The Greatest Moive Ever Made (Citizen Kane)

          Citizen Kane was released in May of 1941. It was a American drama headed by the director, producer, co-writer, and star Orson Welles. A major influence revolves around the main character Charles Foster Kane. Kane was heavily influenced by the life and doings of William Randolph Hearst, the pioneer of  American journalism and creator of yellow journalism.

       
           The film was negatively viewed by, the leading in public, William Randolph Hearst. Hearst tried to use his power to eradicate this film from existence. Hearst banned the film's advertisings, reviews, and, even, mentions from his chain of newspapers. He had journalists to belittle Orson Welles. Soon, Hearst banned every newspaper and radio station, under his jurisdiction, from giving the film a review and had movie theaters to ban it. Before I saw the movie, I thought the title Citizen Kane was about a menace to society and something about power. Therefore, I expected an old classic black and white movie with some crabby person trying to rise up the social ladder just to look like somebody of worth.
          The film starts by showing many angles of this estate, the Xanadu, which was inspired by Hearst Castle and the city of Xanadu in Mongolia. Then, it shows a old man saying two words I have heard before but, not from this movie, "Rosebud". Afterwards, he drops a glass snow globe and it shadders, followed by a nurse pulling a sheet over his head and  signifying that the man is dead. As a unknowing viewer, I think to myself : What does "rosebud" mean and why did he say it? What does the snow globe represents? Why are there monkeys around?
          The announcer announces the old man's name as Charles Foster Kane and goes through the things Kane has done in his lifetime. It shows hat the Xanadu contains a private zoo, which explains the monkeys, many paintings and exotic statues .Through the scene, it shows Kane with a U.S President then shows Kane again with German dictator Hitler together on a balcony, he almost looks like a traitor.
           There are three vital points in movie (in my opinion) which has a significant meaning to movie in some way. The first scene shows Walter Parks Thatcher, a banker, in a house with Jim and Mary Kane, the parents of Charles Foster Kane, discussing the guardianship of young Charles. In the background Charles can be seen playing outside in the snow with his sled. In others movies the little boy would be faded away to focus on the three in the house. This scene shows an unaware child having the time of his life while his parents and a banker tamper with his future. The second scene is when Kane is twenty four (by this time Kane has already started his own newspaper) and sitting across from Walter Thatcher. Thatcher is shown reading a newspaper, while complaining. Thatcher is talking to Kane about his articles and how he does not have any real proof,  that moment is where I instantly said to myself, "yellow journalism". The third scene is where Susan is in bed and clearly shown next to the bed was a table but it was not the table that caught my attention it was what was on the table. On that was a cup, spoon, and a jar of what commonly looked like medicine or poison. During the scene, Susan was laying in bed, eyes closed, and breathing slowly with Kane and another beating on the door after she does not answer.
           The climax if the film was when Kane's first wife Emily received a note about Kane having an affair and a Mistress, Susan. Kane soon found out that the note was sent by Jim W. Gettys, Kane's political rival. After the affair was public, Kane and Emily divorced and Susan became Mrs. Susan Alexander Kane.
           After being married for so long and being "mistreated" Susan finally snaps, while they were on a vacation. The one-sided argument ended with Kane slapping her, but instead of being over dramatic and crying, she demands for an apology and he easily gives it to her. Afterwards, Susan leaves Kane and that resulted in Kane ripping their, former, bedroom apart, he had broken everything except that snow globe. The snow globe was able to calm down the man who just lost his wife.
           The last scene made me feel so stupid, just being honest. As every single item in the Xanadu was boxed up, except for some items that was being burned, which would explain to smoke coming from the chimney at the beginning of the movie. One item in particular answered my first question: What does "rosebud" mean and why did he say it? The men picked up a sled with a symbol of a budding rose and under it was the words "Rosebud". The men threw it in the fire as the reporters talked and one of them said "Maybe rosebud was something he (Kane) didn't get or maybe something he lost." Then it came to me, "He lost his childhood!" And maybe snow globe represented that snowy day Walter Parks Thatcher took him away from his childhood and Kane kept Rosebud as a reminder of where he came from because, Rosebud the sled was the sled he was playing with that day.
           The characters are made to model the life of William Randolph Hearst. The Kane character was heavily influenced by Hearst. The other characters like his first wife and the mistress all models the life and career of William Randolph Hearst. My last point is about the film is the camera techniques used to create dramatic irony, for example: during the scene where Susan is in bed after trying to kill herself,the audience knew that she took whatever that was in that bottle but Kane did not. Another example was the snowy day scene, young Kane did not know he was going away but the audience did.
          After seeing this movie I see why many people say it is the greatest movie ever made and I enjoyed it. Does this movie go on my favorites list? Yes it does.