The mark of a genius

Rating: 10/10 (27 October 2019)

It's an amalgamation of elements that make Citizen Kane great. The alchemy that Welles did with them is the secret of the power of this film. Anyone who has the opportunity to compare Citizen Kane with other Hermann Mankiewicz scripts or similar genre will realize that that directorial creation was what truly made it revolutionary, grandiose, pioneering and incomparable. Marking each page of the script with his personal brand, vital magic, irresistible energy and unique style, Welles became not only a randomic movie-maker, but a modern myth, melancholic, insufflated with genius, author of landmarks. As if he had sold his soul to the devil to be able to enter history, Welles became from there on an unwanted guy, synonymous with problems, debts, frustrations, unfulfilled deadlines and unfinished projects. Selling himself to the highest bidder while trying to explain his artistic vision of cinema, he spent decades justifying himself and wondering if reaching the top with his #1 masterpiece had been a blessing or a nightmare.