Citizen Kane Was Way Ahead of Time | *First Time Watching* Movie Reaction & Commentary

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My first time watching Citizen Kane (1941). I finally watched what many consider the best movie ever made! It was CERTAINLY ahead of its time with its structure, style and substance! I hope you enjoyed my Citizen Kane movie reaction & commentary
Hi, I'm Chris! Welcome to my channel. I react to movies & tv shows hoping to represent what it's really like to experience them for the first time. If you enjoy, you can support me by liking the video, subscribing to the channel, and letting me know your thoughts in the comments.
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Original Movie: Citizen Kane (1941)
*Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for "fair use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. Non-profit, educational or personal use tips the balance in favor of fair use. NO COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT INTENDED. All rights belong to their respective owners.

[@CasualNerdReactions]

I'm ready to hear all the trivia and why you consider Citizen Kane among the greatest films of all time! 😊 Keep an eye out later this week for The Batman (2022) and next week Dead Poets Society (1989) followed by WarGames (1983) (Early access to both are available on Patreon.)

[@wesleyrodgers886]

Ahhh Orson. Drank 30 cups of coffee a day. Had to change to tea. He got caffeine poisoning.

[@christopherleodaniels7203]

I think the word you were looking for was “expressionistic”. I think you got it. I believe Rosebud represents the last happy day where he felt love. His mother essentially gave him away. It didn’t matter that it was for a so-called better life. Nothing and no one he bought could fill that void, as you said.

[@evanwakelin7944]

No trivia for you, but the movie is so 'above' everything else because it literally invented so many things that became mainstream in filmmaking. It used editing 'cuts' and techniques no movie had done before. It used cameras and lenses in ways no one else had before, and as you point out, it had a very unique 'tone'. Orson was a genius and really burned bright and fast when he was younger.

[@jtt6650]

I think you got the theme of the movie perfectly. I believe, not absolutely sure, but first big Hollywood movie that showed ceilings (the sets had ceilings). Also, the backstage crew at the opera house could tell she “stunk” because presumably they get to hear all the greats and know the difference. ;)

[@DimensionDevices]

I think this is considered one of the "greats" purely because a LOT of the camera shots and effects are still used today. There was even a section that was "found footage" from behind a gate watching Kane like the paparazzi would. In many ways it is STILL very "modern" in terms of movie making.

[@robertjewell9727]

I have so much to say about Kane that I could write an essay here, but I will keep it relatively brief. As you know Dorothy Herrmann is a close friend of mine and we've talked about this film, her father's first film score, several times and his unique way of composing a film score and approaching sound with a visual medium in the earlier days of sound. The movie is about points of view and both how to see them in stylistic variations and what the visual image says about them as much as who they're talking about and this film has 6 points of view plus 1 meta POV and Welles, cinematographer Gregg Toland and Herrmann use all their talents in showing this distinct way of telling a story about a single individual. It's a classic example of a movie you can't just watch once. Rosebud represents his lost childhood, but also it is what he used to strike out against Thatcher from taking him away from an idyllic world into a corrupt one where adulthood presides where he learns everything there is about power.

[@melanie62954]

I would love to hear more about Bernard Herrmann's approach to composing a score! Have you written about it elsewhere?

[@ChrisMaxfieldActs]

29:20 "Rosebud" is CITIZEN KANE's MacGuffin, which was what Alfred Hitchcock called "the thing in the plot that the characters care about, but that has no real significance to the audience." On a deeper level, it's like the reporter said, it was something he lost. Not just the sled, but his actual family and home. The snow globe in Susan's room triggers the memory of that day his family sent him away, and his beloved sled, which he left behind. That's the significance of the Thatcher story, when they cut from snow covering Charlie's sled, conveniently obscuring it's name, to Charles unwrapping a fancy new sled with Thatcher. And hating it. Of course.

[@annaclarafenyo8185]

No, it's not a McGuffin. What you don't understand is that it is a Christian trope. The final words are really important to Christians, because they serve as a clue as to the afterlife, how the person will spend eternity in heaven. The Rosebud trope tells the Christian that Kane will not be damned, he will spend eternity in heaven, in the last version in which he was happy, which was before he was rich. This idea reappears in "Ivan's Childhood" by Tarkovsky, for example, where we glimpse Ivan in his eternal form at the end. Or in other films from the Christian tradition which use the last-words as a clue to the afterlife. Welles was a Christian socialist his whole life.

[@rustincohle2135]

"Citizen Kane" is mostly called the greatest film ever made because of what it innovated. Primarily: 1. Use of deep focus 2. Music - The film eschewed the typical Hollywood practice of scoring a film with virtually non-stop music. Instead, composer Bernard Herrmann used what he later described as "radio scoring", musical cues typically 5-15 seconds in length that bridge the action or suggest a different emotional response. 3. Non-linear storytelling - the film broke from the convention of traditional linear, chronological narrative 4. Story told through flashbacks - The film tells Kane's story entirely in flashbacks 5. Telling the story from different points of view, many of them from Kane's aged and forgetful associates, the cinematic equivalent of the unreliable narrator in literature 6. Innovated the use of dissolves and wipes 7. Extended long takes and tracking shots 8. Innovated the use of montage for time manipulation 9. Editing multiple shots into one frame 10. Seiderman's revolutionary old-age makeup techniques in "Citizen Kane" 11. Special effects - The film was innovative for its extensive use of optical effects and in-camera effects including in-camera mattes, more than the vast majority of films at the time. It was also innovative for its use of optical printers. 12. The meticulousness of the mise-en-scène 13. Camera angles - innovated the use of low angles, specifically the floor level camera set up. 14. Crazy camera movements - the shot where the camera passes through a glass roof and goes through a table. This was done by creating sets that would detach when the camera passed through it. 15. Innovative scene transitions - an example is when the camera zooms in on a photograph and the photo comes alive as the beginning of a new scene 16. Innovative use of covered sets and being able to see a ceiling - before "Kane", sets were open at top to allow for more lighting and other equipment 17. Innovated the vertical boom shot 18. Innovative expressionistic lighting 19. Audio innovations - such as overlapping dialogue. In addition to the overlapping dialogue, Welles used what he called a “lightning mix”, a way of rapidly transitioning between scenes by using a continuation of a sound effect or a line of dialogue. 20. Themes explored in the script: The Difficulty of Interpreting a Life, The Myth of the American Dream, The Unreliability of Memory 21. Motifs of old age, isolation and materialism And there's more! But I'm tired of writing. Virtually every film that followed "Citizen Kane" has borrowed one or more of these techniques. It's not considered the greatest because it's the best story ever told, or the most entertaining movie ever. But because of its cinematic influence on everything. "Kane" is like the Wright Bros plane. Were they the most sophisticated and efficient planes ever built? No. However, the innovative flight systems that were used on them and the aerodynamic principles that were discovered through its use are still used in every airplane today.

[@shallowgal462]

Outside of my high school film class, where I first studied this film, that was the best summary of Wells' innovations for this movie I've come across.

[@MrAitraining]

Only negative is his wife's acting.

[@MrRondonmon]

Yes, but technics/innovations can't make a film better than it really is, the truth is this was about Hearst/Media hence the media love it and push it as this great film, its not really that good, it has no effect on me at all, doesn't make me happy, sad, it leaves me ambivalent, and great movies should move us. JMHO.

[@GrisouIII]

@@MrAitraining no kidding!

[@rustincohle2135]

​@@MrRondonmon _"but technics/innovations can't make a film better than it really is"_ Uh, yes, it can. Film is a VISUAL medium. It's not just about actors reciting lines from a script in front of a camera. The "technics" are not about using them for the sake of using them, but to use them artistically for a specific purpose to effectively tell the story. All those innovations are merely tools and the storyteller has to know how to use them properly. _"its not really that good"_ Don't say that like it's an objective fact. It's not really good TO YOU, as in subjective. It's still regarded as virtually the greatest film ever made regardless of what you individually feel. _"it doesn't make me happy, sad, it leaves me ambivalent, and great movies should move us."_ A great film doesn't have to move you. "Raiders of the Lost Ark" is thrilling and entertaining. It doesn't move me, but it's still a great film. "The Godfather" doesn't make me happy or sad either. It's not a "moving" film and yet it's amazing. And happy, sad, it doesn't have to be one or the other. A great movie or TV series can leave you ambivalent. Like multiple episodes of "Breaking Bad". The actions of many of the characters on that show leave you with mixed feelings constantly, and it's the best TV series of all time BECAUSE of it.

[@Calintares]

I find that scene where he first meets Susan to be really interesting. His mother had recently died and he'd been to see her things. which put him in a nostalgic mood. She was speaking much more softly than she normaly would because of her toothache. The mud on his clothes made the massive distance in social standing between them seem less apparent. Then she mentions that her mother had wanted her to sing, "but you know how mothers are" Kane doesn't know how mothers are, but due to his nostalgic mood he grasped onto that same idèe fixe.

[@maharajohn2]

Great observations, thank you

[@jeffpope3221]

Rosebud is a symbol of the innocence Kane lost when his parents sent him off. Clearly he was happiest as a child playing in the snow. All the characters, when asked about Rosebud, offer their thoughts and usually there is some truth in what they say -- something he lost, something very simple, something he'd like to return to.

[@anttyzale5455]

True what you say about Rosebud. However in real life it meant something different to William Hearst and he was upset Orsen Welles knew what it meant, and wrote it into the screenplay.

[@annaclarafenyo8185]

@@anttyzale5455 To Hearst, "Rosebud" meant his lover's clitoris. This was reported in the yellow press. The use of "Rosebud" with an audience that knew what it meant in real life served as a way to get the audience's mind into the gutter, so that Welles could lift it out of the gutter at the end.

[@anttyzale5455]

@@annaclarafenyo8185 There were censor boards who reviewed the movie prior to its release. There is no way Wells could actually say what Rosebud meant. He had to follow the censor board.

[@annaclarafenyo8185]

@@anttyzale5455 Nope. He meant it as it is, he wouldn't change a thing. He also had full creative control and final cut. He wanted the audience to think the dirty thoughts, so that the ending would be doubly uplifting. It works.

[@anttyzale5455]

@@annaclarafenyo8185 Thats not how Hearst saw the screenplay.

[@SRG1966]

Has anyone else ever delivered a first film this good? And what a first screen performance from a 25 year old actor. Accomplishing one alone would have been remarkable enough, doing both at the same time is incredible. Welles was a mad genius.

[@davidfox5383]

This is a fascinating, unique movie that I don't count among my absolute favorites but that I still really like a lot and revisit every few years. It's funny how I perceive it at age 60 as opposed to how I received it at age 30... the ending now leaves me in tears for the lost innocence of what could have been in an entirely different, happy life. Orson Welles was a bona fide genius... my God, the man was 26 when he made this film!!! The way he revolutionized the use of the camera, sets, lighting, story structure... it really is no surprise that this film is considered one of the greatest pieces of cinema ever made.

[@CasualNerdReactions]

I had no idea he was so young when he made this. I agree, absolute genius. 👏

[@ThreadBomb]

I agree about how moving the ending is, and that "No trespassing" sign, the final nail in the coffin of a ruined life.

[@DelGuy03]

I feel much the same. It's not an absolute fond favorite of mine, but it's still a great piece of filmmaking. The fact that it's "the first" with a lot of techniques and structural ideas is true, and good to know, but doesn't matter as much as the fact that he used them so well -- and more, that he was clearly having such *fun* using all the possibilities of film. The late Pauline Kael wrote a great essay about it, "Raising Kane," that some partisans seem to have taken offense to (without actually reading it carefully), because she absolutely loved it and admired the hell out of Welles. (While making the point, which is well-attested, that he did tend to swallow up everyone else's contributions to his work, making the public think he had designed the sets and lighting and written everything. He did have a very good co-screenwriter, Herman J. Mankiewicz.) Her term of praise for it, "a masterpiece, but a *shallow* masterpiece," has also been misunderstood, but I think it's apt. It is indeed a masterpiece, but people new to it are often surprised that so much of it is light and mocking in tone, and that it's more about the fun of the film medium than about any great depths of character or theme. It's a good time at the movies, fantastically well executed.

[@randywhite3947]

Actually he was 24 - 25 when he made it

[@randywhite3947]

If you revisit it so many times shouldn’t it be a favorite at this point?

[@gggooding]

Your early comment, Chris, that this feels like "a haunted wizard of Oz." You hit that nail pretty square, I'd argue.

[@dlweiss]

Great reaction! I think you hit the nail on the head re: Rosebud and its place in this story. Despite being such a small and "insignificant' thing in the scheme of his life, it's also the magic key to understanding his deepest longings and motivations. It brings back a ground-level human dimension that we lost sight of, and highlights the tragedy of his constant attempts to "purchase" love and happiness. It's amazing to think that Orson Welles was only *26* when he co-wrote, directed, and acted in this movie.

[@CasualNerdReactions]

His age is the most astounding part to me. The reflections and insights to the characters and message of the film make me feel like an old man created this, but just wow. He was 26.

[@BigGator5]

"You're right, I did lose a million dollars last year. I expect to lose a million dollars this year. I expect to lose a million dollars *next* year. You know, Mr. Thatcher, at the rate of a million dollars a year, I'll have to close this place in... 60 years." I know someone might not see it today, this film was groundbreaking. Techniques pioneered in the making of this movie is common practice today. Fun Fact: The audience that watches Kane make his speech is, in fact, a still photo. To give the illusion of movement, hundreds of holes were pricked in with a pin, and lights moved about behind it. Bonus Fact: For this movie Orson Welles, along with cinematographer Gregg Toland, pioneered the "deep focus" technique that keeps every object in the foreground, center and background in simultaneous focus. This brought a sense of depth to the two-dimensional world of movies.

[@CasualNerdReactions]

The techniques they used here were amazing. The more I learn the more impressed I am. 👏

[@BigGator5]

Whenever I die, I want "Last Words: Absolutely Not!" written on my tombstone. I have it written in my will. I want people to walk past my my tombstone and left to wonder what exactly I meant by those words.

[@jessharvell1022]

so glad to see someone reacting to movies made before the 70s, especially the classic hollywood era, and so glad you enjoyed this one. all of the greatness of kane is visible without having to know anything about its making, but it's also one of the most fascinating movies to read about as well. just on a technical level welles, cinematographer gregg toland, and editor robert wise invented or sharpened techniques still being used today. but there's also the juicier drama behind the scenes. welles as the boy genius new york city theater director whose early fame got him a blank check in hollywood and who then very dangerously made a movie that was obvious to everyone was based on the life of an incredibly powerful real and still-living person. welles and screenwriter joseph mankiewicz *heavily* based kane and susan on actual newspaper titan william randolph hearst and his wife the silent era actress marion davies, down to the rumor/in-joke that "rosebud" was hearst's pet name for uh a part of marion's body. hearst of course then used all his power to try to destroy welles and the movie. even though critics in 1941 immediately hailed it as one of the greatest movies ever made, theaters were spooked about showing it so as to not anger hearst, and rko pictures shelved it pretty quickly. audiences barely got to see it, and it was shut out at the oscars, except for a screenplay award that was really the academy's nod to mankiewicz, not welles. (it began to earn its modern reputation when it started being shown on tv and in revival theaters in the 50s.) welles made many great movies after it - particularly the magnificent ambersons, touch of evil, chimes at midnight, and f for fake - but never with the same creative freedom or budget as kane. there was an excellent pbs american experience doc in the 90s called "the battle over citizen kane" that sometimes shows up on youtube, and the book citizen kane: a filmmaker's journey is also highly recommended if you want to know more.

[@artistinlederhosen]

the great joseph cotten starred in some of the most significant movies in film history. i wish he was more remembered today. terrific actor.

[@schmuck.on.wheels]

Incredible movie, I'm glad you checked it out. Aside from all the technical innovations (cameras looking up at the characters, meaning they had to build ceilings for the sets, the use of deep focus, the camera movements, the lighting, the editing, etc.), I've found that the structure of the film is a big part of why I keep going back to it. It's not just non-chronological, you literally get all the major events of the story right off the bat. There's more detail provided on the events throughout the movie, but there's no real bombshells because you already know the general story, which allows the film to focus entirely on the characters and their interactions. And like you said, it's hard to fully "get" Kane himself and his motivations because all you get are various people's perspective on him. You never get HIM. There's a great video of Scorsese talking about this movie where he mentions this. Basing a character study on someone who's something of an enigma is a bold choice, but I think it's a big part of what has kept the movie interesting and worth discussing after all these years.

[@thedeepfriar745]

The production cut holes in the floor to get those low angle shots. And think about this in 1941 Citizen Kane has a panning shot that rises up over a building and down through the sky light of that building, the cinematography and editing are a technical marvel

[@RocketRoketto]

Agnes Moorehead (Kane's mom) has always been stunning 😍 I grew up watching her as Endora on Bewitched.

[@michaelfrank3601]

The one thing that Welles said he regretted was the fact that Susan Alexander is thought to be a direct reference to Marion Davies. Susan is not talented as a singer, but Davis was considered a talented actress whose films did make money. The main irony is that by William Randolph Hearst fighting so hard to prevent the release and showing of the film, it linked him even more tightly as the inspiration for Charles Foster Kane.

[@maceomaceo11]

Non linear storytelling, camera angles never done before, camera shots never thought of before, cinemaphotography being a main focus that influences the storytelling, these are some of the biggest reasons this film is so vital to the entire art form of motion pictures.

[@budnbess]

"Citizen Kane" is often considered a roman a clef of the life of William Randolph Hearst, with Xanadu reflecting Hearst's "castle" at San Simeon, California. I once visited San Simeon. That day a fog had blown in from the Pacific, so the trip from the reception hall up the high hills was like rising through the clouds. All at once the bus burst through the top of the fog, and there, shimering in the bright sun, on the next hill on top of the clouds was the glittering castle. It was the only time in my life that I have ever been in a real faity tale.

[@stevefoulston]

It was a clash of the titans. William Randolph Hearst, the lord and ruler of San Simeon. And Orson Welles, the ambitious young man with a golden touch, who set out to dethrone him. It was a fight from which neither man ever fully recovered Citizen Kane was a brutal portrait of newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst. When Hearst learned through Hopper of Welles' film, he set out to protect his reputation by shutting the film down. Hollywood executives, led by Louis B. Mayer, rallied around Hearst, attempting to buy Citizen Kane in order to burn the negative. At the same time, Hearst's defenders moved to intimidate exhibitors into refusing to show the movie. Threats of blackmail, smears in the newspapers, and FBI investigations were used in the effort. Rosebud was the nickname Hearst gave to the private part of his lover, the actress Marion Davies. Peace out.

[@PeaceTrainUSA-1000]

The theme is pretty simple. There are some things money can't buy, some losses it can't replace. The reporter's concession at the end, that understanding the Rosebud probably wouldn't have illuminated much, is narrative irony. The audience realizes by then that Rosebud explains everything about Kane and actions/motivations. His mindless acquisition, manipulation, charming demeanor, fame-whoring, shallow populism, etc were manifestations of his futile attempt to fill the void of love/security created by his mother's abandonment (and his loss of innocence), which is what Rosebud represented. The last sequence in Xanadu is supposed to give this visual representation. The priceless art collection is scattered around the place in junk piles and is outshined by the fire-illuminated "worthless" sled in the incinerator.

[@lttlgreg]

Orson Welles hurt his hand in that scene where he was wrecking the room, you can see him hide his hand from the camera just before he sees the snow globe.

[@indiefan92]

13:19 She’s reading a different newspaper while he’s reading the Enquirer

[@classiclife7204]

Two points: 1) "Greatest movie of all time" hype comes from the French New Wave in the 50 and 60s, and the New Hollywood Brats of the 60s (who adored the New Wavers). The "stylized" direction caught all filmmakers' attention; its groundbreaking narrative entranced many in the business. (Think of the rapid-cut summary of Kane's first marriage.) They studied it, learned from it, and proceeded to make movies using many elements of it. 2) You included the scene but not the portion of the dialogue where Kane basically sums up his own philosophy; it's the scene where he's a young man fighting with his former stuffy guardian. Kane tells the old man (paraphrase), "Be glad it's me who's the 'reformer', and not someone from the streets who REALLY wants to change things." America's had a lot of "Charles Foster Kanes", not just William Randolph Hearst on whom Kane is based. Most notably, I feel, Robert Moses, who built modern New York City, was one of these types. Moses ran a shocking campaign in the 1920s or 30s in which he didn't bother to conceal his contempt for working people. In short, his message was, "Shut up, peasants, I'll take care of it for you. I gave you parks in Long Island, didn't I?" We've had Mr. Trump. "Only I can fix it!!" and, of course, "FRAUD!" (Lol.) Elon Musk appears to be one of these, as well. We're a country that produces public figures, public or private, in this love-me-or-else vein. Maybe a sad commentary on our national character, but oh well. As always, I enjoyed your reaction!

[@TTM9691]

Although you are absolutely correct about the French New Wave and the Hollywood brats, that's not the whole story. You're leaving out old movies being broadcast on TV. My family was Italian working class, didn't read French critics, and everyone loved "Kane". I caught it on TV when I was a kid and immediately could recognize it was different from every other movie from the period, was more "adult" and multi-dimensional. Now I'm older, I equate him with Stroheim (who was an influence). You watch "Blind Husbands" (1919) and you are seeing a grown-up movie that wasn't pandering to the audience, a new experience that still feels fresh and somewhat contemporary. "Kane" was like that. (Still is!)

[@classiclife7204]

@@TTM9691 Thanks for tip on "Blind Husbands"; heard of it, never seen it. Hopefully I can find it!

[@ThreadBomb]

@@TTM9691 There was really was no other film like Kane for decades after, except for other Orson Welles films.

[@TTM9691]

@@ThreadBomb Not in the USA there wasn't, you're right about that. In general, there are really only two movies I usually compare Kane with: "Intolerance" and "2001". I sometimes draw comparisons with Stroheim's "Blind Husbands", as far as the "adultness" of the movie being way beyond what everyone else was doing at the time.

[@TTM9691]

@@classiclife7204 It should be here on You Tube! "Blind Husbands" and after that, "Foolish Wives". "Blind Husbands" was the first film to gross over a million, I believe. And "Foolish Wives" was the first film to cost OVER a million, I believe! "Blind Husbands" doesn't have the scope of "Kane", I'm talking strictly about the tone of the movie being "adult". And the cinematics are great, as always with Stroheim. Like Welles, lots of Stroheim's work has been mutilated. He was the Welles of the silent era. Case in point: the incredible (and mostly lost) "Greed". Also, like Welles, Stroheim acted in movies, including his own. Hope you enjoy it! I love the 1917-1919 period of movies! Mary Pickford did a whole bunch of great movies during that time that are definitely worth checking out: "Poor Little Rich Girl", "Stella Maris" (where she plays two roles), "Daddy Longlegs", "The Hoodlum", "Heart O The Hills" and lots of others.

[@RickTBL]

I always thought he said "Rosebud", because when he was on the sled in the snow was the last time he was happy.

[@E_l_l_i_e]

It's sad that they burned the sled in the end. Little Charlie was abandoned by his parents and the object that symbolized his childhood was later discarded in a most horrific way. It's like Kane's fondest memory was lost with his death.

[@dggydddy59]

In one of the early scenes, the newspaper man says something like "...and when he's about to die, he's got something on his mind called rosebud." It's a particularly wicked dig by screenwriters Welles and Mank at newspaper tycoon William Randolph Hearst, because Rosebud was widely believed to be his pet name for his mistress' vagina. He lived with his mistress, silent film star Marion Davies in the enormous Hearst Castle San Simeon, named Xanadu in the film, where Marion did indeed do lots of jigsaw puzzles while Hearst spent millions trying to make her a star again, like in the film. Hearst tried hard to crush Citizen Kane but ultimately failed.

[@dennismason3740]

W.R. Hearst sought to destroy Orson Welles' career via his newspapers and he nearly did so.

[@CasualNerdReactions]

Absolutely fascinating.

[@TTM9691]

Wow. Just watched James do the "The King Of Comedy"......and now THIS???!!!!!!!!! I guess I'll be putting off bedtime for another hour!!!!!!!!!!! Digging in now. I want you to know that for me, it doesn't matter if you loved it, liked it or hated it. Just that you've seen it and you have it under your belt! Congratulations! "Greatest ever". "Best ever". All hype. When I saw this movie, I was a kid, it was on TV, I didn't know any of the hype. For me it's just a great movie that I can see endlessly and always notice something else in it. Technically brilliant, great writing, great acting, great structure. Before Tarantino or Kubrick or Kurosawa were playing with time and perspective in storytelling, Welles was doing it here in "Kane". Gonna watch now! THANKS!

[@geraldmcboingboing7401]

Another great reaction, Chris!! As my Dad used to say, "You're cooking on the front burner!" Robert Wise was the film editor. Did you notice that in the last of the progressive breakfast shots, Mrs. Kane was reading the competition's newspaper?

[@ThreadBomb]

Robert Wise went on to work for cult horror producer Val Lewton, where he ended up transitioning to directing. The best film he made for Lewton was The Body Snatcher (based on the story by Robert Louis Stevenson), starring Boris Karloff.

[@floorticket]

We studied this in film appreciation, apparently the shot looking up at the ceiling was unheard of. No one built interior sets with ceilings I suppose. Makes sense ... that's where all the lights hang.

[@MrDavidcairns]

There are quite a few earlier films with ceilings, in fact. But KANE certainly has more of them than anyone else: all those low angle shots made it essential.

[@flaggerify]

It wasn't actually the first movie to have ceilings.

[@shallowgal462]

Did you notice the sets have ceilings? Sets had always been built without them to make room for the lights and electrical works and scaffolding. Did you recognize Endora from Bewitched? Agnes Moorehead played Charles' mother. She was part of Orson Wells' ensemble, his repertory company that performed radio plays before he switched to film. Other than this and a couple other of early films, Wells is best remembered for his Halloween 1938 radio broadcast of The War of the Worlds by H.G. Wells, which caused widespread fear that was also known as The Night That Panicked America.

[@jefmay3053]

Chris's last words...... " Fifty thousand subscribeeeeeeeeersaaaaah"

[@missk8tie]

The one scene I always come back to in this movie isn't directly related to the plot, but I think it comes the closest to answering the reporter's question - Mr. Bernstein's story about the girl in white on the ferry.

[@missk8tie]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/o5vcpHimndSNjpo

[@gallendugall8913]

Casual Nerd Reactions last words, "Like, subscribe and set notifications to all so you never miss a..."

[@wvu05]

A bit of trivia: The movie is lossely based on the life of William Randolph Hearst (some other moguls were added, and Welles used some of his own story). Kane referring to himself as "an American" is a reference to many Hearst papers including "American" in the title.

[@matthewconstantine5015]

There's a great documentary about the film called The Battle For Citizen Kane. It dives into a lot, not only about the making of the film, but about its larger cultural and political context, including the "open secret" that Kane was a fictionalized version of William Randolph Hearst. Hearst was one of the most powerful forces in American history and may have actually had a hand in starting a war to sell newspapers. He was essentially the Rupert Murdoch of his time, but in some ways even more powerful and even more of a menace. The movie is one of those watershed films where its influence is so profound that it's hard to judge it on its own, and stuff that went on behind the camera is as wild and strange as you can imagine.

[@TTM9691]

10:11 - Loved your reaction. That's why we call him Awesome Welles! lol. 8:24 - see the ceilings? We don't even think about that, but you seldom if ever saw ceilings in movies back then (because most movies were made on sets). 10:22 Deep focus. You can see what's in the background as clear as the foreground. Some of this stuff was in the silent era by "the old masters" as Welles called them (Murnau, Stroheim, Griffith, etc), but when sound came in so much was discarded. Why? Movie cameras were loud! At first they had to be kept in glass booths! (if you ever see "Singin' In The Rain", they show this). So some stuff fell by the wayside. Welles resurrected some of these techniques he'd remembered seeing, invented some of his own....married them with great sound design and score, add a story of scope and complexity, with this amazing performance by Orson and yadda yadda yadda....see how you go down a wormhole talking about this movie? THAT'S why it's got that reputation and tops the lists! It's like trying to explain why The Beatles are great! You can talk for hours and still not cover it all! Interestingly enough, after all this, after seeing this movie and talking it to death......Kane is still an enigma, isn't he?! He's definitely not a hero! You noticed that early on, when he's practicing shady journalism! One second, we're praising his high-minded principles, next he's a tabloid sensationalist, getting us into the Spanish-American War (ala Hearst.....or Murdoch!) He's a rich man with a poor boy's heart beating under the weight of marriages, scandals, politics, fortune, world events.....and he's acted by a 26 year old! AND directed! Ok, enough from me. I'm a ten minutes in and I've already written a book. LOVING THIS REACTION! Best reaction to this movie yet, hands down.

[@CasualNerdReactions]

Thank you so much! This is definitely a technical marvel for the time, full of complex characters and the fact that Welles was 26 is the most amazing part to me. It’s a shame he wasn’t able to direct more films.

[@terenzo50]

You can find documentaries on the making of Citizen Kane that go into great detail about Welles and Gregg Toland putting their heads together to create this masterpiece of cinema. Well worth seeing. Toland went above and beyond the call of duty for a DP.

[@shasta810]

Great job! One reason for Orson Welles unorthodox filmmaking is partly because he comes from a radio background That's why he used a lot of shadows in many scenes so the voice becomes the focal point of the film like a radio broadcast.

[@docsavage8640]

Great film. Needs to be seen on the big screen.

[@canamus1768]

thanks for the reaction, as always. i think you definitely grasped the essence of the narrative thrust and its message. this is one of those films that pays dividends on repeated viewings. it's a genuinely great film on so many counts, from the innovation of its cinematic techniques to its non-linear storytelling. bernard herman's score is a wonder. he composed the aria for the fictional opera "salammbo" (presumably based on the novel of the same name by gustave flaubert), when the opera welles wanted to use, jules massenet's "thais," a similar bit of romantic faux oriental exoticism, was found to be still under copyright. the text was adapted from jean racine's tragedy "phaedre" by welles' collaborator john houseman. ironically, the aria has become a somewhat popular concert piece for sopranos. and re. susan alexander's voice, while it was a pleasant little voice, it was completely unsuited to the demands of the music, about two or three sizes too small, so to speak, lol.

[@celinhabr1]

There's so much to be said about this absolute classic. Brilliant in every aspect.

[@marybicanic8269]

The rich irony imbeddedd in the film offers much needed comic relief. One of my fav scene is newspaper editor instructing the reporters to keep digging for the rear F. Kane story: "Probably something real simple ", he told them. Next shot is the bozzey 2nd Mrs Kane less than politely ordering the reporter to get out! Its amazing how the film is able to use lighting darks and shadows effectively even though it's a black and white movie.

[@dtnetlurker]

There was only one Rosebud sled left from the film. The other three were burned for the filmed scene. That surviving Rosebud was owned for decades by Stephen Spielberg and displayed in his office until he donated it a few years ago to the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences Museum.

[@glowormrdr6183]

Clue: the same snowy overlay as he said "Rosebud" was there as boy Charles went sledding down the hill a bit later. Did you catch the lawyer (?) saying that the "Colorado Lode" was in Charles' mother's name only? That's why she could decide he would go away for an upper class education. The freaky mansion depicted is based on Hearst Castle, here in California, which is a tourist attraction. My family visited, a long time back. Art, antiques, animals...between that and Neverland Ranch, I feel it should be against the law for people to get too rich. It's kind of poisonous. PS If no one has mentioned it, I'd suggest Sullivan's Travels to react to. It's amazing the way it develops from comedy to drama-with-a-message. I've always wondered if it was based on The Pickwick Papers (Dickens).

[@corvus1374]

This is based on the life of William Randolph Hearst.t The actress who played Hearst's wife Emily is Ruth Warrick, who starred in the soap opera All My Children for over 25 years.

[@richardcramer1604]

I've never liked the plot/story of this movie, but I still watch it every time it comes on TV. I watch not for the plot but for the awesome cinematography. This has got to be the best black & white movie ever.

[@jackmessick2869]

Orson Welles had never made a film before. Shots from a low angle had never been shot before, so most films prior to this never showed ceilings. Also the incredible deep focus shots had never been attempted. Welles's unique approach made it a landmark motion picture. It was threatened with destruction because it paralleled the life of William Randolph Hearst.

[@dimitrovajunkie]

As fascinating as the film is, the circumstances surrounding the making of it are equally so. Pauline Kael goes into a lot of this in "Raising Kane." To be brief, Welles got an unprecedented deal with the studios giving him total artistic control, which was unheard of. He came across to many in Hollywood as this arrogant East Coast genius who thought he could come in and revolutionize the hidebound film community (which he sort of did). So many were already gunning for his failure. Louella Parsons, the gossip columnist, got a chance to look at an advanced copy of the script for Kane and she immediately realized it was about William Randolph Hearst, the newspaper magnate. The paper she worked for was owned by Hearst so like a good little underling she reported it to her boss. Hearst did everything he could to suppress the film and vowed to ruin Welles for not only his unflattering portrait of him but for the savage takedown of his mistress Marion Davies, who is, of course, Susan in the film. (And Xanadu is Hearst Castle on the California coast.) After Kane, the studios would no longer give Welles the latitude they afforded him on his first film; his subsequent films were subject to all sorts of censorship and re-shooting of the script. Welles' second film "The Magnificent Ambersons" was botched by the studios to give it a happy ending. Some think Ambersons is actually superior to Kane in some respects, so it's especially disheartening. And, of course, by this point Welles was viewed as more trouble than he was worth by the studios so he spent the rest of his career almost as a kind of beggar--having to raise money for his passion projects while taking odd acting jobs to pay the bills. What happened to Kane in a sense happened to Welles, who started out as this wunderkind and ended up a sad almost broken man who couldn't get any major studios to fund his work and had to live a gypsy existence. There were still some good films left in him, of course, but none made with the resources and grandeur of Citizen Kane.

[@davidpalmer7175]

At 26 years old, this genius created a masterpiece. He even invented filming techniques still used today. But... Hollywood chewed him up and spit him out like a wad of gum. You must watch "RKO 281" ... it's a drama about the making of this movie and the living Hell they put him through to keep him from releasing it.

[@cynthianavarro4316]

Once again, it's so incredibly satisfying to watch people reacting to such iconic films! Thank you for that! Bernard Herrmann is my favorite movie composers, and he and Greg Toland certainly did their part in making this film the masterpiece that it is. Some other great Welles films are: 1.The Magnificent Ambersons (1942) ~ with Joseph Cotton (Kane's best friend), Tim Holt, & Agnes Moorehead (Kane's mother), 2.The Stranger (1946) ~ with Edward G. Robinson & Loretta Young, 3.The Third Man (1949) ~ with Joseph Cotton, 4.Touch of Evil (1958) ~ with Charlton Heston & Janet Leigh. Most all of these he directed, some he directed and starred, and only one, The Third Man, that he did not direct but starred in.....All iconic must sees! Looking forward to War Games (1983). Although not on the level of these films mentioned, it's worth a viewing and is highly entertaining and thrilling. Carry on CNR, I'm loving your skew!

[@chefskiss6179]

THANKS for the classic viewing. This is something I find fascinating about movies (and history)... sometimes it's easy to see things as boring, not to call this movie or Hitchcock boring, but when you realize what was being done (or rather, introduced) was pretty much the first time a language was being created... and that the reason something is 'boring' or trite today, is that so many people used it ad nauseum... but to stop and think, wow, this is the first time anyone was seeing this. One of my fave bits about Citizen Kane that has lived on is the deep focus, still being used to this day. But my favourite use of it was way back in Jaws, so many people don't even notice it (someone in the background slowly moving into the foreground) then bam, they're all of a sudden making their presence felt (in the foreground), and it's Scheider and Dreyfus discussing a shark autopsy after the first shark kill. It's beautifully subtle and I love it... one doesn't even notice the mayor do a slight double-take in the background, then slowly moves into the foreground to finally chew them out... and we have child-Kane in the background with the authority figures in the foreground deliberating over his future in the foreground to thank for this. The movie Top Secret even made fun with an oversized phone in the foreground. Here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/fYm2ip9nfK2sbJI

[@raymeedc]

One of the very best endings of all time❣️

[@RubesGoodBrainCoffee]

13:18 -- Not only are they not even talking, but her morning newspaper is the Chronicle, his rivals'.

[@CasualNerdReactions]

Savage. I guess she wanted news. 😅

[@missd9785]

luved watching this classic with you. So glad you added it to ur poll. Such an interesting film and somewhat enigmatic character. Looking forward to the next! Absolutely luv Mr Smith!! James Stewart is my favorite actor.....

[@wvu05]

13:17 If you look, you'll notice that Emily is reading the Chronicle, the rival paper to the Inquirer.

[@matthewzuckerman6267]

I love the way that each person's remeniscence is as much about them as it is about Kane. Like Rashomon, but more subtle. And, of course, we never get to hear the story through Kane's eyes. I must have watched the film two dozen times, and each time I notice something more. For example, I only just caught a hint of the fact that Leland was probably in love with the first Mrs Kane. He said he knew her "from dancing school" and that she was like all the other girls, "but nicer". And then it's only after Kane is caught cheating on her that he gets drunk and writes the scathing review. The more I look at this movie, the more I discover.

[@CasualNerdReactions]

That element was one that really intrigued me! Like we still really only have part of the story, even though it is probably enough to get a pretty good picture.

[@midianmtd]

“In Xanadu did Kubla Khan A stately pleasure-dome decree: Where Alph, the sacred river, ran Through caverns measureless to man Down to a sunless sea.” ― Samuel Taylor Coleridge, The Complete Poems

[@E_l_l_i_e]

Hahaha. I quoted this poem in my comment too. I like it when screenwriters reference another literature in their own work. How ingenious to name the movie protagonist and setting after the subject of this poetry!

[@ronbock8291]

If you’re interested in learning more about the context of this masterpiece, David Fincher’s Mank is a brilliant look into the creation of Citizen Kane from the POV of the screenwriter who wrote it, and all of the backstory about William Randolph Hearst, the clear object of the film. And… to be a bit crass, my favourite tidbit, which is apocryphal, is that Rosebud was the pet name Hearst gave his second wife’s private parts…

[@lisakovanen1975]

The word "Rosebud" is used in an episode of Columbo! It is the secret attack word for two dogs who kill a guy - the word is said on the phone.

[@shainewhite2781]

Saw this last night, and it's still pretty impressive! Yet it wasn't without controversy as newspapers mogul William Randolph Hearst hated the film as it grossly portrayed him from start to finish. It has gone on to be one of the greatest motion pictures of all time.

[@johnbutler4631]

Your reactions are so insightful... It's so enjoyable to watch.

[@dqan7372]

"The Battle Over Citizen Kane" documentary is definitely worth seeing.

[@MrDavidcairns]

It's very good but it does have a subtly anti-Welles stance. They even use a quote "I think I made essentially a mistake staying in motion pictures" and they cut off his next line: "But it's a mistake I can't regret, because it's like saying 'I should never have stayed married to that woman, but I loved her.'"

[@michaelbuhl4250]

13:19 I like that she's reading the Chronicle instead of the Inquirer.

[@CasualNerdReactions]

Ooh great catch!

[@menolikey_]

Watched this on vhs tape, no bs, in a basement in Colorado. Epic

[@The_Bermuda_Nonagon]

My favorite part of the movie is where Mister Bernstein talks about seeing the girl on the passenger ferry - what might have been. : ( Even if you don't do a reaction don't miss THE MAGNIFICENT AMBERSONS (1942).

[@MyraJean1951]

A fascinating film, which I do love (but I have to admit a lot of it's plot goes over my head). My favorite scenes are the dinner scenes between Kane and his wife - we watch them moving further apart (both in distance at the table and emotionally) until at the very end of the transition, they are on different ends of a very LONG table that separates them. There's a lot of allegory going on in these scenes alone.

[@mikeduplessis8069]

Xanadu = San Simeon. Charles Foster Kane = William Randolph Hearst. Susan Alexander = Marion Davies. There's even a story about what 'Rosebud' refers to. Its said to have been Hearst's pet name for Ms. Davies'... um... private parts. Hearst hated the film and hated Welles with the heat of a thousand suns.

[@andreahanson-cruz1556]

Based on William Randolph Hearst, newspaper mogul. His mansion is still in CA and can be toured.

[@evakatrinaa]

How refreshing. Usually when talking about Citizen Kane, people fixate on the Hearst aspect and the fight to get the film made and shown. Wonderful to just see it as a film and not try to have the most 'clever' behind-the-scenes take.

[@CasualNerdReactions]

I definitely love the behind the scenes, technical stuff, but nothing is as important as the story and characters in any film. Plus I never research a film before I watch. :)

[@rafaelrosario5331]

I appreciate when you react to the classics....great stuff!!

[@kh884488]

If you're interested in great classic Hollow films, I'd recommend "The Best Years of Our Lives" (1946). Gregg Roland did cinematography for the film as well as Citizen Kane. It's an interesting take on World War 2 about 3 veterans trying to re-adjust to civilian life after returning home.

[@stevefoulston]

Hearst Castle, known formally as La Cuesta Encantada, is a historic estate in San Simeon, located on the Central Coast of California. Conceived by William Randolph Hearst, the publishing tycoon, and his architect Julia Morgan, the castle was built between 1919 and 1947. Address: 750 Hearst Castle Rd, San Simeon, CA 93452, United States. Peace out.

[@PeloquinDavid]

I have never had much of an ability to watch films on TV: the temptation to "channel surf" has always been too strong. (I have to see films in a cinema to fully appreciate them.) But the first time I saw this film was on the small screen in my studio apartment when I was just starting to live alone in my early 20s. I literally couldn't tear myself away for the entire (VERY long) run time. I've always been a sucker for a "pretty (or dramatic) picture" and Kane has these in spades, but there's also something in that story that was particularly captivating to a young man in his 20s (like Orson Welles himself was when he made the film...)

[@kingamoeboid3887]

The sad thing is that it only won one Oscar for Best Original Screenplay to Orson Welles and Herman J. Mankiewicz. Because it was a pseudo-biography on William Randolph Hearst (a powerful newspaper baron) which painted a thinly disguised and very unflattering portrait of him. It enraged him so he tried to stop this film from being released which was released but incredibly limited; Hearst didn’t even see the film. It also should’ve won Best Actor, Best Director, Best Cinematography, Best Editing, Best Score, Best Picture, Best Set Decoration and Best Sound which it was nominated for. The Best Picture win of 1941 was How Green Was My Valley. Orson Welles was 25>26 when it was released, had full control over this film and was ignorant when he made it. The greatest directorial debut of all time.

[@ThreadBomb]

10:22 You missed the bit at the party where Kane says he wants to start a war with Spain. This is something that William Randolph Hearst (the chief model for Kane) actually did, as did Joseph Pullitzer. They published many fictional or exaggerated stories, and imperialists in the US government used the resulting public feeling to justify invading Cuba (as part of the whole "manifest destiny" thing).

[@briannemurdock4183]

Two of my favorite old film noir are Double Indemnity and Mildred Pierce(with Joan Crawford). You should give those a go!

[@UBUPUP]

I think you hit the nail on the head with the meaning behind rosebud. All his fortune and fame couldn’t replace what he lost from his childhood.

[@paulhelberg5269]

William Randolf Hearst hated the film and felt that it was a parody of himself and his life. He tried to stop the movie's circulation and had his newspapers and other media pan the film. The Hearst mansion was grossly parodied in the film, but much of the story seemed to hit home with the old millionaire. Good reaction as always Chris.

[@moviemonster2083]

Great review, interesting new insights on this brilliant, ground-breaking movie. I think also, the Rosebud motif is itself emblematic of a fraud: Kane believes that his inability to love and be a satisfied human being was because he was dragged away from his family that snowy day. But it wasn't true. It was just his excuse later. It undoubtedly was a traumatic event for him, but his understanding of its significance in his life was flawed and incorrect and already the self-delusion of a narcissist. Nothing is ever his fault, it was always caused by other people or outside factors.

[@rustincohle2135]

If you watch "Seinfeld", the "Bosco/George's ATM pin number" story is a parody of "Citizen Kane". George reveals his ATM code ("Bosco") to J. Peterman's mother on her deathbed and she then shouts "Bosco" again and again right before she dies. Mystified by her last words, J. Peterman sets off to investigate the meaning of his mother's final utterance-- just like "Rosebud". This is the scene: kzbin.info/www/bejne/oqqod5yXiraMfac The Simpsons have done countless references to the film as well: kzbin.info/www/bejne/qarHln-YpdBnl8U In fact, "Family Guy" spoiled the film's ending for me when I was around 15 or so in the early-to-mid 2000s before I got a chance to watch it: kzbin.info/www/bejne/f322k4x-btWpoLM

[@izzonj]

[edit, I wrote these comments before watching your reaction and I was very happy that you noticed so much on first viewing. Great job!] This movie broke enormous technical ground all in the service of story telling. The low camera angles, meant to show Kane as a giant sometimes required holes in the floor to place the cameras and ceilings to be constructed for the rooms, where usually they're would be lights and boom Mike's. New deep focus lenses were created for some shots. There is one scene where a dual focus lens was invented that had one figure in the foreground in focus on one side of the shot and another in focus far in the back on the other side. The low lighting in the scenes was revolutionary. The non- linear story telling and film within a film were new ideas. The scene early on, where young Charley is playing in the snow- watch it again carefully. The camera starts out close in on the boy, then backs away, seeming to pass through a window, then across a room with a table between the camera in the window, all the while showing the boy outside. They build a set where the wall opened up to let the camera move inside as the wall was closed forming the window, and as the camera continued rolling back, the table was slid into place ‐ as you watch again you may notice the lamp on the table still wobbling from being moved. This is so seemless you don't notice it at first but it takes you from outside where the carefree child is happily playing to inside where adults are drawing up plans for taking him away from his family and putting him in a new life. Notice also h how scenes are repeated by from different points of view as different people tell their versions of Kane's life. These things are all common now but we're revolutionary at the time.

[@E_l_l_i_e]

"In Xanadu did Kubla Khan a stately pleasure-dome decree..." Kane (Khan?) gained and lost the three strivings of man: power, pleasure and wealth. Yet at the end of his life, he did not long for any of these. What he grieved the most was the loss of something that was viewed as worthless and insignificant. The end scene may be tragic for Kane, but it sends a powerful message to the viewer.

[@CasualNerdReactions]

Definitely a powerful message. 👏

[@thunderstruck5484]

Took me several viewings to appreciate the greatness of this film , thanks again and still hoping for African Queen

[@CasualNerdReactions]

African queen and all about eve are among the top running classic films in the poll along with mr smith goes to Washington. All 3 will eventually make their way here for sure.

[@joeciorciari1114]

Biggest faux pas in film history: Nobody was in the room to hear Kane say "Rosebud".

[@jam0844]

The opera is the best scene of this movie...the score was done in 1941 and still in 2022 resonate as 1 of the best opera scores for a movie

[@floorticket]

If it hasn't already been mentioned be sure to see the outtakes of Orson Wells shooting a Paul Masson champagne commercial. It's hilarious.

[@CasualNerdReactions]

I think you’re the first to mention it! Thanks.

[@billr686]

I’ve watched a bunch of your reactions and this was one of your best. An intriguing movie with a lot to think about, and you have it your honest reaction. I think maybe a few extra minutes at the end for more reviews would be even better.

[@CasualNerdReactions]

Thanks so much, Bill! This is one of the first where I started taking notes during the film. The last couple wrap ups have been getting longer as a result. My intention is to always give my immediate gut reactions after the films without taking any time to “prepare”. Perhaps one day I’ll give more comprehensive thoughts as well. :)

[@anthonyleecollins9319]

This movie always reminds me of Welles' analysis of King Lear. He said that (I'm paraphrasing) that what made the story of Lear possible was that there was no "Mrs. Lear" (as Welles put it), that Lear was a king who lived with his knights and was isolated from, and had no understanding of, women (his daughters, in that case), as Kane was taken away from his mother to be raised by men. This made Lear (according to Welles, and he ascribes this opinion to Shakespeare as well), a "loser." This shows up in other Welles films, too -- men who want things from women, and who want women to conform to certain roles and functions, but have no interest (in specific or in general) in what women actually want.

[@ThreadBomb]

But I think in the case of this movie it's important that Kane was effectively rejected by his mother.

[@brachiator1]

Good reaction and a lot of very good comments here. One of the the many marvelous things about Citizen Kane is that it is not a straight biography, from an omniscient or objective narrator's point of view. Instead everything we learn about Kane is based on the opening newsreel bio or the reflections or comments of others. But we still understand how Kane's ego and loneliness destroys his idealism and how it hurts people who start out admiring or actually loving him.

[@CasualNerdReactions]

Yes! That is one of the most interesting parts of the film, the way the story is told is so intriguing.

[@DonaldSjervenE]

Ah yes. Rosebud. The first time I saw this movie I came close to figuring it out. Something from childhood. Maybe they showed it right away in flashback. Now I might have more certainty on this technique and get it right. I did get The Usual Suspects right within the first 10 minutes. Oh well.

[@thatpatrickguy3446]

We studied this film in a class I took in college, and I had never seen it before though of course I knew who Orson Welles was. This film is amazing not just for the story it told, but how it told it. First of all, it was the first time this production company, and possibly anyone, gave complete control to one person, Orson Welles. He did all he could to keep them from learning anything about the film he was making, sending notifications when demanded about the "test shots" he was doing. Of course they weren't tests, they were the actual film. When nervous executives would drop in to see what was happening all work would stop and Welles would distract the executives with whatever he had on hand and tell them nothing about the movie. A fast line of doubletalk, card tricks, whatever distractions he had available he'd use to amuse the executives and make them smile and laugh and only later when they were back in their offices they might realize that they still had no idea what was going on. Welles wanted depth of shot, so his cinematographer invented a lens that allowed there to be close, midrange, and distant objects in focus in the same shot. Welles used psychology to show Kane's rising and waning power. At the height of Kane's power Welles actually had them cut a hole in the floor of the studio (without the studio's knowledge) to put the camera in to shoot up at Kane, the low shoot profile making Kane seem larger than life. As Kane's power waned he was shot from higher and higher perspectives to make him look less significant and a sad and pathetic creature. And the saddest thing of all was that what Kane, in the end, wanted most was something he could never buy: the simplicity and joy of his early childhood. "Rosebud..." It's also great that the movie's protagonist, the reporter sent to learn what Rosebud meant, is barely seen in the film. He drives the entire story but he's treated as a nonentity. It's not the reporter that matters, all that matters is Kane. Even the opera scene is amazing in its tragedy. To get the vocal strain an actual opera singer was hired and told to sing the piece out of her range, and you can hear the real struggle in her voice. There's so much about this film that I remember. It deserves to be considered an absolute classic. And, of course, the reason for all the secrecy and evasion, William Randolph Hearst. Hearst was, at the time, a real version of Kane at the height of his power, and for the fact that this movie was a fictional work it was remarkably similar to aspects of Hearst's real life. NO ONE said anything bad about Hearst, not in public, not in private, and this movie made him LIVID and made the board of directors and executives that had been supposedly keeping a close eye on Welles very, VERY, uncomfortable. Which is part of why no one was ever given the freedom Welles was again.

[@GrouchyMarx]

Someday watch the making of Citizen Kane and the reasons why Orson Wells did this movie. It's a story just as interesting, if not more so, as the movie itself. I think your summary was spot on. Even looking at the snow globe after trashing Susan's room reminded him of his snow sled and happy days out west. I'll be looking out for your Dead Poets and WarGames videos!

[@lisakovanen1975]

You should watch "Le jour se leve" (Daybreak). It has a very interesting structure. And it's with Jean Gabin!

[@MrDavidcairns]

Beautiful. The brilliance of the film I think stems from the finding of a fascinating character, then a fascinating structure to expose that character, then an innovative visual and aural style to unfold that structure. At every stage, the standard way of doing things was rejected in favour of something both surprising and appropriate. All built around Welles, an amazing actor (and director and writer). Incidentally, I don't think there are any reactions to Welles' later films out there, and there should be! The only one that's been done is The Third Man, in which he just acts (and wrote the most famous line).

[@jimmygallant4778]

Love this film and your reaction to it. Although my fav OW pic is “The Stranger”, seems I’m always shifting to a different movie than the one in front of me🤣. The evolution of Kane from innocent and good to dark and sinister was beautifully depicted in his appearance. I read somewhere that Well’s inspiration for this story came from reclusive newspaper tycoon, William Randolph Hearst.

[@straypigs]

That's a great movie! I call that the greatest Hitchcock movie that Hitchcock didn't direct!

[@Chuck0856]

Most of us of a certain age would have known immediately (as I did) what rosebud was.

[@jonnyyen7169]

Pure greatness.

[@Yensid98]

If you're looking for more insight into CITIZEN KANE, I strongly suggest you watch the excellent movie RKO 281 which details the making of the film and how it was received at the time.

[@CasualNerdReactions]

I saw that on HBO Max, I should check it out!

[@AlanCanon2222]

11:28. If I don't offer any other comment, Kane and his new wife are getting into the carriage, seen from the newspaper offices above. This is an optical printer shot, and you totally cannot believe it's not in real time. This movie is a technical masterpiece.

[@CasualNerdReactions]

I never would have guessed. Astounding.

[@deckofcards87]

Great reaction, Chris! KANE has been praised and analyzed by pretty much everybody, in books and numerous docos. But theres a reviewer on KZbin called DeepFocusLens and she explains the many interpretations of the film in a really interesting way that I think might elaborate to you the Rosebud mystery, as it did for me🙂