Hands Down one of the Greatest All Time
4/4 stars

Citizen Kane (according to the American Film Institute) is the greatest film ever made.I can assure any readers one thing: Citizen Kane is timeless. I am not simply following the crowd, as I thought one to many official movie reviewers were doing. I agree with them Citizen Kane lives up to the hype, just about. The Story Goes like this: Charles Foster Kane (Welles), newspaper giant and billionaire, dies alone in his huge domain Xanadu. His last word, "Rosebud", sends news reporters and investigators on a hunt to uncover his complex past and unravel the dying legend's words.

"Citizen Kane", by then first-time film director Orson Welles (then in his twenties with acclaimed radio and theater work under his belt), is still stunning and fresh today, despite containing many elements of film which we today take for granted, but were unheard of at the time. In 1941, the multiple flash-back structure, complex visual vocabulary - including angles that are still less than orthodox - and scope were truly revolutionary. What remains is an almost exhaustive film class in one movie.

Orson Welles imbues the grand-standing and often vulgar Kane with undeniable charisma. His presence in his own films would soon prove to be one of their most enduring strengths: think of his jovial Falstaff in Chimes at Midnight, his repulsive Quinlan in Touch of Evil and his simmering Othello in his adaptation of Shakespeare's play. Welles's would be a career of superb roles and cameo, and Kane is no exception. As his wounded best friend, Joseph Cotten holds his own with panache and emotion, and all the supporting turns are fine, amplified by the then novel overlapping naturalistic dialogue to make this one of the most alive films of all time.

Citizen Kane also marked a turning point in talkies, where they ceased to be neatly illustrated plays or books and became something else: something that is meant to work primarily on a screen. Whereas classics of the silent and later were defined by frames (like a painting) or dialogue (like a novel or play), Citizen Kane is defined by movement and editing, juxtapositions of moments and images, duration of frames and nature of cuts. It was the first film, and to this day one of the very few films to fully make use of the complete film-making arsenal. that it is endlessly entertaining as a story (kudos to screenwriter Mankiewitz) is the icing on an extremely alluring cake.

The ending is what really got to me. When Kane finally realizes he's become what he's hated, what he originally fought against. It's such a real tragedy of a human train wreck. Kane tried so hard to be a good man (without really knowing what one was), to use his power and wealth for the truth and benefit of his friends. I think it emphasized the importance having a loving family during childhood, especially a mother.

The film laid the groundwork for many future villains of the silver screen: Norman Bates, Darth Vader, Lex Luthor, Dr. Evil. But it's fearfully symmetrical to our own society. Even if they aren't eccentric media magnates like Hearst. How many people could have turned out differently if they had someone that loved them since the day they were born, and even before? Is it truly art that imitates life, or does life imitate art? How many wealthy men swear to use their power for good but inevitably do not? And how many are loved by the world solely for their wealth and celebrity? Millionaires, billionaires, so called artists, athletes, people we worship? There's this scene where Kane is standing in front of what seems like thousands of people, and behind him the giant picture of himself as he's running for office, like many tyrants the symbol of the man becomes greater than the man himself.

"Citizen Kane" often grabs the number 1 spot in critic polls, and for all its technical and artistic excellence, its entertaining nature makes it easy to appreciate throughout the ages, something a Kubrick or a Tarkovskyhave never achieved despite their brilliance.

Citizen Kane
Orlson Wells
Orlson Wells, Joesph Cotten
PG For some smoking and alchohol abuse
119 minutes, About 2 Hours

Review by Wolfman