Rosebud Revisited

Rating: 10/10 (29 June 2004)

I have seen Citizen Kane numerous times over the last 25 years and studied it in film class years ago while in collage and it remains my favorite film of all time. Not because of the awards and accolades it has won but because it taught me to look at film and film narrative in a different way.
Having said that I do admit that I understand why currently some younger viewers don't appreciate it as a masterpiece. In the age of MTV film-making and CGI inspired scripts, many current moviegoers don't have the patience to allow a film to unfold before them, taking literally until the final frame to complete the story and characterization. The truth is that film production has come so far since 1942 that we take for granted many of the storytelling and cinematography techniques that Wells employed. Although he may not have invented these techniques, Wells used them in groundbreaking ways and his influence can still be seen in movies today. There is also little recognition of the film within the context of when it was made. Wells, at 26 years old, had produced a very controversial story using film techniques that were quite new to movie making. Using a cast of mostly unknown stage and radio actors he managed to make a movie that wasn't simply the filming of a stage play, which was a common style of the period. Add the controversy created by the William Randolph Hearst connection (and the fact that Hearst newspapers of the day wouldn't carry ads for the film) and you see a movie-making story that has become a part of American culture.
I'm looking forward to re-watching Citizen Kane, this time with my 15-year-old daughter. Hopefully, she'll get it even without Orlando Bloom or Lindsey Lohan.
On the subject of Rosebud:
I never believed Kane's dying word 'rosebud' had a deep psychological meaning such as a representation of everything he had lost or his inability to love. Some have suggested rosebud was 'mantra for memories of a lost childhood' and the separation from his parents which lead to his lonely life. To me, it was simply the last memory of an old man. Spurred by the visual of Susan's snow globe he recalled one of his oldest memories. At the end of the film, when asked what he thinks Kane's final word Rosebud explains, the reporter says, 'I don't think it explains anything. I don't think any word explains a man's life.'
In actuality, Rosebud, a simple memory of Charles Foster Kane's, was Orson Wells' catalyst for telling the story of Citizen Kane.
I've always had a certain fascination with the character of Charles Foster Kane and Orson Wells' portrayal of him as well as many of the themes of the movie. One moment likable and attractive, the next despicable, Well's played Kane with a charisma that has been rarely equaled on film, (or in Wells' subsequent films.) Themes such as wanting to be loved but being incapable of giving love and a man's value being measured by his 'collections' are fascinating to me. Even now, with all the modern advances in film technique and the hundreds of movies I've seen, I still get chills at certain points of the film. I first saw the film at 20 years old and for me the movie represents my awaking to seeing film as art. It also gave me the desire to look below the surface at Wells' motivations and created for me a fascination with his style.
Equally fascinating is the 'making of ' story behind Citizen Kane. The power struggles and controversies that surrounded the production of the film are Hollywood legend.
Most people with whom I've discussed Citizen Kane, who love the movie, don't really care whether it's considered the 'best film of all time'. The awards and recognition the film has earned are not determining factors in how I look at Citizen Kane and my passion for the film goes beyond any websites top film listing. In the end, one's favorite films tend to be determined by how they touch you personally and not the box office or acclaim they attain.