Citizen Kane (1941)

Featured Audience Ratings

• Lucas M

  
  Young filmmakers should watch this picture, before wrote or direct a film. Welles' epic tale Citizen Kane is a powerful satire of the world of news. A fresh way to tell a story, a cinema revolution! Fresh.

• Sanjay R

  
  This is a terrific film. The screenplay is outstanding, the acting is great as is the cinematography, which broke ground evidently. By having many morals ranging from wealth to happiness and getting every little detail right, this film will have you thinking well after it is over. It… More
  This is a terrific film. The screenplay is outstanding, the acting is great as is the cinematography, which broke ground evidently. By having many morals ranging from wealth to happiness and getting every little detail right, this film will have you thinking well after it is over. It is widely thought of as the best film of all time. Not in my humble opinion, but I can definitely see why.

• KJ P

  
  Orson Welles puts together a film with a type of storytelling that feels futuristic. As we follow 'Charles Foster Kane' through his poor childhood and on into absolute wealth, with his arrogant attitude and his desire to impress women for personal impact rather than true… More
  Orson Welles puts together a film with a type of storytelling that feels futuristic. As we follow 'Charles Foster Kane' through his poor childhood and on into absolute wealth, with his arrogant attitude and his desire to impress women for personal impact rather than true love. I absolutely love the pace, it makes the movie much more real to watch. The cinematography is gorgeous, grasping every aspect that is needed to make a shot effective, and the "NEW" actors are all brilliant. "Citizen Kane" is one of the best films of all time, and while waiting for the conclusion, you are on the edge of your seat. The final shot of the film will have your mouth on the floor, thinking about how much thought actually went into making this such a brilliant masterpiece in cinema. I am always looking for symbolism, and almost every branching plot has a certain significance to something that has happened or is going to happen throughout the rest of the film. As the end contrasts the beginning, I begin to believe no other life story compares to it. "Citizen Kane" is a pure cinematic phenomenon!

• Christopher H

  
  If one is thinking about going into filming, this movie should be required viewing. The story is perfectly crafted and told. The cinematography makes every frame of this film absolutely breathtaking. Orson Welles was a genius.

• Joel K

  
  Greatest Film of all time? That's a lot to live up to. The Greatest film of all time must be one that pleases everyone. It must be action packed, but at the same time slowly paced. It must be mainstream, and at the same time art house. It must be a horror, western, sci-fi, porno… More
  Greatest Film of all time? That's a lot to live up to. The Greatest film of all time must be one that pleases everyone. It must be action packed, but at the same time slowly paced. It must be mainstream, and at the same time art house. It must be a horror, western, sci-fi, porno etc etc. Impossible. But, because of its greatness, this film turns up at the top of many people's favourite movie lists, and on the top of plenty of critic polls. Although praised for its original cinematography, it's plain to see that it (at least in this aspect) draws heavily from Italian neo-realism, and Japanese cinema. This is not a bad thing, however. The cinematography is still masterful. The jig-saw narrative structure, Orson Welles monumental performance, and the films stark and dark imagery make this a compelling watch. A thought provoking examination of how a man's life can be tainted by the evils of wealth and capitalism.

• Graham J

  
  Orson Welles at his best. Looking at the film today on Blu-Ray, it's hard to believe it was released in 1941.

• Brad W

  
  Citizen Kane is considered by many as the greatest film of all time, and I could see why, because the story, acting, music, and everything else is just so perfectly done and is just so incredible that its hard to believe that one man created this masterpiece. The plot is the best… More
  Citizen Kane is considered by many as the greatest film of all time, and I could see why, because the story, acting, music, and everything else is just so perfectly done and is just so incredible that its hard to believe that one man created this masterpiece. The plot is the best part, it tells the tragic and sad life of one man who wanted love but had none to give, and it just follows his mysterious life step by step an never tries to be boring and it never forgets what the point of the story is, possibly the greatest screenplay ever. Orson Wells is remembered for mostly one thing in his life, acting and directing the most critically acclaimed film in the history of cinema, and he pulls both off with flying colors in ways I cannot describe. The cinematography of the film is also incredible, its like every scene was on the perfect spot for the film. Citizen Kane is not my favorite movie of all time, but if a friend of mine came up to me and asked me "Is Citizen Kane the greatest film of all time?". I would ony respond with "yes, its not my favorite film but it is the best film."

• Alexander D

  
  The 70th Anniversary Ultimate Collector's Edition Blu-Ray (wow, that was a mouthful) of CITIZEN KANE was released very recently, and it still is an Orson Welles classic. However, I still can't quite understand why the AFI ranked this #1 on their "100 Films...100… More
  The 70th Anniversary Ultimate Collector's Edition Blu-Ray (wow, that was a mouthful) of CITIZEN KANE was released very recently, and it still is an Orson Welles classic. However, I still can't quite understand why the AFI ranked this #1 on their "100 Films...100 Years" list. It's a spectacular film, and maybe the quote, "Rosebud...", should be #1 on their quotes list, but I really think that if they are going to be so generic as to put something from around the '20s to '50s era as number one, it should have definitely been GONE WITH THE WIND, if not THE JAZZ SINGER (which sadly doesn't even appear on the 10th anniversary list, but I really thought it was much better than JUST that). If the AFI, in 2012, decided to update their list with a 15th anniversary edition, there would be recent add-ons for sure, such as THE KING'S SPEECH and SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE; and I wouldn't surprised if this film was cut down a notch or so. Once again, that's not to say I hated it--I really enjoyed CITIZEN KANE--I just think it's overly praised, and that it's also kind of silly to rank #1 as a film that lost its battle for its year's Best Picture award.

• Daniel J D

  
  For once, I'm stumped as to how to review a movie. When the movie's widely hailed as the greatest ever made and infiltrated your culture for the past seventy years and influenced nearly every movie you've ever seen, it's hard to say much that hasn't been said.… More
  For once, I'm stumped as to how to review a movie. When the movie's widely hailed as the greatest ever made and infiltrated your culture for the past seventy years and influenced nearly every movie you've ever seen, it's hard to say much that hasn't been said. Overall, it's a great film and certainly worth seeing.

• Jay H

  
  The classic film on which many future biographical films would be based, "Citizen Kane" paints a portrait of its fictional title character in a deep, complete way. But it also manages to remind us all that to win true friends, we must give something of ourselves, not just… More
  The classic film on which many future biographical films would be based, "Citizen Kane" paints a portrait of its fictional title character in a deep, complete way. But it also manages to remind us all that to win true friends, we must give something of ourselves, not just something like money, which Kane used throughout his life to make his "friends," which made him die an unhappy man. Truly a classic.

• Zach B

  
  To be openly honest, it is hard to watch this film. Not because of the content or that it is seventy years old. But because of it's reputation. One thing this film is known for is that it is at the top of the American Film Institute's Top Ten Films with this film being… More
  To be openly honest, it is hard to watch this film. Not because of the content or that it is seventy years old. But because of it's reputation. One thing this film is known for is that it is at the top of the American Film Institute's Top Ten Films with this film being number one. Due to that, this film will always be analyzed, studied, and torn apart by people wanting to see if this is the greatest film of all time. Now, in my opinion, it is not the greatest film of all time. But, does that mean it is bad? Absolutely not! This film is the study and life of a man who spends his life creating his own paradise, becoming wealthy as one can imagine, and trying to fill a certain hole in his life while a detective tries to find out what is the truth behind the famous Charles Forster Kane's (Orson Welles) last words. When i saw this film, I was aware of the status I had, but I watched it with no expectations. What I ended up getting was an enjoyable, emotional film that is, well, terrific! Okay, let's get down to the basics. For directing, I am impressed. For writing, producing, directing, and acting as the title role, Orson Welles is a complete one man show. Thinking back to the nineteen-forties, this is impressive that anyone would go through this much trouble just to make a film. And, I will admit that Welles had became the symbol and inspiration for so many people that it is unreal. If you want to talk about a man who bleed for a film, then this is the man you should talk about. The dedication, devotion, and the entire way he crafted this film sits rightly as being his undisputed masterpiece. Brilliant work. Acting, I am going to ignore Welles due to me already talking about him. The entire supporting cast does do a rather good job with holding parts of the story together. I just love the way that this film ended up launching the careers of so many actors. I mean, you have Joseph Cotten, Everett Sloane, Ray Collins, Agnes Moorehead, and Ruth Warrick in top performances that they all make this film special in one way or another. Next the screenplay. With writing scripts for films, there is something of a certain craft that is put into it that which makes the film flow like smooth wine from a bottle. Here, along with Herman J. Mankiewicz, Welles was able to create these story that, while at first may be slow, tells this marvelous story that stays with you after the last shot is scene. Finally the score. Bernard Herman, what can I say about him? Easily one of America's most well known and brilliant film composers made the music for this film and, it is just emotional and memorably. Overall, this is NOT the greatest film ever made, but it is a damn good film nonetheless. Quoting the poster: IT'S TERRIFIC!

• Liam G

  
  A masterful work. I doesn't need to be explained how incredible this film is. Just see it for yourself.

• Thomas B

  
  One of the biggest problems with Citizen Kane is its lofty position on AFI's top movies of all time. Sitting at numero uno means that when you watch it, the film is studied, scrutinized, viewed more as a textbook than what it really is, which is a beautifully crafted balance of… More
  One of the biggest problems with Citizen Kane is its lofty position on AFI's top movies of all time. Sitting at numero uno means that when you watch it, the film is studied, scrutinized, viewed more as a textbook than what it really is, which is a beautifully crafted balance of script, acting and direction with a simple message beautifully realised through the story of Charles Foster Kane. When viewed through the context of the era, Citizen Kane broke more ground than any number of films put together. With its "topsy-turvy" storyline which jumps from interview to flashback and from time zone to time zone within Charlie's life, Citizen Kane was a revelation. But watched through the present day's filter, Citizen may seem to have lost its groundbreaking quallity, it still remains as current and relevant as it was when it was made, possibly even more so in today's environment. This stems from its enduring themes of true happiness and what we wish for most when we lose everything else. The film well and truly belongs to Orson Welles. For those who haven't heard of the film titan, Welles was a young up-and-comer in the film industry who seemed deteremined to shake up the system from its foundations. Not only this but he possessed an ungodly talent with film, ludicrously gifted in acting, writing and directing. He did all of this in Citizen Kane and produced the film as well, but the strain which must have existed is never shown when he's onscreen, bringing a passionate, nuanced and larger-than-life performance to his intricately complex lead character, Charlie. He manages to be completely magnetic and effortlessly charming throughout much of the film as well growing old and bitter when the role calls for it. It is an incredible performance, ingrained in reality while being big and bold with a booming voice and an eratic though domineering nature. He's unafraid to make his character unlikeable in many ways, counting on the audience's initial connection with the character to ferry them through the hard times. Welles is of course surrounded by an ensemble of brilliant actors with equally layered performances in their own right. Even though he steals the show, Welles' performance would mean very little without the selfless performances of those around him. The characters they embody are still affected long after Kane's opening death scene, showing the immense impact Kane had upon the lot of them, and it's a credit to the actors that this impact is made so obvious without being explicitly reffered to. Welles' direction in the film is fantastic. Despite being without the bells and whistles which todays' filmmakers take for granted, Welles manages to capture the imagination of his audience with every frame, whether he's employing his striking sense of symbolism or positioning his audience to whatever frame of mind he wants. Watching movies today it's easy to see the impact that Welles has had upon film, echoing over seventy years. Scorsese's bag of tricks would be severely depleted without Welles as a starting point and Spielberg's understanding of his audience would never be as fully realised without Orson's legacy. Despite slipping into depression and withdrawing almost entirely from the world of film, Welles' impact will always be felt in film and it's exemplified by this, his most complete and realised work. Welles' script is as packed with symbolism as his direction, but it's never bogged down so entirely in being edgy and profound that it forgets to be funny and, most importantly, real. The entire work is steeped in reality, whether it's an odd turn of phrase or a slight stumble in the delivery of a phrase, Kane is not so stylised that it loses touch with reality. This in turn allows audiences to connect more fully with the characters onscreen, making them real with real problems and real mannerisms, despite their ostentatious and larger-than-life surroundings at times. This especially helps with Charlie's character, turning him from a caricature to someone the audience can connect with. It's fast-paced and unfathomably clever as well as being profound when it wants to be and depressingly real when it needs to be. Kane is a towering achievement, in conception, in execution and in its impact throughout the world of film. Despite being begrudgingly awarded one Oscar by the Academy of the day, Kane continues to be an enduring classic and a source of inspiration for filmmakers everywhere. But despite its intimidating and sometimes damning reputation of being the world's greatest film, when watched for what it is, it's revealed to be playful, real and intricate character study of one man and his impact on those around him, beautifully realised in performances, direction and script alike. Defining Scene: Kane admonishes Gettys from the staircase in the middle of the night in the scene where it all went wrong. Quotes: Rosebud Hello Jedidiah Hello Charlie. I didn't know we were speaking Sure we're speaking Jedidiah: you're fired I always gagged on the silver spoon Are we going to declare war on Spain, or are we not? The Inquirer already has. You long-faced, overdressed anarchist! I am NOT overdressed! You are too! Mr. Bernstein, look at his necktie!

• Everett J

  
  So, I decided I'm going to try to watch the "AFI top 100 Greatest Movies of All Time" list, and what better way to start than with number 1, "Citizen Kane". This was released in 1941 and is generally regarded as the best American made movie ever, and I can… More
  So, I decided I'm going to try to watch the "AFI top 100 Greatest Movies of All Time" list, and what better way to start than with number 1, "Citizen Kane". This was released in 1941 and is generally regarded as the best American made movie ever, and I can honestly see why it would be considered that. I can only imagine what movies were generally like in 1941, and this was way ahead of it's time. There is so many things in this movie that I have seen in so many other films that have come out since. "Citizen Kane" really inspired future film makers with the way certain things were shot and the way the movie played out with flashbacks. Just by certain angles of the actors I can tell Martin Scorsese probably loves this movie. If you don't know the story(hey, I didn't either), it's about a rich newspaper tycoon(Charles Kane) who died and left a mystery around his last word "Rosebud", and a reporter trying to figure out what it meant. At 70 years old, the story kept this 28 year old captivated right to the very end. Great storytelling throughout the entire movie, but I think the main reason this movie stands the test of time is Orson Welles. He wrote, directed, and starred as "Kane." He is what every actor should aspire to be with the way he controlled the screen with his presence and charisma. This may not be my personal favorite movie of all time, but I can certainly say it inspired most of my favorite movies.

• Drew S

  
  Every bit the classic you've heard, Citizen Kane is a treat on every conceivable cinematic level. As a big-business polemic, proto-noir of the human character, or exploration of visual techniques that would soon be made into standards, this film is a resounding success. What more… More
  Every bit the classic you've heard, Citizen Kane is a treat on every conceivable cinematic level. As a big-business polemic, proto-noir of the human character, or exploration of visual techniques that would soon be made into standards, this film is a resounding success. What more is there to say? Read an essay, do some research, but above all else - watch the movie.

• Spencer S

  
  This portrait, finely detailed and cultivated to a sharp point, holds all the dramatic elements of a masterwork. The saga of Charles Foster Kane, told through the flashbacks of wives, emissaries, employees, and old friends turned enemies, are both the makings of madness and the… More
  This portrait, finely detailed and cultivated to a sharp point, holds all the dramatic elements of a masterwork. The saga of Charles Foster Kane, told through the flashbacks of wives, emissaries, employees, and old friends turned enemies, are both the makings of madness and the crumbling of an ego. So young and fervent, Kane's idoltry and youth are wasted and wittled down by indulgence and the loss of honesty in a world that won't tolerate its existence. The role is taken on by 26 year old Orson Welles, also the director. Forgetting the value of this prodigous art, it weighs on the mind that such a creative soul took part in this film's creation, with a throwaway to the inspiration of William Randolph Hearst. Before it's time in so many ways, the symbolism, use of metaphors, and brilliant direction, made this film more susceptible to praise besides including its poignant story and brilliant acting by many of the actors involved, The beauty and unmarked trivial word "Rosebud" not only tied everything together so very well, but made for one of the most heartbreaking endings of all time. Pure beauty.

• Bently L

  
  The acting is powerful, the scripting is superb, and Orson Welle's direction is amazing. "Citizen Kane" is one of the most powerful and amazingly told films I've seen. This is one that is definetly worth the watch! Believe it or not, the end made me cry. See it.… More
  The acting is powerful, the scripting is superb, and Orson Welle's direction is amazing. "Citizen Kane" is one of the most powerful and amazingly told films I've seen. This is one that is definetly worth the watch! Believe it or not, the end made me cry. See it. Thats all I can say. "I think I did pretty well under the circumstances."

• AJ V

  
  A classic film, which helped future filmmakers, and furthered the film noir genre. A lot has been written about this movie, so I wont repeat it all here. This is one you have to see for yourself, even if you already know the ending.

• Jeremy S

  
  Considered to be the greatest film of all time. "Rosebud." The most geniusly clever film I have ever seen. It doesn't answer 'the question', what is the meaning of life, but it responds to the American Dream with harsh honesty in this tragic story, which in a… More
  Considered to be the greatest film of all time. "Rosebud." The most geniusly clever film I have ever seen. It doesn't answer 'the question', what is the meaning of life, but it responds to the American Dream with harsh honesty in this tragic story, which in a way answers the big question. Acclaimed for its innovative narrative structure, deep focus cinematography, soundtrack, literate screenplay, and nuanced portrayal of the central character. Citizen Kane is truly the best. Winner of my Greatest Drama Films. Winner of my Greatest Film Entrances.

• Dan S

  
  A classic in every sense of the word. For a 24 year old man to topple something of such epic nature is downright incredible, but Orson Welles was no ordinary actor/director. This film, which tackles so many subjects and offers plenty of symbolism, is a reigning achievement in film,… More
  A classic in every sense of the word. For a 24 year old man to topple something of such epic nature is downright incredible, but Orson Welles was no ordinary actor/director. This film, which tackles so many subjects and offers plenty of symbolism, is a reigning achievement in film, chronicling a vastly wealthy man whose ego wrecked his relationships with his best friends, and his wives. While it's certainly not the best movie ever made as some people claim, it's definitely one of the best films dealing with wealth and power, and how relationships with others always outweighs material possessions. The end of the film is captured both beautifully and tragically, and the score is irrefutably rousing.

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