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Orson Welles, Joseph Cotten, Everett Sloane, Dorothy Comingore, Ray Collins ... see more see more... , Ruth Warrick , George Coulouris , Paul Stewart , Buddy Swan , Agnes Moorehead , Harry Shannon , Sonny Bupp , Erskine Sanford , William Alland , Georgia Backus , Philip Van Zandt , Gus Schilling , Fortunio Bonanova , Joan Blair , Edmund Cobb , Eddie Coke , Gino Corrado , Herbert Corthell , Louise Currie , Pedro de Cordoba , Robert Dudley , Al Eben , Edith Evanson , Milt Kibbee , Alan Ladd , Ellen Lowe , Irving Mitchell , Arthur O'Connell , Walter Sande , Tudor Williams , Arthur Kay , Benny Rubin , Charles Bennett

Orson Welles first feature film -- which he directed, produced, and co-wrote, as well as playing the title role -- proved to be his most important and influential work, a ground-breaking drama loosely... read more read more... based on the life of William Randolph Hearst which is frequently cited as the finest American film ever made. Aging newspaper magnate Charles Foster Kane (Orson Welles) dies in his sprawling Florida estate after uttering a single, enigmatic final word -- "Rosebud" -- and newsreel producer Rawlston (Phil Van Zandt) sends reporter Jerry Thompson (William Alland) out with the assignment of uncovering the meaning behind the great man's dying thought. As Thompson interviews Kane's friends, family, and associates, we learn the facts of Kane's eventful and ultimately tragic life: his abandonment by his parents (Agnes Moorehead and Harry Shannon) after he becomes the heir to a silver mine; his angry conflicts with his guardian, master financier Walter Parks Thatcher (George Coulouris); his impulsive decision that "it would be fun to run a newspaper" with the help of school chum Jedediah Leland (Joseph Cotten) and loyal assistant Mr. Bernstein (Everett Sloane); his rise from scandal sheet publisher to the owner of America's largest and most influential newspaper chain; his marriage to socially prominent Emily Norton (Ruth Warrick), whose uncle is the President of the United States; Kane's ambitious bid for public office, which is dashed along with his marriage when his opponent, corrupt political boss Jim Gettys (Ray Collins), reveals that Kane is having an affair with aspiring vocalist Susan Alexander (Dorothy Comingore); Kane's vain attempts to promote second wife Alexander as an opera star; and his final, self-imposed exile to a massive and never-completed pleasure palace called Xanadu. While Citizen Kane was a film full of distinguished debuts -- along with Welles, it was the first feature for Joseph Cotten, Everett Sloane, Ray Collins, Agnes Moorehead, and Ruth Warrick -- the only Academy Award it received was for Best Original Screenplay, for which Welles shared credit with veteran screenwriter Herman Mankiewicz. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

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PG, 1 hr. 59 min.

Directed by: Orson Welles

Release Date: May 1, 1941

Keywords: white, old, overrated, modern, average

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DVD Release Date: September 25, 2001

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Flixster Reviews (12,325)

  • fb100002359227440
    March 25, 2012
    fb100002359227440
    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.
  • fb1576983399
    February 14, 2012
    fb1576983399
    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... read more. It is widely thought of as the best film of all time. Not in my humble opinion, but I can definitely see why.
  • fb733768972
    October 28, 2011
    fb733768972
    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 ... read moreabsolutely 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!
  • fb100002384654145
    October 28, 2011
    fb100002384654145
    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.
  • joelkelly319
    October 27, 2011
    joelkelly319
    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 ... read moreetc 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.
  • fb1664868775
    October 27, 2011
    fb1664868775
    Orson Welles at his best. Looking at the film today on Blu-Ray, it's hard to believe it was released in 1941.
  • DreamExtractor
    October 1, 2011
    DreamExtractor
    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 bes... read moret 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."
  • spielberg00
    September 18, 2011
    spielberg00
    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... read more'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.
  • djdemersseman
    September 10, 2011
    djdemersseman
    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 gre... read moreat film and certainly worth seeing.
  • rjayhutchinson
    July 31, 2011
    rjayhutchinson
    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 somethi... read moreng like money, which Kane used throughout his life to make his "friends," which made him die an unhappy man. Truly a classic.

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Critic Reviews

April 21, 2009
TIME Magazine

It is a work of art created by grown people for grown people. Full Review

John C. Flinn Sr.
April 6, 2007
John C. Flinn Sr., Variety

Welles has found the screen as effective for his unique showmanship as radio and the theatre. Full Review

Dave Kehr
April 6, 2007
Dave Kehr, Chicago Reader

It is still the best place I know of to start thinking about Welles -- or for that matter about movies in general. Full Review

Bosley Crowther
May 20, 2003
Bosley Crowther, New York Times

Citizen Kane is far and away the most surprising and cinematically exciting motion picture to be seen here in many a moon. As a matter of fact, it comes close to being the most sensational film ever m... Full Review

Roger Ebert
January 1, 2000
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

More than a great movie; it is a gathering of all the lessons of the emerging era of sound. Full Review

James Berardinelli
January 1, 2000
James Berardinelli, ReelViews

Motion picture archives and collections across the world would be poorer without copies of this film, which will forever be recognized as a defining example of American cinema. Full Review

Owen Gleiberman
May 1, 1941
Owen Gleiberman, Entertainment Weekly

Fifty years after its release, Citizen Kane still seems richer, bolder, more spectacularly alive than any other film of the studio-system era. Regardless of how many times you've seen Orson Welles' 19... Full Review

R. L. Shaffer
January 29, 2012
R. L. Shaffer, IGN DVD

One of the best films out there, and certainly a high point in early cinema. The love for Citizen Kane is deserved. Full Review

Sean Axmaker
September 14, 2011
Sean Axmaker, MSN.com

Above all, Welles was a showman and Citizen Kane is a three ring circus of cinematic ingenuity... Full Review

Richard T. Jameson
May 1, 2011
Richard T. Jameson, Parallax View

Citizen Kane may very well be the most talked-about movie in history. Full Review

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Facts

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    • Charles Foster Kane: Are we going to declare war on Spain, or are we not?
    • Jedediah Leland: The Inquirer already has.
    • Charles Foster Kane: You long-faced, overdressed anarchist!
    • Jedediah Leland: I am not overdressed!
    • Charles Foster Kane: You are too! Mr. Bernstein, look at his necktie.
    • Charles Foster Kane: You know, Mr. Bernstein, if I hadn't been very rich I may have been a really great man.
    • Walter Parks Thatcher: Don't you think you are?
    • Charles Foster Kane: I think I did pretty well under the circumstances.
    • Walter Parks Thatcher: What would you like to have been?
    • Charles Foster Kane: Everything you hate.
    • Emily Norton Kane: You decided what you were going to do, Charles, some time ago.
    • Charles Foster Kane: There's only one person who's going to decide what I'm going to do and that's me.
    • Charles Foster Kane: People will think what I tell them to think.
    • Charles Foster Kane: Rosebud.
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Citizen Kane Trivia

  • The word 'rosebud' plays a pivotal role in the 1941 American movie about newspaper magnate Mr. Kane. Name this movie...   Answer »
  • According to the American Film Institute, what is the #1 greatest movie?  Answer »
  • What film has "Rosebud" as a recurring theme?  Answer »
  • What movie was named in the hall of fame for the best movie ever made?  Answer »
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