Citizen Kane: A Review.

Orson Welles masterpiece was a film of many troubles. It was hated when it was released due to it’s in-the-wrong-light depiction of Hearst (a famous newspaper tycoon), who tried to get the film destroyed. Despite being nominated for many oscars, it only won one, for screenwriting. This was Orson Welles only oscar. But it got through all those troubles, and was eventually realized as one of the most important films ever to have been shot. I hope this review does justice to the film, as it truly is a cinematic chef-d’oeuvre.

Journalists struggle to understand newspaper magnate Charles Foster Kane’s last words (“Rosebud”), inspiring William Alland, a news reporter, to set out on a hunt for the true meaning.

Citizen Kane is a wonder of a film, being the very essence that is Orson Welles, relying on the fact that he got the once-in-a-lifetime chance to direct, produce, act, write and cast the whole movie, letting no-one else interfere. It was this very straightforward direction of the film that led it to become one of the most celebrated and influential masterpieces in the history of cinema.

Dark, melancholic themes run through Citizen Kane in a very subtle and intrinsic way, crafting what is some of the greater motifs that we as humans try to overlook. There is the desire for happiness, the corruption and power of fame, depression and solitude, and it gives the film it’s overall ambiance. It was this depression that controlled Welles, and led to him ‘being’ the character that he played: a lonely lugubrious pessimistic man who died alone, never finding what he desired. This impeccable acting on Welles behalf won him an oscar nomination for best actor. As for the other performances, Joseph Cotten is a delight as Kane’s best friend Jebediah Leland, as is Dorothy Comingore’s take on a repressed and maltreated ‘singer’ as Kane’s second wife, Susan.

As brilliant as the acting is the script, being very well-structured and aristocratic, as well as having many memorable lines. It gives all the actors a chance to perform at their best, and that’s just what they do.

Even more spectacular is the cinematography throughout the film. The bizarre and unique shots that Gregg Toland has utilized has been flawlessly perfected, taking some incredible scenes and and making them paradisaical. The lighting is used masterfully throughout the film, and with Tolands fantastic use of ‘Deep-focus’, this makes for the most beautiful of shots. Welles recognized Toland’s incredible contribution to the film and put his cinematography credit in the final title card of the film next to his own, showing his appreciation towards his efforts.

There is that unnoticed and dexterous way that this film performs every shot and every take. Many camera angles are shot down low to show the characters are ‘larger than life’, the many themes, like mentioned before, are profound in their presentation (for example, the theme ‘money can’t buy you happiness’ is reflected by Kane’s line ‘You know, Mr. Bernstein, if I hadn’t been very rich, I might have been a really great man’) and many counterparts of a characters personality are shown in a sui generis way (an example is Kane’s obsessive buying of statues, reflecting how he tries to control everyone around him, but always fails). Of course, there is the famous symbolization of the snow globe and sled, referencing the only true time Kane ever truly enjoyed life. You could miss these small intricacies, as you need to be able to appreciate and analyze films properly to fully enjoy Citizen Kane.

The way i see films, defined by time and era, is before Citizen Kane and after Citizen Kane. The depth is exceptionally profound, the acting sublime and the cinematography beautiful, making for one of the greatest, if not the best, films of all time.

5/5