RKO 281 Page #20

MANK:

(quietly)

Kid, you know how it ends too. It ends sadly.

He pulls Welles away from the theater and down the street.

INT. PALACE THEATER - NIGHT

We watch the faces

In the flickering blue light we watch the audience as we hear Bernard

Hermann's evocative and haunting opening music to CITIZEN KANE.

We slowly move across a sea of faces as the music plays. For everyone,

especially the movie people, what they are seeing is a revelation and a

revolution. It is a whole new way of seeing the world.

We see their amazement as they are mesmerized -- and their confusion as

they are challenged.

And we see George Schaefer, quietly proud.

Bernard Hermann's opening music continues to play until we finally

hear;

"KANE"

"Rosebud...

And the world of movies is forever changed

INT DESERTED BAR. NEW YORK NIGHT

Welles and Mank are sitting in a rundown, deserted bar

WELLES:

You know, all this nightmare we went through with

Hearst. The whole thing... And in the end, probably

no one will ever remember the picture anyway.

MANK:

Yeah, you're probably right.

A beat. Mank takes a drink.

MANK:

I'll tell ya something, kid. When you make your

masterpiece at 26 it's a b*tch. I mean. where do you

go from here?

A long pause

Then Welles speaks, softly.

WELLES:

Will burn. Burn up. Burn out. But oh, what a flame

He looks at Mank and toasts.

WELLES:

Cheers.

And Orson Welles smiles. Indomitable.

THE END.

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Setting

Primarily Hollywood and San Simeon, 1940-1941

Featured Characters

ORSON WELLES:
Boy Genius

Age at opening of the story, January 1940: 24.

WILLIAM RANDOLPH HEARST: Press Baron

Age at opening of the story, January 1940: 76

MARION DAVIES:
Hearst's Mistress

Age at opening of the story, January 1940: 43

HERMAN MANKIEWICZ ("MANK") : Writer

Age at opening of the story, January 1940: 43

GEORGE SCHAEFER:
RKO Studio Head, 50's

LOUELLA PARSONS:
Hearst Gossip Columnist, 60's

LOUIS B. MAYER:
Head of MGM, 50's.

HEDDA HOPPER:
Louella's Rival, 50's.

Also

Gregg Toland:
KANE Director of Photography

Joe Willicombe:
Hearst Assistant

Carole Lombard:
Movie star

David 0. Selznick: Independent Producer

Rita Hayworth:
Movie star

Jack Warner:
Head of Warner Brothers

Walt Disney:
Head of Disney

Sam Goldwyn:
Independent Producer

Harry Cohn:
Head of Columbia

Darryl Zanuck:
Head of 20th Century Fox

John Houseman:
Theatrical/Radio Producer

Paul Stewart:
KANE Actor

Joseph Cotton:
KANE Actor

Dorothy Commingore: KANE Actress

Bernard Hermann:
KANE Composer

Clark Gable:
Movie star

J. Edgar Hoover:
FBI Director

SONGS USED IN RKO 281

"I'LL BE SEEING YOU"

"WHERE OR WHEN"

"SING, SING, SING"

"DISGUSTINGLY RICH"

Music by Richard Rodgers, Lyrics by Lorenz Hart

Copyright 1954 by Chappell and Co., Inc.

[Lyrics adapted by the author.]

"I CAN'T GET STARTED"

Music by Ira Gershwin, Lyrics by Vernon Duke

Copyright 1935 by Chappell and Co., Inc.

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