Citizen Kane D. Crawford

Never knew such a word like “rosebud” would be so essential to a film. Rosebud the last uttered word by Charles Foster Kane sent a group of reporters on a frenzy to unlock the truth behind the word in order to gain better insight into Kane’s character. Directed, produced and stared by Orson Welles, Citizen Kane was first released in 1941 where film viewers were not exposed to such great cinematography. Yes, during that time directors, producers, and actors still released great pieces of work but Citizen Kane took this work to “the next level” with the way Welles used innovative techniques like deep focus shots and low angle shots to help create such masterful work. 

“The intriguing opening is filled with hypnotic lap dissolves and camera movements from one sinister, mysterious image to the next, searching closer and closer and moving in” Dirks wrote. The film caught my attention from the beginning to the end. First opening with a dark “creepy” setting of an estate with the words “No Trespassing” written, instantly had me prepared to watch a mystery type film. Though one can say this film could be interpreted as a mystery, I viewed this film as a simple understanding of why a character was the way he was. What I liked most about this film was the setting and era in time was never constant. Citizen Kane was filmed in both flashbacks and present time of Kane’s life and death. We watch and learn about the main character Charles Kane through the eyes of other learners like the reporters. “Its complex and pessimistic theme of a spiritually-failed man is told from several, unreliable perspectives and points of view,” Tim Dirks wrote in his review of Citizen Kane. As reporters interview love ones close to Kane we see flashbacks of their most “precious” memories.  In these flashbacks we go through the life of Kane from a young happy boy to an old disgruntled man. We watch as Kane, a battered young boy given away by his mother slowly mature into a young wealthy man on top of the world, but even with money and power one can sometimes never find true happiness, and this flaw was something that Kane continually experienced. As Kane continued to gain more and more power as he aged and developed his craft pieces of whom Kane was, his soul, slowly started to disappear to the point where Kane could no longer recognize his true self. Finally finding out “rosebud” was written on the sled that he held before being taken away symbolized his last happiest memory. One could interpret that when the word “rosebud” was utter Kane was finally at piece with himself, Kane possibly remembered that “little child” inside him again enjoying life and its moments with only happiness and no real worries of the world around him. 

This film showed how innovation had developed over time. Welles used unorthodox techniques like flashbacks or non-linear story telling to create a production that was never done before. Welles used many dolly shots and angle shots to help the viewer interpret the film. Lighting and sound played a major role in the development of this piece as well as the mood of this film. Dark lighting represented hardship and tough times and brighter lighting represented happiness. As you go through the film and Kane starts to age you see more and more dark shadowy backgrounds or blurred images of the characters. A great example of this is the scene in the film were Susan sat at the table attempting to complete her puzzle as she tells Kane she wanted to go to New York. Welles shows us how times goes by as we watch Susan complete puzzle after puzzle in the long hall room. We see Welles use many deep focus shots to place images in the foreground, midground, and background at once, which was something that was never done before in the world of cinematography. I can understand how people can say this film was one of the greatest pictures of all time. From the acting to the production and the directing Welles did an extraordinary job. To think a young man at the age of twenty-five produced something so great is awesome to know and I as a viewer really enjoyed this piece of work.