Citizen Kane (1941)

Director:

Orson Welles

Writers:

Herman J. Mankiewicz (screenplay) and
Orson Welles (screenplay)

Release Date:

1 May 1941 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Mystery

Tagline:

365 days in the making - and every minute of it an exciting NEW thrill for you !

Plot:

Following the death of a publishing tycoon, news reporters scramble to discover the meaning of his final utterance.

Plot Keywords:

Reporter | Rosebud | Newspaper | Flashback | Estate

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 4 wins & 9 nominations

Cast

Joseph Cotten	...	Jedediah Leland
Orson Welles	...	Charles Foster Kane
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

Also Known As:

American (USA) (working title)
John Citizen, U.S.A. (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

119 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Colour:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

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

Filming Locations:

New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Mercury Productions

Trivia:

The scene outside Ma Kane's boarding house reportedly drove Orson Welles crazy. The director always resented that, although it was set in a snowy field, the breath of the actors was not visible because the scene was actually filmed on a sound stage.

Goofs:

Continuity: The jigsaw puzzle that Susan is putting together changes considerably between the shot where Kane walks into the large room and asks her what she's doing and the next cut, where Kane is standing in front of the large fireplace. The amount of puzzle that she has completed increases greatly between the 2 shots.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Charles Foster Kane: Rosebud.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Crawling Eye (#2.1)" (1989)

Soundtrack:

The Battle Cry of Freedom

Most important movie ever made

Kane "Citizen Kane" (1941) was Orson Welles' film debut, and in it he created an enduring masterpiece that is considered by many to be the greatest movie ever made.

Story:

Shortly after "Citizen Kane" opens, we see aged newspaper tycoon Charles Foster Kane (Welles) softly drawl the word "Rosebud" and die. Sensing that there's a story behind Kane's dying word, a magazine editor shows a reporter a newsreel obituary that chronicles how Kane created a business empire, married a U.S. President's niece, ran unsuccessfully for Governor of New York, divorced his first wife and married a second, collected art, built a fabulous estate called Xanadu, and divorced his second wife. The reporter is then assigned the task of ferreting out the significance of "Rosebud." As the reporter's investigation progresses, fascinating details about Kane emerge.

My opinion:

Citizen kane is maybe for a lot of people (myselve not included) not a real entertaining movie, But there is no doubt about it that aws one of the most important movies ever made.

The visual style of "Citizen Kane" looks stunningly fresh and inventive even today, and the unconventional narrative structure of the Oscar-winning screenplay still seems daring. Welles' portrayal of a character who gradually ages from 25 to old age is unexcelled, and the movie's supporting cast, most of whom had worked previously with Welles on stage and radio productions, is superb. In short, everything came together in "Citizen Kane" to make it one of the greatest character studies ever captured on film.

Citizen kane is also one of my favorites and is listed in my top 5 of all time: 9.5 / 10 Masterpiece !!!