Childhood Ultimately makes the Determination

Rating: 10/10 (30 October 2006)

More movie review lists have awarded "Citizen Kane" the honor of being the best film ever made than any other film whatsoever..Deservedly so!! Why?... The superb character portrayals... Charles Foster Kane (based on William Randolph Hearst) was a character which sparked a lot of controversy in the movie industry back in 1941!! This film did not even win best picture that year, that award was given to "How Green was My Valley". Reluctance to allow a film like "Citizen Kane" to be released, evoked a formidable indication that people had a perception of the silver screen as the purveyor of the stilted panacea which provided glossy entertainment for the movie audience!! The ugly depiction of abhorrent human nature that "Citizen Kane" so succinctly illustrated, left a scar on the manufactured illusions of movies during this era!! So many film's entertainment agenda during the '30's and '40's were fortified by high budget fantasy!! These illusions orchestrated a premise of escapism that the moviegoers grew accustomed to!! (Wizard of Oz is a stellar example)...Nevertheless, "Citizen Kane" hit the big screen, and from there, received unprecedented critical acclaim!!
What was the attraction?.... Charles Foster Kane was a neglected and irascible man who concocted a myriad of avoidable vulnerabilities in his life. His childhood became a pitfall of doom and despair which left an indelible mark on him!! His empathy for the working class people inevitably translated to his perception of them as chattel, and that he must be the ameliorated recipient of their gratitude!! His fame and fortune was predicated on the idea that the banal proletariat be relegated to the pathetic plight of a marketable commodity!! So many concepts were avant-gard in this movie, this is why they were widely unacceptable!! Concepts such as: The life of a corporate mogul being the culprit to making Charles Foster Kane fall prey to vanity and social entitlement!! He became a victim of megalomania, this was his ultimate downfall!! The dark human emotions and vindictiveness of politicians seeking election and/or re-election manifested themselves through very authentic reactions from the characters in this film!! The perennial egocentric demeanor which afflicted Charles Foster Kane throughout the entire movie, signified a pejorative compassion which was totally self centered!!!
The character portrayal of Charles Foster Kane by Orson Wells was outstanding..Genuine feelings that were related to selfishness and avarice in this movie simply astounded me!! People have to consider the year this movie was made (1941) to fully appreciate the ideas which were thrown out at the movie audience!! No matter how reprehensible Charles Foster Kane was, he was also NEWS!!! This will always be the way of the world!! This newspaper king wound up being utterly thwarted by a form of convoluted justice!!! Leaving a largess of artwork behind, merely pointed out to everyone that his priorities purported a horrid arrogance!! The onus was on the movie audience to get acquainted with the despicable aspects of negative emotional qualities that Charles Foster Kane masqueraded around like coveted trophies!! Ultimately, his childhood put a lethal spin on his adverse reactions to everything, and played a significant role in this movie!! I strongly recommend to anyone who is interested in movies, that they see this film!! "Godfather" "Shawshank Redemption" "Lord of the Rings" (Fellowship of the Ring) and "Gold Rush" have all been selected as the greatest movie ever made by one critic's list or another, but, not nearly as often as "Citizen Kane" though!!! "Citizen Kane" is an absolutely remarkable movie!!