FourAct Play

In "FourAct Play" 24-year-old Orson Welles gets the chance to produce "any film he likes", due to the groundbreaking success of his radio-shocker "War of the Worlds". The film starts when Welles has already moved to Hollywood and press and public have already become a little tired of awaiting the new wunderkind's first picture. Friends advice Welles to visit veteran screenwriter Herman J. Mankiewicz, who at first does not seem to be interested in helping Welles at all. Welles tries to convince Mankiewicz of his abilities, but seemingly fails to impress him. By the end of act one, Orson Welles has run out of stories, when Mankiewicz surprisingly agrees to collaborate on a screenplay about press-zsar William Randolph Hearst. Three weeks later at a post-award party, Welles and Mankiewicz, as nominees for a prize they did not win, meet their host and fellow nominee Mitch Rathbone, who despite his expectations did not win either. Welles is confused by Hollywood in general, and especially by their host's wife Emily Foster Rathbone who warns him heavily of not provoking Hearst. Nevertheless, Welles and Mankiewicz continue to write their "American Tragedy" the very same night. As they do, we witness how they make up their minds, and even by being by themselves, try to outshine one another, ignoring that they might get burned.