IMDb > Citizen Kane (1941)
Citizen Kane
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Citizen Kane (1941) More at IMDbPro »

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Citizen Kane (1941) -- UK Trailer
Citizen Kane (1941) -- Following the death of a publishing tycoon, news reporters scramble to discover the meaning of his final utterance.
Citizen Kane (1941) -- ZuGuide.com - Trailer (Flash)
Citizen Kane (1941) -- MyMovieScripts.com - Trailer (Flash)
Citizen Kane (1941) -- Moviesbox.us - Trailer (Flash)

Overview

User Rating:
MOVIEmeter: ?
Down 1% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Orson Welles
Writers:
Herman J. Mankiewicz (screenplay) and
Orson Welles (screenplay)
Contact:
View company contact information for Citizen Kane on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
1 May 1941 (USA) more
Genre:
Drama | Mystery more
Tagline:
365 days in the making - and every minute of it an exciting NEW thrill for you ! more
Plot:
Following the death of a publishing tycoon, news reporters scramble to discover the meaning of his final utterance. full summary | full synopsis
Plot Keywords:
more
Awards:
Won Oscar. Another 4 wins & 9 nominations more
NewsDesk:
(85 articles)
Free Flick of the Day: Night of the Living Dead
 (From Cinematical. 4 November 2009, 1:33 PM, PST)

Stana Katic: The Hollywood Interview
 (From The Hollywood Interview. 4 November 2009, 12:57 PM, PST)

User Comments:
See it for what it is more (910 total)

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)
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Additional Details

Also Known As:
American (USA) (working title)
John Citizen, U.S.A. (USA) (working title)
more
Runtime:
119 min
Country:
USA
Language:
English
Aspect Ratio:
1.37 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Mono (RCA Sound System)
Certification:
Canada:F (Ontario) | Canada:G (Manitoba/Nova Scotia/Quebec) | Netherlands:6 | South Korea:12 | Brazil:Livre | Finland:K-11 (DVD rating) | Argentina:Atp | Australia:G (original rating) | Australia:PG (DVD rating) | Chile:TE | Finland:K-16 | Germany:12 | Ireland:12 (DVD rating) (2003) | Israel:PG | Peru:PT | Portugal:M/12 | Spain:T | Sweden:15 | UK:A (original rating) | UK:U (video rating) (1985) | USA:PG

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
It was RKO head George Schaefer who suggested the title change from "American" to "Citizen Kane." Orson Welles had also wanted to call the film "John Q." more
Goofs:
Continuity: When Kane is performing his "rooster" as a shadow show to Susan, his hands are not in the position they would be to cast the shadow as it appears. more
Quotes:
[first lines]
Charles Foster Kane: Rosebud.
more
Movie Connections:
Referenced in Day for Night: An Appreciation (2003) (V) more
Soundtrack:
Una voce poco fa more

FAQ

How much sex, violence, and profanity are in this movie?
Why does this film have the reputation as the greatest of all time?
Since there was no one in the room when Kane died, how does anyone know he even said "Rosebud"?
more
360 out of 555 people found the following comment useful.
See it for what it is, 21 April 2004
7/10
Author: gobosox from Morgantown, WV

OK look, let me settle something between those who love and hate this film. A lot of people hail this film because it is technically brilliant and ground breaking. Director Orson Welles did a lot of things visually that no one had ever done before. Nearly every film maker was in some way influenced by this movie. This movie also had a great impact in its time. The title character was based on media giant William Randolph Hearst. He was that generations Donald Trump. He opposed this film so much he did everything in its power to stop its release and almost succeeded. Lastly this film contains some of the strongest and most common themes in literature; Life versus death. It is for these reasons why this film is so revered.

On the contrary people who hate this film mainly complain that it is boring. Which is a legitimate complaint. The story is slow compared to today's standards, and there is no real Hearst character alive today in which to relate. So yes, the story on the surface is outdated. However, this does not make it a bad movie. It was not made as a Matrix/Star Wars type of movie which can be enjoyed even at surface level. This is not pure entertainment. Remember there is more to film than storytelling. This film was designed to be cinematically beautiful and to tell a basic story of love and redemption. There is much more to the story than the thinly veiled attack on Hearst, one just needs to look deeper. Look at Shakespeare or Hawthorne for example, their literary works are universally loved. Yet, many people blow them off because they refuse to look past the outdated language into the beautiful prose and simple ubiquitous themes. Just because something is outdated does not mean it lacks worth in today's world.

My advice to those who did not like it the first time or have not seen it yet is simple. Watch it again for what it is. Do not expect to be on the edge of your seat for two hours. Watch it for the cinematography that alone makes this film among the best (I don't agree with AFI's number one ranking but I think it still ranks high). Look deeper into the story and try to connect with it on some level. At the very least appreciate how influential this film was and where the industry would be without it. If you can do this, then maybe some of the naysayers will change their minds. Again, you do not have to love Citizen Kane, but at least respect it for what it is.

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Recent Posts (updated daily)User
Believe it or not... StupidHumanSuit
question about 'rosebud' goodnight_nd_goodbyee
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