The Mad Dog of Europe

The unproduced works of cinema’s great auteurs have often become the stuff of legend, from Kubrick’s Napoleon to Jodorowsky’s Dune. But perhaps none of these projects had a mission as urgent as Herman Mankiewicz’s The Mad Dog of Europe; the Citizen Kane screenwriter conceived the film as an attack on Adolf Hitler himself. Though he developed the film in the early 1930s, Mankiewicz already recognized the existential threat posed by the Nazis, and fought against censors and studios to bring his vision to light. Hitler believed that cinema had unprecedented potential to sway the masses, and Mankiewicz sought to use Hitler’s own tool to defeat him. 

This eponymous documentary explores the incredible story of The Mad Dog of Europe. Interviews with Mankiewicz’s family, along with fascinating archival work, excavate an as-of-yet untold story from film history. What begins as a portrait of the writer’s life becomes refracted, illuminating the antisemitism Mankiewicz faced both abroad and in Hollywood. —David Cohn

Rubika Shah is a British documentary filmmaker whose work focuses on activism, music, and social justice. Her debut feature White Riot (2020), which explores the Rock Against Racism movement in 1970s Britain, premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival and was nominated for a BAFTA Award. She has also directed short films and television projects examining contemporary political and cultural movements. Shah’s work is known for its energetic, archival-driven storytelling and engagement with youth-led activism.