Citizen Kane
How many times has this film been called the “Greatest movie of all time?” It has topped film critic’s list for generations. If there really is such a thing as one single film that is somehow superior to all other films (which this reviewer believes is tantamount to claiming “my grandma’s cherry pie is better than everyone else’s”) then “Citizen Kane” should most definitely be a contender.
When it was released, the war in Europe was escalating. Disney’s Dumbo was emerging as a popular film. Drive-ins and fast food were new fads that were sweeping the nation, and an attack on Pearl Harbor would soon pull the U.S. into World War II. During this time, RKO pictures turned over complete unfettered control of a new film project to a theater guy who had never made a movie. Orson Welles had just terrified the nation with his revolutionary radio “mockumentary”, “The War of the World”, which some tuned into late and were horrified to hear that the Earth was being invaded by Martians. Welles, who had started the Mercury theater and was acclaimed as a brilliant stage actor, now found himself directing, co-writing, producing, and starring in a film that was in essence a “mockumentary” about newspaper mogul, William Randolph Hearst. The movie never claimed to be about Hearst, of course, but the story was so likened to the man’s public and private life that he fought with every ounce of his considerable resources to stop the film from ever being released. Although the studio, held firm and released the film, Hearst used all his media outlets to silence the film’s reviews and diminish its financial success.
So why is a pseudo-documentary about a wealthy newspaper mogul considered to be one of the greatest films of all time? It is how it changed movie-making that makes it so great. Welles was new to filmmaking but at 25, he was a seasoned storyteller. Being a novice freed him up from the confines of traditional movie techniques largely due to ignorance, Welles didn’t know what he could and couldn’t do; so he innovated. Together with cinematographer, Gregg Toland, who was thrilled to work with a new director who would let him experiment, Welles created new shooting styles, camera angles, audio techniques, and story patterns that shook up everything we knew about films before 1941. Together with a band of stage actors from his theater who had never been on screen before, Welles revolutionized modern filmmaking. Never before had a plot been jigsaw puzzled together completely out of order and fashioned into such a clear and coherent story. Never before had scenes been shot to include the ceiling of the room to add an ominous dimension to the tone. Never had deep focus been used to show the background and foreground in complete focus to such powerful effect, and the list goes on.
So why do some movie goers today leave the theater saying they don’t understand what the big deal is about this movie? Because we have seen all this before, many times. Most all modern movies since 1941 have incorporated Welles’ techniques and styles into their DNA. It is such an influential film that we see imitations of it everywhere. No single film has had a greater influence on modern filmmaking than this film. And that is its legacy.
So, it is a landmark movie in terms of filmmaking, but is it any good as a story? Surprisingly, yes. Citizen Kane holds up 80 years later as a morality tale about materialism over love of family. Welles’ performance as Kane is still one of the great screen performances of all time. The aging of most all the characters from their young adulthood to their dying years (even without CGI effects, only latex and acting) is remarkably effective and believable. What special effects existed in 1941 and many new ones are on display; clean and never distracting from the story. Though there is a moment in the beach picnic scene where you can see pterodactyls flying across the wooded background portraying birds. Welles had to use some footage from an old King Kong movie to fill his background. To be fair, the entire film was shot on an $800,000 budget. To give a reference, “Gone with the Wind” was shot a few years before with a budget of three and a half million.
For the moviegoer who can appreciate a black and white film from an earlier era that doesn’t have exploding cars or spaceship dogfights, this is one of the best films to be found. It is captivating, engaging and performed with brilliance. It is a living testament to the skill and dedication of a generation of storytellers who worked diligently to perfect every detail of their film. Like a fine painting or a beautiful piece of orchestration, it is a work of art that is rare in this modern era of disposable franchise films. Treat yourself and your loved one, to a Sunday afternoon experience on a rainy day and discover the wonder of one of the greatest movies of all time.
Content Overview
Language: None
Sexual Content: Kane has an affair with a singer. Nothing is shown other than the two people talking together, but the detrimental effects of the affair are felt by all and there are serious consequences. Dancers in somewhat short skirts are shown. Fairly mild by today’s standards.
Violence: None, this was made back when movies had to have a plot to build excitement, not guns.
Objectionable Content: Alcohol usage is prevalent, drunkenness is shown.
