Some will immediately say; "No action? Worst movie ever!"

Rating: 10/10 (31 March 2012)

This might be perplexing to some, but I wouldn't want a film I made to be dubbed "the greatest movie of all time." I wouldn't want it to be dubbed "despicable" or even "loathsome," but I wouldn't want it to be labeled as the greatest motion picture ever made. With title comes untold expectations, and the problem with a title of this magnitude is it provides people the ability to make assumptions and expectations that a film simply can not live up to. I'm sure some have written off Orson Welles' Citizen Kane as "boring," "overrated," and "stupid," when really, if looked at from a technical standpoint and many other common film field, it truly is a masterpiece on film.
Again, the question people will inevitably ask me I will not answer. The question will be "is it really the greatest film of all time?" That question simply can not be answered. It's an objective question, and you'll never get an answer that isn't subjective. Poll everyone you know, it will still be subjective. I don't care if a million people label something "the best," because it still doesn't represent fact. It makes it widespread opinion. Citizen Kane, I don't believe, is the greatest film I've ever seen (not that I could say what is), but it is one of the most intriguing and important films I have yet to see.
The story revolves around Charles Foster Kane (Welles), who is based off of the real life newspaper mogul William Randolph Hearst. The film opens with Kane laying in his bed, gripping a snow globe, as he utters the simple word "Rosebud," and then the globe smashes seconds after he dies. Because of Kane's popularity, his death sparks mass attention, and reporter Jerry Thompson (Alland) is determined to decipher what his last word truly meant. The film winds up evolving into a nonlinear narrative, flashing back to when Kane was a boy, when he was growing up, and when he rose to fame.
I can't see Kane being labeled "the greatest film of all time" for its plot. For a film of that title, you'd expect a twisty plot that goes in every conceivable direction, leaving you breathless and somewhat confused. Not Citizen Kane. The story is pretty simple and the progression rather speedy. But there I go again with that "impossible expectation" business.
Where Kane really gets interesting is from a technical and intellectual standpoint. The film is the prime example of film noir, and the one cinephiles usually reference first. The use of light and shadow is very prominent in the film, and keep in mind, this was never done before. Some tracking shots are marvelous as they are complex and smooth. Everything seemed to be specifically planned out ahead of time, which is why the film doesn't feel rushed. Dialog was clearly perfected, shots were definitely practiced, and technique and stylistic intentions bleed through the storytelling. This makes Kane inevitably interesting and without a shadow of a doubt different. For the time at least.
It is in this regard where people become massively disappointed. We have seen these same sort of tracking shots before, as well as having our perspective tricked, and light be the main focus in a film. It's nothing new. But for the time period this was revolutionary and riveting. It still is, personally. It is wholly consuming, incredibly enjoyable, and just all around fascinatingly complex.
To add to the history lesson I'm reciting, the backstory on how this film came to be should award it some respect and recognition as well. Welles was big on the radio, airing the highly controversial War of the Worlds in 1933, and having major success in the field of theater. He signed a contract with RKO Pictures in 1939, where the studio gave him full control on a picture of his choice. He could write the script, choose the actors, and had privileges to edit the film to his own personal liking. This was such a rarity in a world dominated by studios. Newcomers were hardly given any room to maneuver, and when Welles had all of these privileges practically handed to him just because of minor past experiences, it really got people talking and what he delivered was beyond anyone's expectations. The film infuriated William Randolph Hearst so much that he threatened to have the film blacklisted and banned, which could partially be why the film received no Oscars other than Best Original Screenplay.
Citizen Kane is a wonderful film that must be experienced. The history is one you can't ignore, the acting is superb, the storytelling, if a bit simple, is nonetheless engaging, the dialog is crisp, the music is lively and intelligent, and the filming and editing is nothing shy of entrancing and, literally, revolutionary. The moral also rings truer today than it probably did in 1941. Instead of feeling like you should enjoy it out of obligation, feel you should see it because of obligation.
Starring: Orson Welles, Joseph Cotten, Dorothy Comingore, Everett Sloane, Ray Collins, George Coulouris, Agnes Moorehead, Paul Stewart, Ruth Warrick, Erskine Sanford, and William Alland. Directed by: Orson Welles.