Citizen Kane



Citizen Kane- 1941

Directed by Orsen Welles

1) Relate what was discussed in class or the text to the screening 

Citizen Kane is a film greatly appreciated for its artistry after the fact.  Since 1998 “Kane” has stood atop AFI’s (American Film Institute) greatest American films of all time. It stands as Orsen Welles greatest critical success, taking all the positive reactions later in its life cycle into account. Citizen Kane’s release resulted in conflicting reactions. It stood tall among all the Oscar contenders that year with an outstanding nine nominations, but only took home one for Best Screenplay, yet received many jeers among the attending audience. It is revered as one the greatest films of all time, yet was a commercial failure, very nearly being unreleased by RKO. The film, like Kane, is perceived differently dependent on whom you ask. Welles was never given as much control for any other film as he was with Kane, exemplifying the “auteur” approach. At the young age of 24, Welles crafted a cinematic masterpiece known for it thought provoking themes and cinematic artistry.  

Charles Foster Kane, the central character who passes away in the opening minutes (not a spoiler) is based loosely on William Randolph Hearst. Both men were newspaper moguls, Xanadu the reclusive mansion built by Kane was a take on San Simeon, Hearst’s far from humble abode. Even Kane’s second wife Susan Alexander was modeled after Marion Davies, the actress Hearst was involved with. All these “coincidental” similarities didn’t sit well with Hearst, who was 76 when the film released, refused to publish any reviews or ads for it. The film isn’t simply a parallel of Hearst’s life. “The easiest way to draw parallels between Kane and other famous publishers is not to see the picture,” (Orsen Welles). The rich dominant newspaper head serves to tell the tale of one man’s struggle with himself. Is it power that defines him? Or the people he loved? For all his valuables and grandiose globe spanning collections it is the memories of others that survive. With each new flashback the audience gets more details on a man that was complex, hated, loved, admired, and ridiculed.

Welles had never made a movie prior to Citizen Kane, yet the film is celebrated for its cinematography and innovation. Sound and lighting were put to effective use conveying the story line of power and corruption. Similar to classic film noire lighting and shadows can be used to express emotion and tone. A high key lighting is used for moments of elation, like in Kane’s youth, provoking a positive response. Shadows were used in contrast, such as in the “Declaration of Principles” scene. Here we find Kane’s face cast in heavy shadows, providing an ominous and eerie feeling, and foreshadowing things to come. Deep focus, provided by wide angle lenses, was another means to an end. It exaggerates the distance between two people, both physically and emotionally. Shots from below, or a “Worms eye view” give a sense of power to the subject, while a “Birds eye view” can have the opposite effect.

A montage can be used to condense time in a story, providing large chunks of information in what can be only minutes in real time. The best example is “Kane’s” breakfast scene. In just a short period of time, the audience comes to see Kane with his first wife as time passes. The characters clearly begin to age, the lighting grows darker with each passing year, and we witness the degradation of a marriage. An entire story of a love shattered, or maybe one that never truly was, told in mere minutes.

Young vs. Old, Masculinity vs. Femininity, and recurring motifs were all tools used to tell of a man’s unrestrained lifestyle. Told in a series of flashbacks, we see these aged characters after a lifetime of “lessons learned” before delving into their younger selves. The idea of financial success and power seem to represent masculinity, which at odds throughout this film when genuine love and selflessness, associated with femininity. Then there’s the Snow globe, a representation of a better time and happiness, which purposely is reflective of Kane’s childhood. In the early scenes we see Kane playing the in the snow before being dragged away to a world where the almighty dollar is king.

It’s fairly easy to see why Citizen Kane receives such prominent word-of-mouth and critical acclaim. Rather than be a film whose own hype and expectations undermine it, it lives up to what you've come to expect, and can provide an intimate look at who we are beyond the archetypes were given. “Greatest movie ever made” may not a be a guarantee, but it will always be mentioned in the same breath as any other film even considered.

2)  Find a related article and summarize the content

ORSON WELLES explains the meaning of Rosebud in CITIZEN KANE

Link = http://www.wellesnet.com/?p=187

By Orsen Welles

The article is actually a press release regarding Citizen Kane’s comparisons to Hearst, supplied by Welles prior to the film’s release. It was issued to the press in January, 1942, and is an excerpt from Citizen Welles, a biography on Welles by Frank Brady.

In the release he goes on to say how he came to choose a newspaper man over other prestigious and public careers. He did so for a few reasons. First, he sought to show how widely opinions of a person’s character can vary from person to person. The film wasn’t a typical narrative, but an examination from character. A typical American citizen wouldn’t provide his intentions any purpose. So he decided the protagonist should be an important public figure. Second, he stories told from his friends and lovers would shed light on his career. This led him to choose a newspaper, a powerful form of communication (especially for the time). Rather than have the film be a success story he provided the character with money at an early age.  In that way it is a question of how a man decides to use his wealth and power, rather than a quest to attain it. “It was also much better for the purpose of my narrative since the facts about a philanthropist would not make as good a picture as a picture about a man interested in imposing his will upon the will of his fellow countrymen”, (Welles).



Kane himself-Orsen Welles

He also goes on to explain the significance of “Rosebud”. “In his subconscious it represented the simplicity, the comfort, above all the lack of responsibility in his home, and also it stood for his mother's love which Kane never lost”, (Welles). This in turn led to him making the character such an avid collector. He didn’t want to simply have the newspaper man bluntly tell the audience rosebud was his childhood sled. That moment at the end, where the camera tells the story and we witness the sled being burned is far more powerful than a simple reveal. So he had to provide the character with wealth, make him a collector of all things, and provide him with a massive home to contain all these lavish items. The collection also serves to show all the things that would reflect a public career. That is things are beautiful, ugly, and useless. For all his money and power, he couldn’t control the world around him (people included) and Xanadu was the “ivory tower” in which Kane dominated.

Whether or not all this justifies the similarities between Kane and Hearst, or is just Welles way of striking back at the doubters I honestly can’t say. I only know the set up for the character serves to tell a wonderfully thought out story. Often real life trumps fiction, can it be so bad to build upon what already was?

3) Apply the article to the film screened in class.    

To no surprise, the two films I came to enjoy the most throughout the semester are Stagecoach and Citizen Kane. It is said that Welles watched Stagecoach over 40 times when preparing to make Citizen Kane. In my view, that doesn’t take away from anything Welles had done. Rather than see it as stealing ideas, it should be viewed as a source of inspiration.

This is why I don’t care whether or not Kane was based on Hearst or not. If he wasn’t then the sheer coincidence is amazing, hey, life is full of them. If it was, and to be honest I genuinely believe it was, then he took the existence of real man and provided the world with an outstanding story derived from it never the less.



The Many Collections of Charles Foster Kane

I also came to look at what Orsen Welles himself saw the movie as. It is a “failure story” and an “examination of character”. It looks at a man who truly wants to be loved by the world, yet has no true understanding of the concept. For new and rare collector’s item obtained, there is another relationship lost.

His life is full of accomplishment career-wise, but fraught with disaster personally. It isn’t until he loses Susan that he utters the words “Rose bud”, which represents innocence, love lost, and a happier time. Coming to see Welles perspective gives a second viewing of the film merit. Now that you know the narrative watching it again can provide greater insight to a classic.

4) Write a critical analysis of the film, including your personal opinion, formed as a result of the screening, class discussions, text material and the article

Movies can serve a wide variety of purposes. Sometimes were just seeking escapism, and a story that takes us away to worlds only found in the imagination. Or it can be that tear jerker on a first date, maybe even a shoot-em-up action flick. And sometimes…it can be so many things at once. A cautionary tale, an observation on life, or a metaphor for the something greater can be extracted from cinema. Citizen Kane seems to accomplish so many things at once.

Citizen Kane is about wealth, power, a lifetime of reflection, innocence lost, and where a person finds/loses happiness. "Rosebud" is the trade name of a cheap little sled on which Kane was playing on the day he was taken away from his home and his mother. Innocence lost is a prevailing theme in Kane, among many. Men and women from any background can relate. As the old adage goes “hind sight is 20/20”. Child hood is that time when the worries of the world are meaningless. Responsibility is at a minimum, the thoughts of others seem to have little effect, and rather than plague yourself with what comes next you live in the moment.  



Xanadu

Stylistically it did so many things right. Lighting was put to wonderful use displaying the sentiments of Kane visually. The sound such as the echoing whispers of Kane as he says “Rosebud”, are masterful. Sets were designed to reflect the characters and capture moment. For example the grand hall Kane and Susan bickered in were beautiful to behold, but full of loneliness and lacked warmth.

 Citizen Kane is a movie I have heard so much about in the past. I even knew was Rosebud was before the big reveal. It didn’t lessen the impact the film had on me. I understand why Citizen Kane is considered such a masterpiece, and I’m not surprised by its influence on future film.

Plagiarism Statement:  Attach this statement to the end of each journal assignment. CHECKLIST FOR PLAGIARISM

1) ( x ) I have not handed in this assignment for any other class.

2) ( x ) If I reused any information from other papers I have written for other classes, I clearly explain that in the paper.

3) ( x ) If I used any passages word for word, I put quotations around those words, or used indentation and citation within the text.

4) ( x ) I have not padded the bibliography. I have used all sources cited in the bibliography in the text of the paper.

5) ( x ) I have cited in the bibliography only the pages I personally read.

6) ( x ) I have used direct quotations only in cases where it could not be stated in another way. I cited the source within the paper and in the bibliography.

7) ( x ) I did not so over-use direct quotations that the paper lacks interpretation or originality.

8) ( x ) I checked yes on steps 1-7 and therefore have been fully transparent about the research and ideas used in my paper.

Name: Benjamin Novoa              Date: 4/8/2013