Citizen Kane

Film studies

Film: Citizen Kane

Power

It is funny what happens to us in childhood and how it effects us for the rest of our life. Citizen Kane is addressing the subject of the American dream and how it all ends up being a tragedy. Charles Foster Kane is a character bigger than life it self. He is charismatic and as rich as a king. He is loved and has, in more ways then one, reached success at a very young age. His story follows the arch of a tragedy, where success is found for the god like figure, and then they fall. Kane is very much a god -like figure and his fall is O so great. In a way it is a narrative on Orson's own life, despite him claiming that his character has no resemblance to who he is. Yet, Orson gave a narrative of his own life without even knowing it. Citizen Kane was the first film he ever made and was the greatest as well. He would go own to attempt to replicate what had been done, but nothing could compare, so he fell. Towards the end of his life he became hateful towards the world. He gained weight and became a lonely person. He became the tragedy. Marlon Brando Is another man of a tragedy. Young success full, but old age made them nothingness, like Oedipus as he wonders the world blind.

It is interesting to here Orson Welles take on his great film. He was 25 years old when he wrote, produced and filmed Citizen Kane. The amazing thing about the film is that it follows none of the conversational standards of Hollywood at the time. This is because Welles had no experience in the field. Very similar to Duke Ellington who was never classically trained, he created his own style. During the couple first week of production Orson was doing all of the lighting work, and had no real idea of how to frame a shot or establish direction. Orson Welles came from a theatrical background and we can see the parallels between the way he framed his theatrical dramas versus his cinematic. The way he created hugh spaces with simple visuals effects. He had no desire to work in Hollywood resulting in a contract that gave Welles very little money but a extensive amount of artistic control. The cinematic effects which he achieved where possible because he didn't realize that they were impossible. In the making of the film Orson had a lot of backlash from quite a few producers, one incident accruing that a man came and cut Orson tie off. The film as taken claim a being the greets film ever. This is not based on the acting or the cinematography which are both amazing, it has to do with the message Citizen Kane has and how it applies to the western world. I think many movies have come out that have as great of artistic intention yet they will not be recognized for years. Very much like Van Gogh.

The movie plays with archaic concept that the pen is more powerful than the sword. Charles Foster Kane is a man of success and we see his success in the first part of the film. As the film goes a long we began to see him in his old age and how all that success has made him miserable. He isn't able to by love which is what he tries to do. The scene that hit me the most was when Susan Alexander (Dorothy Comingore) is sitting working on a puzzle. It seems to utterly lonely, for it is only Kane, her and the Maids in the palace. The room is so big that it echoes and he sits so far away that they have to shout to hear each other. The fireplace where she sits is so big that the she could walk inside it without her head hitting the ceiling. It is not right for a human to have a house that big. In his case, a palace. It is disturbing in a way. The house in not meant for humans, more so for giants. For one to own so much is a desire for control. To attempt to own everything in the world so that one can have love. Yet money cant buy her love. He has been taught from a young age that money buys everything. So when all the statues he gives to his beloved don't do anything, he buys even more stuff. He will try his whole life to buy back the love he lost in childhood. The room it self is amazing because it is all done with special effects. Black cloths and camera angles. The scene is also a metaphorical gesture for what the film truly is, a jigsaw puzz.