RKO 281

RKO 281

What went on the screen was nothing compared to what went on behind the scenes.

1999 · 84 min · ★ 6.5 · Drama, History, TV Movie

In 1939, boy-wonder Orson Welles leaves New York, where he has succeeded in radio and theater, and, hired by RKO Pictures, moves to Hollywood with the purpose of making his first film.

Directed by Benjamin Ross · Written by John Logan

Your Rating

Where to Watch

Streaming

HBO Max Amazon ChannelHBO Max

Cast

Make it a double feature

3h 3m together

Both from Benjamin Ross.

More from Benjamin RossSee all →

Testament: The Story of MosesTestament: The Story of Moses · 2024
Testament: The Story of Moses
★ 7.22024
SeriesDocumentaryDrama
This illuminating docudrama series chronicles Moses' remarkable life as a prince, prophet and more with insights from theologians and historians.
The Frankenstein ChroniclesThe Frankenstein Chronicles · 2015
The Frankenstein Chronicles
★ 7.02015
SeriesSci-Fi & FantasyDrama
Inspector John Marlott investigates a series of crimes in 19th century London, which may have been committed by a scientist intent on re-animating the dead.
Poppy ShakespearePoppy Shakespeare · 2008
Poppy Shakespeare
★ 6.82008
MovieDrama
N has been a day patient at north London's Dorothy Fish day hospital for 13 years - her ambition is never to leave. Then she meets glamourous new patient Poppy Shakespeare, an ad agency receptionist convinced she's not mad.
The Young Poisoner's HandbookThe Young Poisoner's Handbook · 1995
The Young Poisoner's Handbook
★ 6.71995
MovieComedyCrime
Graham Young is a teenage misfit living in suburban London in the 1960s. He hates his stepmother but loves chemistry, and the two impulses unite in a wicked plot to slowly poison her. After she dies, he's found guilty and sent to a psychiatric hospital, where an idealistic doctor thinks he can be cured.
ThorneThorne · 2010
Thorne
★ 6.42010
SeriesCrimeDrama
DI Tom Thorne finds himself dragged back into the nightmares of his past as he races against time to find a serial killer who carries out unusual attacks on young women.
Thorne: ScaredycatThorne: Scaredycat · 2010
Thorne: Scaredycat
★ 6.22010
MovieCrimeDrama
Two women have been murdered within hours of one another near St. Pancras station, but in quite different ways. When a connection is made with two other murders which occurred months before, but also on the same day, DI Thorne realizes two serial killers may be at work in a macabre partnership

More Like This

Walk on WaterWalk on Water · 2004
Walk on Water
★ 6.92004
MovieDrama
Eyal, an Israeli Mossad agent, is given the mission to track down and kill the very old Alfred Himmelman, an ex-Nazi officer, who might still be alive. Pretending to be a tourist guide, he befriends his grandson Axel, in Israel to visit his sister Pia. The two men set out on a tour of the country, during which Axel challenges Eyal's values.
Barton FinkBarton Fink · 1991
Barton Fink
★ 7.51991
MovieComedyDrama
A renowned New York playwright is enticed to California to write for the movies and discovers the hellish truth of Hollywood.
Rome, Open CityRome, Open City · 1945
Rome, Open City
★ 8.01945
MovieDramaWar
During the Nazi occupation of 1944 Rome, Resistance leader Giorgio Manfredi is pursued by the Nazis as he seeks refuge and a means of escape.
Lisbon StoryLisbon Story · 1994
Lisbon Story
★ 7.21994
MovieDramaMusic
Wim Wenders' homage to Lisbon and films. A sound engineer obtains a mysterious postcard from a friend who at the moment is filming a film in Lisbon. He sets out across Europe to find him and help him.
Walk the LineWalk the Line · 2005
Walk the Line
★ 7.52005
MovieDramaMusic
A chronicle of country music legend Johnny Cash's life, from his early days on an Arkansas cotton farm to his rise to fame with Sun Records in Memphis, where he recorded alongside Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis and Carl Perkins.
Bad EducationBad Education · 2004
Bad Education
★ 7.42004
MovieDramaCrime
When an old friend brings filmmaker Enrique Goded a semi-autobiographical script chronicling their adolescence, Enrique is forced to relive his youth spent at a Catholic boarding school. Weaving through past and present, the script follows a transvestite performer who reconnects with a grade school sweetheart. Spurred on by this chance encounter, the character reflects on her childhood sexual victimization and the trauma of closeting her sexual orientation.
Everything Is IlluminatedEverything Is Illuminated · 2005
Everything Is Illuminated
★ 7.22005
MovieComedyDrama
A young Jewish American man endeavors—with the help of eccentric, distant relatives—to find the woman who saved his grandfather during World War II—in a Ukrainian village which was ultimately razed by the Nazis.
The Arrival of a Train at La CiotatThe Arrival of a Train at La Ciotat · 1896
The Arrival of a Train at La Ciotat
★ 7.11896
MovieHistoryDocumentary
A group of people are standing along the platform of a railway station in La Ciotat, waiting for a train. One is seen coming, at some distance, and eventually stops at the platform. Doors of the railway-cars open and attendants help passengers off and on. Popular legend has it that, when this film was shown, the first-night audience fled the café in terror, fearing being run over by the "approaching" train. This legend has since been identified as promotional embellishment, though there is evidence to suggest that people were astounded at the capabilities of the Lumières' cinématographe.
The GodfatherThe Godfather · 1972
The Godfather
★ 8.71972
MovieDramaCrime
Spanning the years 1945 to 1955, a chronicle of the fictional Italian-American Corleone crime family. When organized crime family patriarch, Vito Corleone barely survives an attempt on his life, his youngest son, Michael steps in to take care of the would-be killers, launching a campaign of bloody revenge.
Natural Born KillersNatural Born Killers · 1994
Natural Born Killers
★ 7.01994
MovieCrimeThriller
Two victims of traumatized childhoods become lovers and serial murderers irresponsibly glorified by the mass media.
The Railway Children ReturnThe Railway Children Return · 2022
The Railway Children Return
★ 6.52022
MovieDramaFamily
Follow a group of children who are evacuated to a Yorkshire village during the Second World War, where they encounter a young soldier who, like them, is far away from home.
King KongKing Kong · 2005
King Kong
★ 6.92005
MovieAdventureDrama
In 1933 New York, an overly ambitious movie producer coerces his cast and hired ship crew to travel to mysterious Skull Island, where they encounter Kong, a giant ape who is immediately smitten with the leading lady.
ContemptContempt · 1963
Contempt
★ 7.01963
MovieDramaRomance
Art film producer Jeremy Prokosch, unhappy with the work of his director, hires Fritz Lang (as himself) to direct an adaptation of The Odyssey, but when it seems that the legendary filmmaker is making a picture destined to bomb, he brings in a screenwriter to energise the script. The professional intersects with the personal when a rift develops between the writer and his wife.
The Shawshank RedemptionThe Shawshank Redemption · 1994
The Shawshank Redemption
★ 8.71994
MovieDramaCrime
Imprisoned in the 1940s for the double murder of his wife and her lover, upstanding banker Andy Dufresne begins a new life at the Shawshank prison, where he puts his accounting skills to work for an amoral warden. During his long stretch in prison, Dufresne comes to be admired by the other inmates -- including an older prisoner named Red -- for his integrity and unquenchable sense of hope.
CapoteCapote · 2005
Capote
★ 7.02005
MovieCrimeDrama
A biopic of writer Truman Capote and his assignment for The New Yorker to write the non-fiction book "In Cold Blood".

More on MaxSee all →

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's StoneHarry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone · 2001
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
★ 7.92001
MovieAdventureFantasy
Harry Potter has lived under the stairs at his aunt and uncle's house his whole life. But on his 11th birthday, he learns he's a powerful wizard—with a place waiting for him at the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. As he learns to harness his newfound powers with the help of the school's kindly headmaster, Harry uncovers the truth about his parents' deaths—and about the villain who's to blame.
InterstellarInterstellar · 2014
Interstellar
★ 8.52014
MovieAdventureDrama
The adventures of a group of explorers who make use of a newly discovered wormhole to surpass the limitations on human space travel and conquer the vast distances involved in an interstellar voyage.
SupergirlSupergirl · 2026
Supergirl
★ 6.72026
MovieActionAdventure
When an unexpected and ruthless adversary strikes too close to home, Kara Zor-El, aka Supergirl, reluctantly joins forces with an unlikely companion on an epic, interstellar journey of vengeance and justice.
Dune: Part TwoDune: Part Two · 2024
Dune: Part Two
★ 8.12024
MovieScience FictionAdventure
Follow the mythic journey of Paul Atreides as he unites with Chani and the Fremen while on a path of revenge against the conspirators who destroyed his family. Facing a choice between the love of his life and the fate of the known universe, Paul endeavors to prevent a terrible future only he can foresee.
The Suicide SquadThe Suicide Squad · 2021
The Suicide Squad
★ 7.42021
MovieActionComedy
Supervillains Harley Quinn, Bloodsport, Peacemaker and a collection of nutty cons at Belle Reve prison join the super-secret, super-shady Task Force X as they are dropped off at the remote, enemy-infused island of Corto Maltese.
DuneDune · 2021
Dune
★ 7.82021
MovieScience FictionAdventure
Paul Atreides, a brilliant and gifted young man born into a great destiny beyond his understanding, must travel to the most dangerous planet in the universe to ensure the future of his family and his people. As malevolent forces explode into conflict over the planet's exclusive supply of the most precious resource in existence - a commodity capable of unlocking humanity's greatest potential - only those who can conquer their fear will survive.
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the KingThe Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King · 2003
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
★ 8.52003
MovieAdventureFantasy
As armies mass for a final battle that will decide the fate of the world--and powerful, ancient forces of Light and Dark compete to determine the outcome--one member of the Fellowship of the Ring is revealed as the noble heir to the throne of the Kings of Men. Yet, the sole hope for triumph over evil lies with a brave hobbit, Frodo, who, accompanied by his loyal friend Sam and the hideous, wretched Gollum, ventures deep into the very dark heart of Mordor on his seemingly impossible quest to destroy the Ring of Power.​
The Dark KnightThe Dark Knight · 2008
The Dark Knight
★ 8.52008
MovieActionThriller
Batman raises the stakes in his war on crime. With the help of Lt. Jim Gordon and District Attorney Harvey Dent, Batman sets out to dismantle the remaining criminal organizations that plague the streets. The partnership proves to be effective, but they soon find themselves prey to a reign of chaos unleashed by a rising criminal mastermind known to the terrified citizens of Gotham as the Joker.
The BatmanThe Batman · 2022
The Batman
★ 7.72022
MovieCrimeMystery
In his second year of fighting crime, Batman uncovers corruption in Gotham City that connects to his own family while facing a serial killer known as the Riddler.
No Sudden MoveNo Sudden Move · 2021
No Sudden Move
★ 6.42021
MovieCrimeThriller
A group of criminals are brought together under mysterious circumstances and have to work together to uncover what's really going on when their simple job goes completely sideways.
InceptionInception · 2010
Inception
★ 8.42010
MovieActionScience Fiction
Cobb, a skilled thief who commits corporate espionage by infiltrating the subconscious of his targets is offered a chance to regain his old life as payment for a task considered to be impossible: "inception", the implantation of another person's idea into a target's subconscious.
Harry Potter and the Goblet of FireHarry Potter and the Goblet of Fire · 2005
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
★ 7.82005
MovieAdventureFantasy
When his name emerges from the Goblet of Fire, Harry Potter becomes a competitor in a grueling battle for glory among three wizarding schools. Signs of Voldemort's return emerge as Harry's friends help him prepare for the Triwizard Tournament.
The MatrixThe Matrix · 1999
The Matrix
★ 8.31999
MovieActionScience Fiction
Set in the 22nd century, The Matrix tells the story of a computer hacker who joins a group of underground insurgents fighting the vast and powerful computers who now rule the earth.
The Nun IIThe Nun II · 2023
The Nun II
★ 6.62023
MovieHorror
In 1956 France, a priest is violently murdered, and Sister Irene begins to investigate. She once again comes face-to-face with a powerful evil.
The Dark Knight RisesThe Dark Knight Rises · 2012
The Dark Knight Rises
★ 7.82012
MovieActionCrime
Following the death of District Attorney Harvey Dent, Batman assumes responsibility for Dent's crimes to protect the late attorney's reputation and is subsequently hunted by the Gotham City Police Department. Eight years later, Batman encounters the mysterious Selina Kyle and the villainous Bane, a new terrorist leader who overwhelms Gotham's finest. The Dark Knight resurfaces to protect a city that has branded him an enemy.
Justice LeagueJustice League · 2017
Justice League
★ 6.12017
MovieActionAdventure
Fuelled by his restored faith in humanity and inspired by Superman's selfless act, Bruce Wayne and Diana Prince assemble a team of metahumans consisting of Barry Allen, Arthur Curry and Victor Stone to face the catastrophic threat of Steppenwolf and the Parademons who are on the hunt for three Mother Boxes on Earth.
The PrestigeThe Prestige · 2006
The Prestige
★ 8.22006
MovieDramaMystery
A mysterious story of two magicians whose intense rivalry leads them on a life-long battle for supremacy -- full of obsession, deceit and jealousy with dangerous and deadly consequences.
The HangoverThe Hangover · 2009
The Hangover
★ 7.32009
MovieComedy
When three friends finally come to after a raucous night of bachelor-party revelry, they find a baby in the closet and a tiger in the bathroom. But they can't seem to locate their best friend, Doug – who's supposed to be tying the knot. Launching a frantic search for Doug, the trio perseveres through a nasty hangover to try to make it to the church on time.
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the RingThe Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring · 2001
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
★ 8.42001
MovieAdventureFantasy
Young hobbit Frodo Baggins, after inheriting a mysterious ring from his uncle Bilbo, must leave his home in order to keep it from falling into the hands of its evil creator. Along the way, a fellowship is formed to protect the ringbearer and make sure that the ring arrives at its final destination: Mt. Doom, the only place where it can be destroyed.
Ocean's ElevenOcean's Eleven · 2001
Ocean's Eleven
★ 7.52001
MovieThrillerCrime
Less than 24 hours into his parole, charismatic thief Danny Ocean is already rolling out his next plan: In one night, Danny's hand-picked crew of specialists will attempt to steal more than $150 million from three Las Vegas casinos. But to score the cash, Danny risks his chances of reconciling with ex-wife, Tess.

Rate this film

Your ratings make Midnight smarter