Citizen Kane Joe DeAngelo

Production: RKO Radio Pictures, Mercury Productions. 1941

Producer: Orson Welles, George Schaefer
Director: Orson Welles
Screenplay: Herman J. Mankiewicz, Orson Welles
Cinematography: Greg Toland
Editing: Robert Wise
Music: Bernard Herrmann
Costume: Edward Stevenson

Principal Characters:
Kane Orson Welles
Jedediah Leland Joseph Cotten
Susan Alexander Kane Dorothy Comingore
Mary Kane Agnes Moorehead
Emily Monroe Norton Kane Ruth Warrick
James W. Gettys Ray Collins
Herbert Carter Erskine Sanford
Mr. Bernstein Everett Sloane
Jerry Thompson William Alland
Raymond Paul Stewart
Walter Parks Thatcher George Coulouris
Citizen Kane

Orson Welles lauded film Citizen Kane is extremely successful in using

all of the elements Welles had at his disposal to create one of the most

respected movies in the history of cinema.

The screenplay, which is a thinly-disguised fictional biography of

publishing king William Randolph Hearst (Berardinelli) by Welles and

Mankiewicz is quite unique, which really makes the film lend itself to multiple

viewings. The Structure of Citizen Kane is circular, adding more depth

every time it passes over the life (Ebert). The screenplay is largely

composed of a number of flashbacks, hence the reason that a few viewings

are recommended to fully digest how the divergent pieces of the narrative

come together like the pieces of the puzzle. A few sequences have

symbolism which seem to be metaphors for this very thing, including scenes

where Susan is putting together a jigsaw puzzle.

Citizen Kanes protagonist is in fact its namesake, Charles Foster Kane.

He is the subject and driving force of the film. However, he certainly isnt a

heroic character. Kane is presented as American royalty, a cult of

personality, and in some ways a nearly godlike-figure. However, he is a

tragic character, and he ends up dying sad and alone in his sprawling

mansion which ends up seeming less like a mansion, and more like more of

a cavernous empty tomb.

 The middle aged and elderly Kane is also the antagonist of the film.

Kane really becomes his own worst enemy as the idealistic young Kane melts

away into the egomaniacal, cold, empty older Kane.

Kanes confidant is Mr. Bernstein. Bernstein is an enthusiastic

cheerleader and co-conspirator throughout the film that is thoroughly

dedicated to (and perhaps almost mesmerized by) the larger-than-life Kane.

In the later parts of the film, Kanes foil is Jedediah Leland. Although the two

men start out quite similar, they really diverge later. Jedediah remains

idealistic and honest, which contrasts with Kane once he becomes entirely

self-absorbed. Jedediah clearly starts to lose his enthusiasm for Kanes

behavior.

Foreshadowing in used very extensively in the film. The most iconic

example is during the opening sequence, as Kane whispers Rosebud, and a

snow globe falls from Kanes hand and shatters on the floor as he dies. This

foreshadows what will become the reason for revisiting scenes from his life

via flashback: To discover what his last word Rosebud meant. The

following sequence, which is a faux-newsreel, also is full of foreshadowing as

it briefly describes Kanes rise and fall, his life and death which will then be

revisited in greater detail throughout the film via multiple flashbacks.

The primary conflict in Citizen Kane is really Kane versus himself. The

primary point of the film is to paint a picture of a man who shamelessly

throws away everything meaningful; innocence, honesty, integrity, love,

family, friendship. He throws these things all away for his egotistical ends.

He is obsessed with becoming a virtual king among men. Ultimately his

fame and fortune means nothing though. The conflict seems to be resolved

on his death-bed, as his last word Rosebud is actually a reference to his

childhood before he lost everything that mattered. It wasnt until just before

his death that he really realized what was important in life.

The mise en scene in Citizen Kane is excellent and very effective. A

wonderful scene occurs early in the film when Kanes mother is signing away

Kane to be raised by Walter Parks Thatcher. Kanes mother and Thatcher are

in a boarding house, seated in the foreground. Kanes father slightly further

back, and Kane himself is playing outside in the snow. Kane is seen from a

distance, perfectly framed by an open window of the house. Gas lamps, a

top-hat on the table, Kanes mothers bun hairstyle and neck-clasp, his

fathers vest, and Thatchers suit all establish setting very effectively as

being post-Civil War western United States (Colorado specifically).

Lighting is also used very effectively in the film. While a good portion

of the darker moments of the film use very low-key lighting, including the

opening sequence gradually getting closer to Kanes mansion Xanadu, and

also Kane writing his declaration of principles, other scenes use high-key

lighting, such as the dance-number scene.

The cinematography by Greg Toland seems very ahead of its time.

Case in point would be the sweeping camera that seems to fly into the
nightclub where his soon to be second wife is a lounge-singer. When

techniques like this one are used in modern films, they likely owe a debt to

films like Citizen Kane (Ebert). The crisp cinematography accentuates the

beautifully enigmatic shadows that dominate the look of the film.

(Benefield). Low, floor-level cameras are used to make the characters tower

over the viewer.

Because Welles background was in radio, Welles brought a subtle

knowledge of sound and dialogue along with him (Ebert). The musical score

is very important as well. The opening sequence begins with an extremely

ominous score, creepy horns and strings that seem more reminiscent of a

horror film. In contrast, the faux-newsreel sequence begins with extremely

upbeat marching trumpets.

Although its a film that really requires the viewer to be attentive, and

well as patient enough to give the film at least two viewings, the patience

will surely be rewarded, as Citizen Kane is a landmark film that every lover of

movies should experience.

Works Cited

Benefield, James. Citizen Kane. 27 October 2009. Eye For Film.

http://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/citizen-kane-film-review-by-james-

benefield

Berardinelli, James. Citizen Kane. Reelviews.

http://www.reelviews.net/reelviews/citizen-kane

Citizen Kane, Dir. Orson Welles. RKO Radio Pictures, Mercury Productions.
1941
Ebert, Roger. Audio commentary on Citizen Kane Blu-ray disc.

Ebert, Roger. Great Movie: Citizen Kane. 24 May 1998. Rogerebert.com

http://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/great-movie-citizen-kane-1941

Internet Movie Database.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0033467/fullcredits?ref_=tt_cl_sm#cast