Citizen Kane is a 1941 American drama film directed by, produced by, and starring Orson Welles. Welles and Herman J. Mankiewicz wrote the screenplay. It is frequently cited as the greatest film ever made and has received numerous accolades. For 50 consecutive years, it stood at number 1 in the British Film Institute's Sight & sound decennial poll of critics, and it topped the American Film Institute's 100 Years 100 Movies list in 1998, as well as its 2007 update. The story of Citizen Kane revolves around the death of publishing tycoon Charles Foster Kane and the subsequent efforts of reporters to uncover the meaning of his final utterance, "Rosebud."
Although Welles was already a huge star in theater,, Citizen Kane was his first feature film, and he was given an opportunity few first-time directors were permitted to have.
The main character, Charles Foster Kane, featured a range of similarities with real media mogul and newspaper journalist William Randolph Hearst. This depiction of a real person's life, problems, and personal relationships in a fictionalized manner created contentions and added to the film's appeal.
The film's attention to detail and technical innovations, such as its use of deep-focus cinematography by Gregg Toland, contributed to its legendary status.
Although Citizen Kane failed to recoup its costs at the box office initially, it received critical acclaim. The film faded from view after its release but returned to public attention when it was praised by French critics and re-released in 1956. 1958 it was voted number 9 on the prestigious Brussels 12 list at the 1958 world Expo. The film was also selected by the Library of Congress for preservation in the United States National Film Registry in 1989.
Charles Foster Kane is portrayed as a complex and multi-dimensional character, which adds to the film's appeal.
Trailer
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Cast
The cast of "Citizen Kane" includes several actors who were new to motion pictures at the time of the film's release. The cast is listed in the following order, with Orson Welles' credit for playing Charles Foster Kane appearing last:
- Joseph Cotten as Jedediah Leland, Kane's best friend and a reporter for The Inquirer.
- Dorothy Comingore as Susan Alexander Kane, Kane's second wife.
- Agnes Moorehead as Mary Kane, Kane's mother.
- Ruth Warrick as Emily Norton Kane, Kane's first wife.
- Ray Collins as James W. Gettys, Kane's political rival.
- Erskine Sanford as Herbert Carter, the editor of The Inquirer.
- Everett Sloane as Mr. Bernstein, Kane's business manager.
- William Alland as Jerry Thompson, the reporter investigating Kane's life.
- Paul Stewart as Raymond, Kane's butler.
- George Coulouris as Walter Parks Thatcher, the banker who becomes Kane's legal guardian.
- Orson Welles played the lead role of Charles Foster Kane
Director: Orson Welles
Writers: Orson Welles and Herman J. Mankiewicz
Box Office Gross: $1,645,944
Distributor: Warner Bros.
Genre: Drama
Release dates: May 1, 1941