RKO 281

R

1999

1h 23m

Drama

List

92%

13 Reviews

Tomatometer

75%

2,500+ Ratings

Audience Score

Orson Welles (Liev Schreiber), all charisma and stubborn vision, is signed to direct films for RKO Pictures with a startling amount of creative freedom. Welles decides to make production number 281 a disguised biopic of media tycoon William Randolph Hearst (James Cromwell), a film which would come to be known as "Citizen Kane." But Welles doesn't understand just how much clout Hearst yields. When he gets word of the unflattering production, Hearst does everything in his power to stop it.

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Michael W

This HBO movie was really good. Liev Schreiber, John Malkovich, James Cromwell, Melanie Griffith, Roy Scheider, and the rest of the cast did a fantastic job in this movie. This true story about filmmaker Orson Welles making his movie masterpiece Citizen Kane and William Randolph Hearst's attempt to prevent the movie from released was dramatic, entertaining, and inspirational. It's about never letting anyone get the best of you so you can do what you've always dreamed of doing. If you haven't seen this movie yet, check it out sometime. It's a definite must see.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

09/06/23

Full Review

Audience Member

On it's own, this plays out like a lot of other biographies I've watched recently with this having a bit more source material to it than others. This probably isn't the 4 of 5 I have it at but it made Citizen Kane watchable after having it spoiled by a big mouth brother of mine, even if it is now from a more jaded point of view.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/07/23

Full Review

s r

Saw it for the Welles story. He's a fascinating person. It was informative, but I don't need to see it again. It was on HBO.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

Audience Member

The two-plus hours of Mank are dealt with here in about 15 minutes, an act of dramatic concision typical of Welles, even as the rest of this drama-turned-documentary-turned-docudrama is far hammier than (even) the Maestro would go for.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

01/30/23

Full Review

Audience Member

RKO 281 gives a great account of the times, and the way that Hollywood worked in the 30s and 40s. While the details of the demise of Randolf Hearst may be a bit off and some details about Hollywood, the film covers the way things worked and how powers interacted pretty well. My family was very close to the Hearst family and I know more details about the demise of the Hearsts than I'll ever tell. I can say the film got the important parts correct, without delving into the animosity between Hearst and the State of California. Liev Schrieber doesn't look like Orson Welles - but so what? That is irrelevant. He captures the arrogance of Welles very well. It's a slow film by today's standards, but that gives you time to take in the theme, and the moral ambiguity, and think while you're watching.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

01/22/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Schrieber brings Orson Welles to life with a fantastic performance telling the story of making "Citizen Cane". There's much more drama and humor to it than I expected. Like the recent "Trumbo" film, this is a work best enjoyed by Hollywood history fans and cinema geeks.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/01/23

Full Review

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Benjamin Ross

Director

Liev Schreiber

Orson Welles

James Cromwell

William Randolph Hearst

Melanie Griffith

Marion Davies

John Malkovich

Herman Mankiewicz

Brenda Blethyn

Louella Parsons

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John Leonard

New York Magazine/Vulture

I'm not saying that RKO 281 is any sort of Citizen Kane, but it's got the same appealing insouciance, plus a much more satisfying and dirty-minded explanation of the true meaning of Rosebud.

Feb 6, 2018

Full Review

Emanuel Levy

EmanuelLevy.Com

Rated: 2/5

Aug 11, 2005

Full Review

Emily Blunt

Blunt Review

This hardly seen film is a great watch for ANY Welles fan.

Rated: 4/5

Apr 8, 2005

Full Review

James Sanford

Kalamazoo Gazette

entertaining; Schreiber is excellent

Rated: 4/5

Mar 11, 2005

Full Review

Bob Bloom

Journal and Courier (Lafayette, IN)

Wonderful TV movie about the pressures and ego clashes and politics surrounding the making of Citizen Kane.

Rated: 3/5

Oct 19, 2004

Full Review

Mike McGranaghan

Aisle Seat

Rated: 4/5

Aug 3, 2003

Full Review

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Synopsis

Orson Welles (Liev Schreiber), all charisma and stubborn vision, is signed to direct films for RKO Pictures with a startling amount of creative freedom. Welles decides to make production number 281 a disguised biopic of media tycoon William Randolph Hearst (James Cromwell), a film which would come to be known as "Citizen Kane." But Welles doesn't understand just how much clout Hearst yields. When he gets word of the unflattering production, Hearst does everything in his power to stop it.

Director: Benjamin Ross
Producer: Ridley Scott, Tony Scott
Screenwriter: John Logan
Production Co: HBO Pictures, Scott Free Productions, WGBH
Rating: R, TV-MA
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): Feb 24, 2021
Runtime: 1h 23m

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