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Citizen Kane (1941)



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Seldom are films so carefully crafted, and more seldom still do they have so much to say. Citizen Kane, Orson Welles' masterpiece, which he made at a very early age, is often jokingly called "the best German film Hollywood ever made" due to its similarity to the dark, haunting, surreal pictures Germany was producing at the time. More seriously, it is called, simply, "the best film ever made."

As with all great films, Citizen Kane's theme is completely absorbed in its characters. It presents them, then judges them, taking a firm moral stance. The characterization and acting are flawless. Joseph Cotten as Jedediah Leland, Agnes Moorehead as Kane's mother, and Orson Welles as Kane himself make particularly unforgettable impressions.

The central character, of course, is Charles Foster Kane, who utters the most famous dying word in all of filmdom in the opening scenes. "Rosebud." But what does it mean? A curious reporter, whose face we never see and whose shoulder we're always looking over, is determined to find out. He interviews the people Kane was closest to, and they tell their stories in flashback. Audiences of the day were unaccustomed to the non-linear chronology of the narrative; in 1941, it was unconventional to say the least.

The glimpses we get of Kane's life, from varying points of view, are haunting, tragic, and resounding. Kane's life was a grand success in politics and business -- less so in domestic terms. But had he found what was so important to him that he'd make it his dying thought? Finding out is a fascinating experience, one of the most involving cinema has to offer.

The film is a grand if harsh statement on the human spirit. Equally compelling is how meticulously the film is constructed. Every frame is so purposefully composed, every line of dialogue and stage direction so carefully planned, all to further its theme and punctuate the action. Volumes have been written about the artistry in Citizen Kane and still there is more to say. Conscious decisions were made about every detail -- how far apart characters stand from each other, where individual shadows fall, what objects appear in the background, etc. One famous shot involves Kane and Leland talking to each other. Leland is drunk and spouting off at Kane. The camera shoots the scene from floor-level, which, aided by Leland's wavering drunkenness, turns the moment into a surreal, dreamlike tempest of emotions.

Most of the techniques Welles employed to make the film had been used before, but never in such a dynamic manner, or in such quantity and diversity, or with such consistent effectiveness. And they were all employed in service to the film's complex subject matter, as is proper but which is often not the case.

What's Citizen Kane all about? Answering that question is what first-time viewers and long-time critics have been pondering since the film's release. Coming up with valid insight is not difficult, but comprehending all this film has to offer, even after repeated viewings, is. In other words, there's always more to see and learn by watching Citizen Kane yet one more time.

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