Citizen Kane

Citizen Kane
William Rose · Public domain · source
Name	Citizen Kane
Director	Orson Welles
Producer	Orson Welles
Writer	Orson Welles, Herman J. Mankiewicz
Starring	Orson Welles, Joseph Cotten, Dorothy Comingore, Everett Sloane, Ray Collins, George Coulouris, Agnes Moorehead, Paul Stewart, Ruth Warrick, Erskine Sanford, William Alland
Music	Bernard Herrmann
Cinematography	Gregg Toland
Editing	Mark Robson, Robert Wise
Studio	RKO Pictures, Mercury Theatre
Released	1941
Runtime	119 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$839,727

Citizen Kane is a 1941 American drama film directed, produced, and co-written by Orson Welles, often cited as one of the greatest films of all time, alongside Casablanca, The Godfather, and 2001: A Space Odyssey. The film stars Orson Welles as Charles Foster Kane, a character loosely based on William Randolph Hearst, Howard Hughes, and Samuel Insull, and features a talented ensemble cast, including Joseph Cotten, Dorothy Comingore, and Agnes Moorehead. With its innovative cinematography by Gregg Toland and editing by Mark Robson and Robert Wise, RKO Pictures and Mercury Theatre brought this groundbreaking film to life. The film's score, composed by Bernard Herrmann, adds to the overall cinematic experience, making it a classic of American cinema, often screened at film festivals like Cannes Film Festival and Academy Awards.

Production

The production of Citizen Kane was a collaborative effort between Orson Welles and Herman J. Mankiewicz, with contributions from John Houseman and William Alland. The film was shot on a relatively low budget of $839,727, which was provided by RKO Pictures, and was produced by Mercury Theatre, a company co-founded by Orson Welles and John Houseman. The film's cinematographer, Gregg Toland, used innovative techniques such as deep focus and low-angle shots to create a unique visual style, influenced by the works of F.W. Murnau and Erich von Stroheim. The film's cast, including Joseph Cotten, Dorothy Comingore, and Agnes Moorehead, was largely composed of actors from Orson Welles's Mercury Theatre company, which had previously produced plays like Julius Caesar and The Cradle Will Rock. The film's score, composed by Bernard Herrmann, was influenced by the works of Igor Stravinsky and Béla Bartók, and featured a unique blend of jazz and classical music.

Plot

The plot of Citizen Kane follows the story of Charles Foster Kane, a wealthy and powerful newspaper tycoon, as he rises to prominence and eventually dies under mysterious circumstances. The film is presented in a non-linear fashion, with multiple narrators and timelines, and features a complex web of characters, including Susan Alexander Kane, Jedediah Leland, and Mr. Bernstein. The film's narrative is influenced by the lives of William Randolph Hearst, Howard Hughes, and Samuel Insull, and features references to historical events like the Spanish-American War and the Great Depression. The film's characters are also influenced by literary figures like Jay Gatsby and Dorian Gray, and feature complex psychological motivations, explored through the use of flashbacks and dream sequences. The film's climax features a dramatic confrontation between Charles Foster Kane and Susan Alexander Kane, set against the backdrop of Xanadu, Kane's sprawling estate, which was inspired by Hearst Castle and The Breakers.

Themes

The themes of Citizen Kane are complex and multifaceted, and include explorations of power, corruption, and the American Dream. The film critiques the excesses of capitalism and the bourgeoisie, and features a scathing portrayal of the media and its role in shaping public opinion. The film also explores the psychological effects of isolation and loneliness, and features a nuanced portrayal of the human condition, influenced by the works of Sigmund Freud and Carl Jung. The film's use of symbolism and metaphor adds depth and complexity to its themes, and features references to mythology and literature, including Shakespeare's Macbeth and Dostoevsky's Crime and Punishment. The film's exploration of identity and self-discovery is also influenced by the works of James Joyce and Virginia Woolf, and features a unique blend of modernism and postmodernism.

Reception

The reception of Citizen Kane was initially mixed, with some critics praising its innovative cinematography and direction, while others found its non-linear narrative and complex characters confusing. The film was not a major commercial success, but it has since become a cult classic, and is widely regarded as one of the greatest films of all time, alongside Tokyo Story and The Rules of the Game. The film has been influential in the development of film noir and neorealism, and has inspired filmmakers like Martin Scorsese, Francis Ford Coppola, and Steven Spielberg. The film's influence can also be seen in the works of Alfred Hitchcock and Billy Wilder, and features references to German Expressionism and Surrealism. The film has been recognized by the Library of Congress as a National Film Registry landmark, and has been named as one of the greatest films of all time by Sight & Sound and The New York Times.

Legacy

The legacy of Citizen Kane is immense, and can be seen in the work of filmmakers like Stanley Kubrick and Terrence Malick. The film's innovative cinematography and direction have influenced generations of filmmakers, and its complex characters and non-linear narrative have become a benchmark for narrative storytelling. The film's exploration of power and corruption has also become a classic trope in American cinema, and has been referenced in films like The Godfather and Chinatown. The film's influence can also be seen in the works of David Lynch and Quentin Tarantino, and features references to film history and pop culture. The film has been named as one of the greatest films of all time by Roger Ebert and Pauline Kael, and continues to be widely studied and admired by film scholars and enthusiasts, including those at University of California, Los Angeles and New York University.

Film_technique

The film technique used in Citizen Kane is highly innovative, and features a range of groundbreaking cinematographic and editing techniques. The film's use of deep focus and low-angle shots creates a unique visual style, and its use of montage and cross-cutting adds to the film's complex narrative structure. The film's score, composed by Bernard Herrmann, is also highly influential, and features a unique blend of jazz and classical music. The film's use of sound design and special effects is also noteworthy, and features a range of innovative techniques, including the use of miniatures and matte painting. The film's influence can be seen in the work of filmmakers like Akira Kurosawa and Andrei Tarkovsky, and features references to Japanese cinema and Soviet cinema. The film's innovative technique has also been recognized by the American Society of Cinematographers and the Motion Picture Editors Guild, and continues to be widely studied and admired by film scholars and enthusiasts, including those at University of Southern California and Columbia University. Category:American films