RKO 281: The Battle Over Citizen Kane

RKO 281: The Battle Over Citizen Kane (1999)

  • 92% of critics liked it
    (13 reviews)

  • 71% of users liked it
    (2,507 ratings)

When RKO Pictures began work on production number 281, no one could have imagined that they were making perhaps the greatest American film of all time. But the moment Orson Welles (played by Liev Schreiber) announced that he intended to make a film based on the life of tyranical multi-millionaire… More

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R, 1 hr. 30 min.
Directed By
Benjamin Ross
Genres
Documentary, Drama
In Theaters
Nov 20, 1999 Wide
On DVD
Apr 25, 2000
HBO Video

Critic Reviews

  • Emily Blunt, Blunt Review

    This hardly seen film is a great watch for ANY Welles fan.

  • James Sanford, Kalamazoo Gazette

    entertaining; Schreiber is excellent

  • Bob Bloom, Journal and Courier (Lafayette, IN)

    Wonderful TV movie about the pressures and ego clashes and politics surrounding the making of Citizen Kane.

  • James Rocchi, Netflix

    High-pulp look at Citizen Kane's genesis is stylish but shallow.

  • Staci Layne Wilson, Fantastica Daily

    Excellent. Liev Schreiber IS Orson Welles.

Read all 8 critic reviews

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

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Featured Audience Ratings

  • Jeffrey M


    Having watched this directly after first experiencing Citizen Kane, I found RKO to be insightful, informative, and rewarding. Liev Schreiber was great as Orson Wells, as was John Malkovich. The film had its limitations, it was only focused on the creation of, and aftermath of, Citizen… More

  • Burger S


    Another great HBO independent film.

  • Marion R


    I am an Orson Welles fan, so I found it really interesting.

  • Wu C


    Very good movie about the making of 'Citizen Kane'.

Cast

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