The Art of Classical Film-making

Rating: 10/10 (26 March 2006)

Director and Star Orson Wells takes the art and technique of film-making to outstanding levels in this fictional biography of a Newspaper Tycoon Charles Foster Kane. The film is said to be a veil on the life of William Randolph Hearst, a newspaper magnate in the 1920's and 30's who was popular in politics and once interviewed Hitler but was also cited as creating loosely based stories with phony characters and deceiving the reader. Citizen Kane plays on the The True Greek Tragedy that Aristotle set in stone. A true tragedy is the fall of someone great in stature, especially if that someone was self made as is Charles Foster Kane.
The Film takes us on the journey of a successful mans life, from the age of 8 to his death. Director Wells uses every film technique to capture this journey captivating the story and propelling a mans 70 year life into a 145 minute time frame. The angles and shadows crisscrossing the rooms and characters, the elapsing of time through dissolves and transitions, optical printing of lay overs in the reel, and the use of space all laid out in beautiful black and white photography. Every scene is well executed and the aging of Mr. Kane transfers off the screen in a magical way. A riddle is laid upon the viewer and it's answer is heart breaking and questionable as to what we become from who we were because we have to succeed. Beware the power of ownership. Citizen Kane is a well crafted and flawless piece of art. It is spellbinding at times and magical in its storytelling. Orson Wells had an enlightened sense to a film technique that is worth studying for filming future stories. Powerful.