s sharp dent and acted as a press agent for legendary New Yorker magazine from June 1925 to wit served him in good stead as he created dancer Isadora Duncan. Returning to the U.S. January 1926. Possessed of a sardonic sense scintillating dialogue for films such as The in the early , Herman became a reporter of humor, “” earned a reputation as an Royal Family of Broadway (1930), The Lost for the New York World, contributed pieces expert raconteur with a riotously acid tongue. Squadron (1932), Dinner at Eight (1933), It’s a to Vanity Fair, The Saturday Evening Post, and In 1926, Mankiewicz was hired to work Wonderful World (1939), and (uncredited) The other magazines, and began working in the on the screenplay for The Road to Mandalay, Wizard of Oz (1939) and (1940). theatre, co-writing a revue called Round the a Lon Chaney-starrer being produced at He also served as a (uncredited) producer on Town with (among others) MGM. The picture was a hit, and soon after the Marx Brothers classics Monkey Business

94 Script magazine www.scriptmag.com (1931), Horse Feathers (1932), and Duck Soup co-scripter Howard Koch (who wrote The War Pictures, an independent production company (1933), as well as W.C. Fields’ Million Dollar of the Worlds). Welles and Mankiewicz had met affiliated with MGM and Warner Bros.), Legs (1932). several years earlier in New York. When Welles and had attended a number of parties at Although he was initially quite successful, arrived in , he brought Herman in Davies’ Beverly Hills home and at La Cuesta Herman’s career suffered as he wrestled with to write for the show. Encantada at which he met and got to know a passel of personal problems, including an While Mankiewicz was working on his Hearst, whom he found to be a fascinating addiction to alcohol and gambling, that cost radio scripts, Welles focused his efforts on figure. Welles—whose ex-wife Virginia had him a number of jobs. Mank’s wicked sense of developing his debut project. He initially married Davies’ nephew, screenwriter Charles humor also got him in trouble on more than planned to adapt Joseph Conrad’s novel Heart Lederer—was also intrigued by Hearst and one occasion. (Most famously, he once lost a of Darkness, but when RKO turned down immediately sparked to Mank’s suggestion gig at Columbia when, after hearing studio the project for budgetary reasons, he began that they make the publisher the subject of head Harry Cohn say that he could tell if a working on a cinematic version of Nicholas their “prismatic” biopic. movie was good or not based on how much Blake’s novel The Smiler With the Knife instead. It was a risky choice. At the time, Hearst was he squirmed in his seat while watching it, When the studio vetoed that project as well, one of the most powerful men in America. A Mankiewicz couldn’t help but crack “Imagine, Mank told Welles about an idea he had been pioneer of yellow journalism, Hearst—through the whole world wired to Harry Cohn’s ass.”) toying with for a number of years: to do a mo- his numerous, wide-reaching publications— By 1940, Herman was down on his luck and tion-picture biography of a recently deceased wielded enormous influence over public looking for work. Taking a huge cut in pay figure, told from multiple perspectives—pri- opinion and political discourse in the United and prestige, he accepted an offer to write for marily those of the people in his life who had States in the first decades of the 20th century. The Campbell Playhouse, the successor program known him best. Welles liked the idea and (Many held Hearst responsible for pushing to The on the Air, the radio they began casting around for a suitably larger- the United States into the Spanish-American arm of the renowned Mercury Theatre, a than-life subject. They considered a number War by publishing inflammatory—and at revolutionary theatrical company headed by of people, including gangster John Dillinger times wholly fictional—reports about Spanish producer and his partner—a and evangelist Aimee Semple McPherson. atrocities in Cuba in order to pressure anti-war young actor, director and magician named Mankiewicz then suggested publisher William President McKinley into intervening in the . Randolph Hearst. island nation’s attempts to free itself from Only 25, Welles had already taken Broad- Born in 1863, Hearst was the heir to a vast Spain’s colonial shackles.) And Hearst did not way by storm with his innovative produc- fortune. In 1887, his father was given hesitate to use his considerable power to attack tions of Macbeth (with an all-black cast), the ownership of the Examiner, people he considered his enemies. Still, both Julius Caesar (with an anti-fascist theme), a struggling newspaper, as payment for a gam- Mank and Welles were excited by the prospect and Marc Blitzstein’s pro-labor opera The bling debt. Having just been expelled from of tackling such an ambitious subject and . Welles, also the star of the Harvard, the 24-year-old Hearst was looking decided to press on. popular radio series The Shadow, had recently for something to do with his life and asked To keep Herman (who was notorious for created a nationwide sensation with Mercury his father to let him run the paper. His father losing interest in projects after a few weeks of Theatre’s October 30, 1938 radio adaptation agreed and Hearst soon made the Examiner work) focused and sober, Welles asked John of H.G. Wells’ novel The War of the Worlds. a success by featuring sensational stories and Houseman to take Mankiewicz to the Camp- The program, structured as a series of news crusading reporting with a decidedly populist bell Ranch, a vacation resort located in the San bulletins interrupting a music program, was slant. Upon moving to New York, Hearst Bernadino Mountains just outside Victorville, mistaken for reports of a real invasion by a began building a massive publishing empire . Mankiewicz and Houseman spent large portion of the listening audience. The that eventually consisted of 28 newspapers, a 12 weeks in relative seclusion at the ranch, dur- panic and publicity generated by the broadcast number of magazines and book companies, ing which Mank would spend his days working caught the attention of Hollywood, and RKO news services, and syndicates. Looking to out the story with Houseman (who acted as President George Schaefer offered Welles an increase his power, he served two terms in Herman’s editor and occasional co-writer—the unprecedented two-picture contract that gave the U.S. House of Representatives and ran “March of Time” material that opens the film him complete artistic control over his produc- unsuccessfully for mayor of is mostly his) and his nights dictating action tions. In 1939, Welles moved to Hollywood and governor of New York State. Notoriously and dialogue to his secretary. After 10 weeks to undertake the contract and brought most acquisitive, Hearst assembled a massive collec- of intensive work, Mankiewicz had produced of the Mercury Theatre company and the tion of art and treasures from all over the world a 400-plus-page first draft about a fictional production of The Campbell Playhouse with which he housed in a spectacular castle built publishing tycoon named . him. Although Welles was the credited author on the California coast near San Simeon called The script, which Mank had titled American, of all of the program’s episodes, they were La Cuesta Encantada. Mankiewicz was friendly combined Hearst’s life story with bits and pieces actually written by a number of other writers, with Hearst’s mistress, actress taken from the biographies of other famous ty- including Houseman and future Casablanca (for whom Hearst had founded Cosmopolitan coons, as well as a few choice items culled from

MARCH APRIL 2 0 0 8 Script magazine 95 Legends of Screenwriting

the life of Orson Welles. (Like Kane, Welles put up by Hearst himself ) to burn all prints of and its brilliant dialogue—in the first place, had been unofficially adopted and raised by a the film along with its negative. When RKO and turn what could have been just a simple wealthy guardian, and the scene in which a rag- President George Schaefer refused, Hearst or- exposé into a work of art, make “Mank” a true ing Kane destroys his wife’s bedroom after she dered his papers not to mention Citizen Kane screenwriting legend. leaves him is based on a similar fit that Welles or accept any advertising for it. Since Hearst’s threw in front of Houseman.) Mankiewicz and papers covered more than half the country, From Herman J. Mankiewicz’s Citizen Kane: Houseman spent another two weeks whit- this put a major crimp in RKO’s ability to tling the script down to an acceptable length, promote the film. Making matters worse, the INT. KANE’S OFFICE — LATE DAY after which they returned to Hollywood and other studios would not allow their theater Kane, in his shirt sleeves, at handed it over to Welles, who made a number chains to book the film. Since RKO had a roll-top desk in the Sanc- of changes, additions and edits of his own relatively few theaters of its own, the studio tum, is working feverishly on copy and eating a very size- (both with and without Herman) and then put had to arrange for Kane to be shown in a small able meal at the same time. his name on the script as co-author, with his number of independent theaters. Because Carter, still formally coated, name in first position. (Welles made a habit of of all these problems, the film was released is seated alongside him. Le- land, seated in a corner, is claiming writing credit on all original Mercury several months late and, while it received looking on, detached, amused. productions even though, according to many of many good reviews, proved to be a financial The furniture has been pushed the people he worked with, he usually did little disappointment. Citizen Kane was nomi- around and Kane’s effects are somewhat in place. On a cor- or no writing at all.) nated for nine ®, but by the ner of the desk, Bernstein is Retitled Citizen Kane, the film went into time the award ceremony rolled around, the writing down figures. No one production at the end of July 1940. As filming Hollywood community had so soured on the pays any attention to him. proceeded, Welles decided that he wanted film that it won only one—for Best Original KANE to claim sole authorship of the screenplay. Screenplay, which Mank and Welles shared. I’m not criticizing, Mr. Some sources indicate that when Mankiewicz The film soon disappeared from theaters and Carter, but here’s what I objected, Welles offered him $10,000 to take was quickly forgotten. mean. There’s a front page story in the “Chronicle,” his name off the script. Herman refused and Following Kane, Mank went forward with (points to it) threatened to take the fight to the Screen his career, working on the screenplays for and a picture -- of a woman Writers Guild. Eventually, Welles backed films such as Rise and Shine (1941), The in who is missing. Probably murdered. down and the two agreed to share credit, with Enchanted Cottage (1945), and The Pride of (looks to make sure of Mank in first position. The battle left a bitter St. Louis (1952) and winning a second Oscar® the name) taste in both men’s mouths. For decades after- nomination (shared with Jo Swerling) for The A Mrs. Harry Silverstone. Why didn’t the “Enquirer” ward, Welles would claim that he did most of Pride of the Yankees (1942). He also contin- have that this morning? the writing on Kane, minimizing or denying ued to struggle with his personal demons, as outright Mankiewicz’s contributions to the well as with some belated retaliation from CARTER (stiffly) project. As for Mank, he retaliated in charac- Hearst. (Following a 1943 traffic accident Because we’re running a teristic fashion by making Welles the target of that the screenwriter caused, the Hearst pa- newspaper, Mr. Kane, not a his vicious sense of humor. (He nicknamed pers mounted a smear campaign against him scandal sheet. Welles “Monstro” and once remarked, upon that was so intense that Mank finally had to Kane has finished eating. He seeing Welles pass by, “There but for the grace appeal to the American Civil Liberties Union pushes away his plates. of God, goes God.”) for relief.) Herman J. Mankiewicz died on As expected, the finished film proved to be March 5, 1953. KANE I’m still hungry, Brad. extremely controversial. When Hearst learned RKO finally re-released Citizen Kane in Let’s go to Rector’s and get (after Mank, for reasons unknown, gave a 1956, and it began appearing regularly on something decent. copy of the script to his friend , television and in revival houses after that. (pointing to the “Chroni- cle” before him) Marion Davies’ nephew) that he was the basis Rediscovered by audiences, critics and schol- The “Chronicle” has a two- for Citizen Kane, he threatened (through ars, the film was eventually recognized as a column headline, Mr. Carter. his intermediaries, most specifically gossip masterpiece and has since been consistently Why haven’t we? columnist whose column ran hailed as the finest American film ever made. CARTER in Hearst’s papers) to expose the scandals and Simply having written the script for such a There is no news big enough. secrets of Hollywood’s top stars and talent if film would be reason enough to celebrate the film were released. To avoid antagonizing Herman J. Mankiewicz. But, the powerhouse KANE the publishing magnate, a group of studio talent and skill that allowed him to create such If the headline is big enough, it makes the news heads led by MGM’s Louis B. Mayer offered an amazing work—its startlingly original and big enough. RKO $800,000 (most of which was allegedly complex structure, its deft characterizations,

96 Script magazine www.scriptmag.com