Outstanding cinema - a story of a man who has it all only to lose it all

Rating: 10/10 (21 April 2011)

I had to see this film? Why? Because it was hailed as 'one of the greatest films ever' etc etc. Also seeing it in 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die, I was very eager to check out this film, and not really knowing anything about it.
And it is truly a masterpiece. From the first fifteen minutes, I thought I was going to watch a film that was indeed told like a short film shown back in those times, only to be surprised when the audience got out of their seats. The first fifteen minutes is a summary of Charles Foster Kane that shows his life experience and eventually his death.
What I had no idea was how many references the cartoon the Simpsons have made to this film - I honestly had no idea it was from this film. Well I'm glad I know now. What is truly gripping about this film is that it starts off with a poor boy who strikes it gold and eventually takes over a newspaper business, and has his soul turned into one of greed and possession; a man that many of the characters in the film who have known him claim him to be a man who is incapable of giving love, but wants to be loved on his own terms.
Then you have the mystery of his last dying words 'rosebud' that you discover at the end what this mystery thing is. And it all makes sense that this was something he has treasured and is incapable of getting it back. I'm not going to reveal it but the metaphor is pretty much something many of us may think of later in life.
I loved how the story was told - with it's flashbacks and insights into this character from a perspective of each person who knew him. It's almost like a detective sort of story only we aren't looking for crimes, but more rather the crimes he has done to the heart of the people around him, and in turn his own.
Finally I am glad to have seen this and to realise why this is hailed as classic. Orwon Welles is just terrific as Kane and gives a performance that will surely be remembered as one of the most magnificent in cinema.