Citizen Kane, Rosebud and Little Big Horn

Rating: 10/10 (14 August 2009)

I have something to add to the various layers of meaning that Rosebud may harbour, that I don't think has yet been mentioned on this site. I recently learned that the Rosebud was the name of the main river of which the Little Big Horn was a tributary, and was also the scene of a battle between the Americans and the Sioux during which the American forces were routed. As a direct result of this they were not able to arrive in time to prevent the defeat of Custer's Ninth Cavalry at the battle of Greasy Grass. The subsequent massacre by the Sioux provoked outrage throughout America, leading to the destruction of the Sioux nation and, by inference, native American culture.
Could this have something to do with the movie's theme about the loss of America's innocence through the allegorical figure of Kane? It seems likely that this was considered when choosing the name of Kane's sled, and adds, for me, yet another layer of meaning to this phenomenal piece of cinema.