"Rosebud"

Rating: 10/10 (20 July 2007)

Being relatively young, my real interest in great films began only a couple of years ago, and ever since my interest sprouted, I have heard the title "Citizen Kane" thrown around as the greatest movie ever made. Is it really? I had to find out.
"Kane" opens as newspaper tycoon Charles Kane utters his last word "Rosebud," dropping a snow globe on to the floor. This cryptic death launches an investigation by a young reporter into what "rosebud" is. As the reporter travels around and interviews significant people in Charlie's life, we find out more and more about the man through flashbacks of the interviewees. There's an air of mystery all throughout the film, being that we know no more than the reporter.
The performances in "Kane" are all stellar, especially Orson Welles's memorable turn as Kane himself.He rules the picture with his commanding and realistic performance. The acting is also well showcased by an extraordinary achievement in cinematography. Though the film is not done in color, the background and lighting provides more emotion and mystery than almost any color film to date.
So, is "Citizen Kane" the greatest film of all time? I'm not sure, but it's certainly one of my favorites. It's a tremendous story of love, lust, power, corruption, greed, and rosebud. Still, what really makes this film stand out is that Welles cleverly gives us hints to the truth of the mystery of the film all throughout, and the "twist" ending is sure to send chills down your spine. See it for the acting, see it for the technical aspects, or see it to see if it really is the greatest of all time. Just see it.