Why Kane IS #1

Rating: Null/10 (10 June 1999)

Consider the films deservedly named #1 and #2 in the AFI Top 100. #2 is "Casablanca," the epitome of classic Hollywood craftsmanship. No more entertaining film exists or is ever likely to. Anyone who watches the first three minutes is held captivated until the end credits roll. But #1 belongs to the film that, more than any other, challenged the Hollywood standards #2 epitomizes, and blasted open the possibilities of moving picture storytelling. "Citizen Kane" is an awesome film, but it cannot be enjoyed in the same effortless way as "Casablanca." It is brash and strident, and in its determination to be original it sometimes goes a bit too far. It is not a highly-polished gem like "Casablanca." Pathbreakers like Welles are not prim, meticulous artisans. They take wild chances; they make us uncomfortable; they sometimes go too far so everyone else can go far enough.