Who'd have thought university would be so time-consuming!
Who'd have thought university would be so time-consuming!
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Where do you even begin reviewing such a classic film as Citizen Kane? It's frequently hailed as the greatest film ever made, and normally appears in the top 5 of any film list you come across. In 1941 a 25-year old Orson Welles burst into Hollywood and was given free reign to direct, produce, write and star in a film about whatever he wanted. So what did he do? He created a debut picture of such amazing technical quality that even today it still influences the film industry.
The film begins with one of the most famous and memorable movie sequences ever made. One simple word - Rosebud - is whispered from his lips. But what does it mean? And what is the significance of the snowglobe which drops out of Charles Foster Kane's hand as he issues his final words? Set in the creepy location of an old, decrepit mansion on a hill, complete with atmospheric music and blending, black and white images, it makes for one of the most mystifying openings to a film in history.
From here, the film launches into a ten minute news report on the breaking story: millionaire newspaper tycoon Charles Foster Kane (played by Orson Welles) has died. The news item charts the main events of his life; from the growth of his media empire to the building of Xanadu, Kane's immense monumental pleasure dome to celebrate his own wealth.
After this, we then realise that the footage is being watched by a group of journalists, who set out to search for the meaning of his last word: Rosebud. Is it a former lover? Something he lost, or gained during his life? A racehorse he bet on?
One reporter tries to track down the truth by visiting various characters in Kane's life, including his two wives, Emily Norton and Susan Alexander; his friends and his work colleagues.
As each of these people recalls their own memories, the viewer is told the story in flashbacks, beginning with Kane as a boy, then moving on to look at his business enterprise, and his relationships with wives and friends, before his gradual decline into old age. This "jigsaw puzzle" structure further develops and explains the brief statements shown in the obituary footage, creating a story which slowly unfolds before our eyes.
Although the story is gripping and full of drama, Citizen Kane is remembered chiefly for its technical accomplishments. In so many ways, this 1941 masterpiece was ahead of its time. The use of light and dark, and the cinematography in general is superb.
The way Welles controls the camera makes for a special cinematic experience. It constantly swoops and moves, and there is one shot early on in which the camera passes through a glass roof. This is seen nowadays quite a lot, but for this to be achieved 65 years ago is very well done. Many of the scenes are filmed in long takes, which makes it more demanding for everyone involved, and Welles showed his originality by digging pits in the stage so that he could film many scenes from low camera angles, thus emphasising the huge presence of Charles Kane. According to one of the extras, this was one of the first films ever to use ceilings as part of the set, which was again quite groundbreaking in its own small way.
The film is brilliantly edited, with the blending of images as I mentioned before a strongly-used technique in this film. There are also a lot of good cuts made for humorous effect, such as a famous breakfast table scene between Kane and his first wife, as their relationship slowly crumbles. There is one moment that springs to mind in which a cockatoo is randomly edited in between the merging of two scenes, shrieking for surprise effect. I don't know what it represents (if anything at all), but it's certainly effective.
The musical score by Bernard Herrman is fantastic, and is considered one of the best film scores ever written. It changes frequently from moody to triumphant to playful and jolly, and there are even a few opera scenes which were written by the composer. If you recognised the name, he went on to conduct some classic Hitchcock scores, such as for the film Vertigo.
Technical achievements can go to waste if the basics aren't up to scratch, such as the screenplay and the acting. The script, co-written by Orson Welles and Herman Mankiewicz, is bursting with wit and humour; more so than I was expecting from a serious drama. This humour is performed perfectly in an Oscar-nominated turn from Welles, particularly as the arrogant, ambitious younger Kane. In the second half, as he gets older, the film becomes more serious, and he thoroughly convinces in the latter part of the film just as much as the former.
The make up is very good; it really does make a 25 year old look like a 70 year old. Apparently, because of his weight and his self-consciousness, Welles had extensive make up even when he played the younger Kane, to make him look younger and less like himself! As a 70 year old, he also perfects the walk and mannerisms of an old man extremely convincingly.
The rest of the cast are good in their roles, although none particularly stand out. They were mostly members of Orson Welles's theatre group rather than screen actors, and none of them are particularly famous names. Nevertheless, they all convince and do some good work all round.
The ending of the film is surprisingly powerful, and very easy to understand after what was - well, not a complex plot - but a story told in a complicated way. You'll be glad to know that the identity of "Rosebud" is revealed, and it's probably a more perfect conclusion than you could have ever imagined. You'll be frustrated and surprised, and one character provides a brilliant close to the film with these lines: "I don't think any word can explain a man's life. I guess Rosebud was just a piece in a jigsaw puzzle".
That sums it up for me: the purpose of the film is not simply to find out the meaning of one word, it's to show to the viewer the story of a complex man, and the consequences of power, greed and money, whilst using the man's final words as a means to this story.
Citizen Kane really is a brilliant movie; I could even call it life-changing if I was a person with a leaning to hyperbole. It was a groundbreaking technical achievement, but at heart there simply lies a genuinely fascinating story, which is beautifully told. The only fault I can find is that the pace does slow a little in the middle, so if you don't have a huge attention span you might get bored. It's certainly not a film to entertain the kids on a Saturday afternoon! _____________________________________________
The cheapest you can buy Citizen Kane online is £5.97 from www.amazon.co.uk (plus postage unless you spend more than £10) or £5.99 from www.play.com (no postage). These are just the regular single disc versions, but for a couple of pounds more you can purchase the Special Edition 2 disc version, which is very good. _______________________________________________
Directed by: Orson Welles
Starring:
Orson Welles played Charles Foster Kane Joseph Cotten … Jedediah Leland Dorothy Comingore … Susan Alexander Agnes Moorehead … Mary Kane Ruth Warrick … Emily Norton Ray Collins … James Gettys Erskine Sanford … Herbert Carter Everett Sloane … Mr Bernstein William Alland … Jerry Thompson Paul Stewart … Raymond George Coulouris … Walter Thatcher
Production Year: 1995 - Drama - Director: Ang Lee - Original Language: English - Classification: Universal - Starring: Emma Thompson, Alan Rickman, Kate Winslet, Hugh Grant, Greg Wise, Hugh Laurie, Robert Hardy
Production Year: 2004 - Drama - Director: Nick Cassavetes - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over, 12 years and over - Starring: Rachel McAdams, Ryan Gosling, Gena Rowlands
Brilliant review! I always heard this film was boring (from a person who I trust with regard to films) but you've changed my perspective on it, because it does actually seem like something I'd enjoy due to the mystical aura you described. It's given me the impression that it's one of those stories that is like a labyrinth, unravelling, and I love that. Nice one.
weetoon 19.09.2006 00:06
A great movie, but to me probably not the greatest film of all times (but a great film nonetheless).
Arguably the greatest of American films, Orson Welles' 1941 masterpiece, made when he was ... more
only 26, still unfurls like a dream and carries the viewer along the mysterious currents of time and memory to reach a mature (if ambiguous)conclusion: people are...
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ONE OF THE BEST LOVED FILMS OF ALL TIMEIn May of 1941, RKO Radio Pictures released a ... more
controversial film by a 25-year-old, first-time director. That premiere of Orson Welles' Citizen Kane was to have a profound and lasting effect on the art of modern mo...
Arguably the greatest of American films, Orson Welles' 1941 masterpiece, made when he was ... more
only 26, still unfurls like a dream and carries the viewer along the mysterious currents of time and memory to reach a mature (if ambiguous)conclusion: people are...
Postage & Packaging: Free! Availability: Usually dispatched within 4 to 6 weeks...
![Citizen Kane [DVD] [1942]](http://picnicb.ciao.com/uk/78519793.jpg "Citizen Kane [DVD] [1942]")
Aug 21st, 2006
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