Citizen Kane (1941)


Gunfight at the O.K. Corral
Orson Welles as Kane

'Citizen Kane' is an American dramatic movie made in 1941, and is regarded by many critics as the greatest American film of all. It was directed and produced by Orson Welles and he also starred in it, making his movie debut at the remarkably young age of 25. Many of the actors were from Welles' own Mercury Theatre group and were also making their movie debuts, among them Joseph Cotten, Dorothy Comingore, Ruth Warrick, Agnes Moorehead and Everett Sloane. The movie contains many remarkable scenes and new, technically brilliant cinematic techniques. It is an undoubted masterpiece.

It was nominated for 9 Academy Awards but won only one Oscar, for Best Writing (Original Screenplay). The film was based on the life and career of William Randolph Hearst, the famous newspaper tycoon and he did his best to prevent its release which hindered its immediate commercial success. But it was instantly and universally praised for its brilliance, sophistication and innovation and it has since justified its production costs many times over.

'Citizen Kane' stands at number one on the AFI's list of Best Movies of All Time. In 1989, the United States Library of Congress deemed the film "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant" and selected it for preservation in the National Film Registry.

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A newspaper journalist Jerry Thompson (William Alland), investigates the life of powerful newspaper magnate Charles Foster Kane (Orson Welles), by interviewing those who knew him best. His paper is anxious to decipher the meaning of Kane's last word, "Rosebud". The story of his childhood, his rise to power and transformation from an idealistic journalist to a powerful, manipualative media mogul and his marriages unfolds through the reminiscences of the interviewees, but by the end, as he picks his way through the remnants of Kanes palatial home, Xanadu, Thompson is still as ignorant of the significance of Kane's dying word as when he started.

This masterpiece was written as a collaboration between Welles and Herman J. Mankiewicz and it represents the early, awesome pinnacle of Welles's genius. Although only 25 when he made it, he never equalled the achievement.

The movie is first and foremost a great piece of storytelling. The narrative unfurls in a natural way with the questioning of Jerry Thompson and we are carried along with him as we get to know a cast of characters that ages throughout the film.

The movie has been justly praised for its experimental technical innovations. Greg Toland was an established cinematographer and he worked closely with Welles, introducing unconventional lighting, particularly backlighting and high-contrast lighting, similar to the low-key lighting of future film noirs and the use of 'dissolves' from one image to another. Toland also popularised the use of low-angled shots revealing ceilings in sets and also the succession of conversations with the same, aging, characters, which illustrate perfectly and very quickly the decline of the Kane marriage.

Main Cast

Orson Welles ... Charles Foster Kane
Joseph Cotten ... Jedediah Leland
Dorothy Comingore ... Susan Alexander Kane
Agnes Moorehead ... Mary Kane
Ruth Warrick ... Emily Monroe Norton Kane
Ray Collins ... James W. Gettys
Erskine Sanford ... Herbert Carter
Everett Sloane ... Mr. Bernstein
William Alland ... Jerry Thompson
Paul Stewart ... Raymond
George Coulouris ... Walter Parks Thatcher
Fortunio Bonanova ... Signor Matiste
Gus Schilling ... The Headwaiter
Philip Van Zandt ... Mr. Rawlston
Georgia Backus ... Bertha Anderson
Harry Shannon ... Kane's Father

Credits

Director ... Orson Welles
Producer ... Orson Welles
Production Company ... RKA Radio Pictures, Inc., Mercury Productions, Inc.
Story and Screenplay ... Herman J. Mankiewicz, Orson Welles
Format ... B&W
Initial Release ... 1 May, 1941
Running Time ... 120 minutes

Academy Awards

One Win:
Writing (Original Screenplay ... Herman J. Mankiewicz, Orson Welles)
8 Unsuccessful Nominations:
Best Picture ... Mercury
Best Director ... Orson Welles
Best Actor ... Orson Welles
Art Direction/Set direction:(B&W) Perry Ferguson, Van Nest Polglase; Al Fields, Darrell Silvera
Cinematography (B&W) ... Gregg Toland
Film Editing ... Robert Wise
Music (Music Score of a Dramatic Picture) ... Bernard Herrmann
Sound, Recording ... RKO Studio Sound Dept., John Aalberg, Sound director


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Actors and Actresses June Allyson Judith Anderson Dana Andrews Jean Arthur Fred Astaire Mary Astor Lauren Bacall Lucille Ball Ralph Bellamy Joan Bennett Ingrid Bergman Humphrey Bogart Ward Bond Ernest Borgnine Marlon Brando James Cagney Charlie Chaplin Montgomery Clift Claudette Colbert Gary Cooper Joan Crawford Tony Curtis Bebe Daniels Bette Davis Olivia de Havilland Marlene Dietrich Kirk Douglas Irene Dunne Douglas Fairbanks Jr. Errol Flynn Henry Fonda Joan Fontaine Clark Gable Greta Garbo Ava Gardner Judy Garland Greer Garson John Gilbert Paulette Goddard Betty Grable Cary Grant Sydney Greenstreet Jean Harlow Gabby Hayes Rita Hayworth Audrey Hepburn Katharine Hepburn William Holden Judy Holliday Bob Hope Leslie Howard John Huston Ruby Keeler Gene Kelly Grace Kelly Deborah Kerr Alan Ladd Veronica Lake Hedy Lamarr Burt Lancaster Charles Laughton Janet Leigh Vivien Leigh Jack Lemmon Joan Leslie Carole Lombard Myrna Loy Ida Lupino Fred MacMurray Karl Malden Fredric March James Mason Raymond Massey Joel McCrea Hattie McDaniel Ray Milland Ann Miller Thomas Mitchell Robert Mitchum Marilyn Monroe Paul Muni Paul Newman Laurence Olivier Maureen O'Sullivan Gregory Peck Sidney Poitier Eleanor Powell Dick Powell William Powell Tyrone Power Claude Rains Edward G. Robinson Ginger Rogers Cesar Romero Jane Russell Rosalind Russell George Sanders Randolph Scott Norma Shearer Frank Sinatra Barbara Stanwyck James Stewart Elizabeth Taylor Gene Tierney Spencer Tracy John Wayne Johnny Weismuller Esther Williams Richard Widmark Fay Wray Jane Wyman Loretta Young


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