The forever fascinating & fantastic search for "Rosebud"

Rating: 10/10 (10 November 2014)

Although I'm not entirely convinced if I would personally label it the greatest film in cinematic history (there are just so many to choose from), "Citizen Kane" remains an indisputable landmark that still seemingly gets better with every repeated viewing – which is quite astounding after so many viewings already – and it will presumably forever qualify as the most influential artistic achievement ever. Orson Welles' brilliant long-feature debut is, prior to and above everything else, a progressive movie that was far ahead of its time in terms of narrative structure, camera work and imagery, source material and pulverizing the sacred American Dream! Welles masterfully depicts self-made tycoon Charles Foster Kane from the birth of his newspaper empire, over the Great Depression and throughout two failed marriages, until his lonely passing in his private sanctuary named Xanadu. Kane is rather blatantly inspired by the real-life newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst, and he certainly didn't consider this to be great honor. He even tried boycotting Welles' film, and partially succeeded as his career never fully recovered from Hearst hatred campaign. Understandable, perhaps, since Kane is illustrated as a forceful but megalomaniac and incredibly stubborn tyrant. Everything about "Citizen Kane" is just overwhelming and demonstrates sheer macho power: the dialogs, the scenery and the bombastic soundtrack. Everything, except  Rosebud.