Rating: 
Summary: Great story, outstanding acting!
Review: Everyone knows that Citizen Kane is the greatest movie of all time, but this movie pretty much filled me in on what was going on with the making of the film! The reason I even bothered to watch this movie at all was because it stared Liev Schreiber, one of the best young up and coming actors I have seen. When you watch this movie you believe that Mr. Schreiber is Orson Wells. His acting in this film is simply outstanding in everyway! This is definitely one of those movies that you can't walk away from. The struggle that Orson went through just to get his picture released is something straight out of a soap opera! The absolutely amazing thing about him is that he was 26 when he created his classic piece of film. This is an excellent movie to watch if you are interested at all in Orson Wells and early Hollywood movie making, Liev is simply great and very believable, I was very pleased and entertained. Definitely check this one out!
Rating: 
Summary: Condensed history - but what can you expect?
Review: Excellent, solid documentary, though as one other reviewer pointed out, its a touch superficial, following the VH1 Behind The Music formula - fame, fortune, excess, leading to nothingness and scandal - and though that is true with this story, there's so much else that they could have focused on - nevertheless for what its worth, its still a very informative and accurate documentary with respect to what you're actually seeing.
Rating:
Summary: Schreiber Casts Good Shadow of Welles
Review: How can you capture the persona of Orson Welles without finding the essense of that wonderful vocal instrument that was his hallmark? You can't, but thankfully Liev Schreiber comes amazingly close to doing justice to Welles vocal delivery. If you're a Welles fan you'll recognize how Schreiber has studied and nearly mastered Welles' unique vocal delivery cadence: this is the most interesting aspect of the movie for me. The story is absorbing, especially if you are not familiar with it; well worth the viewing time. I recommend it.
Rating:
Summary: Another Welles Fanatic Served (and served quite well)
Review: I am a huge Orson Welles fan, and this film was a delight. Leiv Schriber's portrayal is fantastic- it covers the boyish, young genius of the man....even though it leaves out some of the dangerous, passionate explosivness. To find that, one must look to Cradle Will Rock, and Angus McFayden. Nevertheless, it is a wonderful performance and is a delight to behold. And Welles fan, and/or Citizen Kane fan will find this film fascinating. Others may find it merely enjoyable. Great supporting work from John Malkovitch help out- but unfortunately the performance from Melanie Griffith (as Marion Davies) leaves a bad taste. "Cradle will Rock"'s use of Marion Davies (played by Gretchen Mol, with no lines at all) was better used. BUT that would be the only detraction. A great film, but alas, a DVD with no extras at all. This film was a must own for me, but probably a must rent for others, I would guess. But I would still recommend it, if only to get the story out there and put Welles back on the mouths of the public.
Rating:
Summary: Interesting & Rare Insight into Hollywood's darkest secrets!
Review: I enjoyed this film much more than I actually enjoyed Citizen Kane itself. Apart from being a bit lengthy at times (not as lengthy as Citizen Kane, though), it is a perfect film about dark sides of Hollywood, about Orson Welles himself, and about "rich & famous". I do believe that this film is historically accurate, so if you are interested in Hollywood of 20-30's in general and in Orson Welles, in particular, you will really like this film.
Rating:
Summary: An edible version of historical events
Review: I have to disagree with those who look at this as an historical narrative. This is a great story of a man fighting against a system that treated its employees as slaves. Actors, directors and writers were loaned and traded at the whim of the powerful studio bosses at the time of Kane. This shows the will of one brash, arrogant, young man who dared to stand up to that power and fight for the film he thought should be made.
This may not be historically 100% accurate, but it doesn't need to be. It needs to be the spirit, not the letter. And I believe that it is. Wells was one of the most important people in the history of film, and this dramatizes his beginnings. We should view it as such, and not as a documentary about the making of Kane.
I am in the camp that feels that this is not even Welle's best film. I feel that Touch Of Evil is a better film. But if it were not for Kane, there would have been no Evil.
(Trivia, for the non-movie-buffs. In this film they ask Welles to direct a film version of War Of The Worlds. He actually wanted to direct a version of Conrad's "Heart of Darkness." The studio wouldn't let him. 30+ years later, Francis Ford Coppola wanted to film a version of "Heart of Darkness." Both times, the studio turned them down, saying it was not a viable film. While it may be argued that in the hands of Welles or Coppola "Darkness" may have been viable, this is an example of studios having divine inspiration. Their denials gave us Kane and The Godfather. Both were the second choices of the directors. Thank you RKO and Paramount.)
Rating:
Summary: An edible version of historical events
Review: I have to disagree with those who look at this as an historical narrative. This is a great story of a man fighting against a system that treated its employees as slaves. Actors, directors and writers were loaned and traded at the whim of the powerful studio bosses at the time of Kane. This shows the will of one brash, arrogant, young man who dared to stand up to that power and fight for the film he thought should be made.
This may not be historically 100% accurate, but it doesn't need to be. It needs to be the spirit, not the letter. And I believe that it is. Wells was one of the most important people in the history of film, and this dramatizes his beginnings. We should view it as such, and not as a documentary about the making of Kane.
I am in the camp that feels that this is not even Welle's best film. I feel that Touch Of Evil is a better film. But if it were not for Kane, there would have been no Evil.
(Trivia, for the non-movie-buffs. In this film they ask Welles to direct a film version of War Of The Worlds. He actually wanted to direct a version of Conrad's "Heart of Darkness." The studio wouldn't let him. 30+ years later, Francis Ford Coppola wanted to film a version of "Heart of Darkness." Both times, the studio turned them down, saying it was not a viable film. While it may be argued that in the hands of Welles or Coppola "Darkness" may have been viable, this is an example of studios having divine inspiration. Their denials gave us Kane and The Godfather. Both were the second choices of the directors. Thank you RKO and Paramount.)
Rating:
Summary: Great Story Of The Making Of Citizen Kane
Review: I saw this movie on TV over here during an Orson Welles day, right before they screened Citizen Kane, and it was a perfect prequel to the movie. I had seen neither before that night, and since have both become 2 of my all time favourites. Gritty and very frank look at Hollywood, sleaze, and corruption in the WWII era. John Malkovich is stupendous, as is Liev Schreiber. James Cromwell gives great support as well as the maniacal Hearst.
Rating: 
Summary: Fiction, not fact!
Review: I'm surprised to read positive reviews of this movie. If you are a fan of Citizen Kane, (the greatest movie ever made), and you want to find out about the real behind the scenes of the making of this classical movie, then don't watch this. RKO 281 comes across as a true story. Anyone familiar with the real story knows that there are so many made up events in this movie, it's laughable. Well's visit to Hearst's castle, never happened. Well's meeting with Hearst in an elevator, never happened. Walt Disney meeting with all the big studio executives on the future of Kane, never happened. The list goes on. Liev Schreiber's performance of Well's is way to tame. Well's would be tough to portray, being such a powerful presence. I just didn't buy Schreiber's Well's. Well's had as big an ego as Hearst. That was what was so fascinating about the conflict between Well's and Hearst. If you want to see the real story about the battle between Citizen Kane and Hearst, please see the Disc two in the Citizen Kane DVD, the documentary called "the Battle over Citizen Kane". The real story is more entertaining than RKO 128 and best of all, It's true!
Rating:
Summary: Fiction, not fact!
Review: I'm surprised to read positive reviews of this movie. If you are a fan of Citizen Kane, (the greatest movie ever made), and you want to find out about the real behind the scenes of the making of this classical movie, then don't watch this. RKO 281 comes across as a true story. Anyone familiar with the real story knows that there are so many made up events in this movie, it's laughable. Well's visit to Hearst's castle, never happened. Well's meeting with Hearst in an elevator, never happened. Walt Disney meeting with all the big studio executives on the future of Kane, never happened. The list goes on. Liev Schreiber's performance of Well's is way to tame. Well's would be tough to portray, being such a powerful presence. I just didn't buy Schreiber's Well's. Well's had as big an ego as Hearst. That was what was so fascinating about the conflict between Well's and Hearst. If you want to see the real story about the battle between Citizen Kane and Hearst, please see the Disc two in the Citizen Kane DVD, the documentary called "the Battle over Citizen Kane". The real story is more entertaining than RKO 128 and best of all, It's true!
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