Citizen Kane

Charles F Kane is an orphan who inherits a vast amount of fame and fortune, but chooses to devote his life to running a paper company called The Inquirer. The movie starts with Kane dying while dropping a snowglobe and a production being made about his life with the mystery of Kane’s last words “Rosebud” still left to be solved. It’s a film about how a man’s greatest strains his life and relationships.  This movie sets the gold standard for cinematic techniques: best miniatures, deep focus, shot blocking, etc. Described as one of the great American experiences. Every shot is executing an idea. Starting off with such a creepy intro almost makes it feel like an original movie monster movie with a cool golf course, castle, monkey - just over the top theatrical. Once again we see lots of text on the screen in the intro. The end death message cutting the camera and changing the movie from narrative biography to typical conversational scenes.  Unreliable narrator brought into film - never get a clear picture of who Kane is because no one view can properly summarize one person’s life and impact. The film ends without tying up the story. Introduced the idea of montages which iconically is seen with the dinner scene between Kane and Emily who progressively more further apart as does their marriage. The camera passes through objects seamlessly making the audience feel omnipotent. Low camera angles make Kane feel larger than life. Welles use of the camera angles and techniques to tell a story would be revolutionary in the future of cinema. This film also introduces deep focus as each scene includes the entire set with a wide aperature so the audience digests the movie as you would a painting. The editing in this movie is really great. Wipes and transitions are able to superimpose images without losing dramatic tension. The transition of the museum curator and reporter walking towards a large door to obtain thatcher’s manuscript is very interesting and a really nice editing touch, then the door shadows fade to black. The viewer is taken on a labyrinth of scenes from end to beginning back to end; you already know everything that happens during the film from the opening scene, so the rest of the movie is about why these things happened and why they matter in the jigsaw puzzle of a man’s life. Essentially any great film in the future would have to take from this film in order to be defined as a masterpiece.  The structure of this movie was revolutionary for the time. It starts with a scene near the end of the film, then backtracks to Kane’s childhood to follow through the rest of his life. Cinematography is rather remarkable allowing this movie to take one multiple personalities: 4th wall break from Mr. Thatcher when Kane rejects his inheritance and Comedic timing: “scuse me” one after another breaking up the conversation as Kane moves into Carter’s office.  Very distinct character composition: LeLand who is praying on his downfall and both wives who are either clearly good or bad for him. The reporter we’re following is William Alland who is a face-less character.  Acting is very very good especially given most of them are making their big-screen debuts. Orsen Welles being not only the lead, but also the director shows his immense talent - mind you he was only 25 years old. The second best performance in the movie is by Joseph Cotten as LeLand. I thought everyone was good except Dorothy Comingore as Susan Alexander Kane, she reminds me of the “over the top acting” you’d seen in films from earlier eras, but she is completely unbelievable - almost feels like she should be in an entirely different movie.  Kane’s promises speech about running for governor feels inspired by Adolf Hitler. What’s interesting is that Orsen Welles once sat next to Hitler and said that he had no personality and made no impression on him at all.  I really like the scene where Getty blackmails Kane to drop out of the race for governor by having his mistress write his wife a note. I think the blocking and camera angles are really interesting and Welles’ acting is showcased very well. The chaos of all the people on stage at the opera house is visually interesting. Mirrors walking down the hall after he destroys Susans room. The sets are very grandiose.  “Mr Kane was a man who got everything he wanted, and then lost it. Maybe Rosebud was something he couldn't get or something he lost. Anyway, it wouldn't have explained anything. I don't think any word can explain a man's life. No, I guess Rosebud is just a piece in a jigsaw puzzle, a missing piece.” Then you see the burning toboggan with the word Rosebud titled on it, symbolizing his lost innocence and happier times of his childhood, that despite all of his fame and fortune, he could never get back.  Quotes: “You were always too old” “If I hadn’t been very rich I might been a great man” “What would you like to be?” “Everything you hate” “If the headline is big enough it makes the news big enough” “Love. That’s why he did everything”  “If you don’t listen to reason it may be too late”  “You don’t suppose...” “Nothing to suppose” "You don't know what it means when the whole world just doesn't want you" “You never give me anything I really care about” “You don’t love me, you want me to love you”