Rosebud, Even!

Rating: 10/10 (18 July 2006)

Citizen Kane is the story of Charles Foster Kane, a man very similar to that of William Randolph Hearst. Kane has it all, a multi-million dollar business, a mansion named Xanadu, and a celebrity that rivals the President of the United States. Even with all of this success, he dies alone and old uttering the mysterious word: "Rosebud." What does the word "Rosebud" mean, you ask? Well, that's where the movies begins. In flashbacks, we hear all about the life and times of this very rich man called Kane. It's up to the reporters and you to figure out what it all means.
A very interesting plot, but that's not the best part. You see, a movie like Citizen Kane has to have a lot more to be called the greatest movie of all time. Believe me, it has everything. I was lucky enough to see this film in the theater at a classic movie screening. The great thing is that it was my first viewing of this masterpiece. I'd heard a lot about it and over the years it got its massive reputation, but I didn't think it could be this good.
One cannot describe in words how a movie could be so great. A film directed by a 25-year-old doesn't sound like a classic, but Orson Welles was able to change all that. His script is one of the greatest of all time. He had so much creativity that it all oozed out of him and onto the film. His portrayal of Kane is so realistic that you forget you're only watching a 25-year-old. The make-up artists can also take credit for this.
All of the technical achievements are a marvel. This is the first movie to actually use a ceiling, so you know it has to be good. Another unforgettable use of scenery involves a dining room table. Kane and his wife have been growing farther and farther apart. To show this, Welles has a montage of dinners with the table getting longer and making Kane and his wife physically get farther and farther apart. That's just one example of the genius that this film is.
It's too bad that 1941 audiences weren't able to really see this movie. The character of Kane was so close to Hearst that the famous newspaperman caused the film to fail at the box office. Hearst didn't want this movie to be seen. Luckily for us, we now have this film forever and can view it when ever we want. I highly recommend this milestone in film-making history.