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Rating: 10/10 (9 July 2002)

I like Citizen Kane. There are many comments made in this section by people who "just don't get it". Well I sympathize and even understand where they are coming from but ... consider: This was the FIRST attempt of a 25 year old man who up til this time was famous for radio ("War of the Worlds", Mercury Theater, Campbell Playhouse and The Shadow) and also for NY stage productions. He came to Hollywood and he was given absolute control over a picture (unheard of since the end the silent movie era). He brought with him from New York a group of radio and NY stage actors with NO prior film experience. He also brought to Hollywood the innovations of broadcast radio. He allowed experienced but stifled Hollywood camera experts (Toland) to be creative. He did the same with lighting (but he had some of his on thoughts from the stage as to this).
If you buy the DVD version you may hear the very insightful comments of Roger Ebert as to this movie. In my opinion, Mr. Ebert's commentary will help those of you that "just don't get it" and will still be very insightful to the rest of us as well. Peter Bogdanovich (besides being a director in his own right, wrote a biography on Orson Wells: "This is Orson Welles" - available at Amazon.com) also does a commentary, but it is not as insightful as Ebert's. Listen to Ebert's commentary but read Bogdanovich's book. This is NOT the best movie ever made, BUT it is the best first attempt at film making ever and by far the most innovative film ever. Wells was a genius who tragically peaked too early in life. After seeing this movie watch The Third Man, an even better film.