Considered by many to be the best film ever made

Rating: 9/10 (6 December 2002)

Citizen Kane is an incredible achievement from both a technical and an artistic point of view. Welles made use of innovative film techniques to achieve a larger artistic end, to tell a story.In a time where Hollywood films were far from innovative, Citizen Kane was an exception to the rule.

Citizen Kane's plot centres around one word, `Rosebud', Kane's dying word. It is difficult to imagine that a great two-hour film was based on this single item. The search for Rosebud's meaning was a tongue-in-cheek jab at what Kane's life represented, the use of yellow journalism and the omnipotent power of the media. The great Citizen Kane was reduced to what he used to make his own fortune, sensationalism and gossip. The great irony of the movie is that Thompson proved to be greater than Kane; he came to realize that a man's life cannot be diminished to the sensationalism of one word and its meaning.
Kane's life was depicted from five different angles and from five different people. Although each of them had different view of who Kane really was, none of the five individuals knew the meaning of Rosebud. During Thompson's search he encountered many different versions of Kane's life, but only one was common. Kane was a man who had it all, except what he wanted the most `Love'.
Symbols are used throughout the film to stress the concepts that are of vital importance. These symbols include colours, sound, and space. During the film, white symbolizes purity. In the beginning of the film Kane is still pure, as he is only a little boy. To symbolize this purity he is surrounded by white snow. A second time when white is used to symbolize purity is found when Kane meets Susan, while he is wearing white. Immediately after Kane meets Susan, he begins to see her as a mother figure and decides that he must have her. Sound also plays a crucial role. From the outset of the film this effect is used to draw the audience's attention to certain important details that will affect the development of the story. One of the events where sound is used in this fashion is the scene where Kane's mother is negotiating his future. At the same time that Kane's mother is breaking up the family, Kane is playing outside and he screams `Union Forever.'
Welles uses space in a fantastic manner; he is able to portray the relationships between the characters by the distance between them. Even if there were no words in the film, the plot could sill be discovered by simply observing the transition of the distances. The distance between Kane and his wives tell of the degradation in Kane's relationships with both of them, there is no need for words.
Welles' use of timeline may be the beginning of what has been called the MTV style. Citizen Kane broke the rule that a film had a specific beginning, a single ending and a long middle. The film starts at the end, proceeding to some place in the middle, only to go again to some part close to the end, and goes on and on.
Citizen Kane is not easily placed into one category of film or style. This film has characteristics of both Melies and Lumieres, it is surreal, but at the same time realistic. As for technique, this film can be ranked among the best ever watched. On the artistic side of the film, this is still to be decided. Citizen Kane is one of those films that can be viewed over and over, and each time there are new things to be discovered. As criticism towards society and the media, Citizen Kane is powerful but at the same time cruel. It brings the message that `love on your own terms' can be the perfect recipe for dying alone. Citizen Kane has made it to my favourites, but is not on the top of the list.