Movie History: Week 2 - Citizen Kane (1941)

A few months ago, two friends and myself participated in a film quiz. Unfortunately, half of the questions were about films before 1970. This is an area of cinema of which we all knew basically nothing. I've seen a Hitchcock film or two, but we've never taken the time to watch all classic movies everyone always keeps raving about. So what to do about that? We started a little club and aim to watch one old/classic/vintage film a week. 

Week 2: Citizen Kane (1941) ★★★★☆

The only thing I knew about this film, is that it was directed by Orson Wells and that Rachel talked about it in Friends (1994 - 2004) (Rachel: Relax! It’s not like it’s Citizen Kane! Joey: Have you ever tried to sit through Citizen Kane? Rachel: Yeah I know it’s really boring, but it’s like a big deal). It has got a reputation of being boring and pretentious, but I totally disagree. It was surprisingly good. This film is now 75 years old (!), but it didn't feel that way at all. Especially compared to 12 Angry Men (1957) that's over 15 years older. Even though the end wasn't really satisfying, the film as a whole was really good.

The story is basically: Various people trying to find out what the final words of the famous publishing tycoon, Kane, meant. His last word was Rosebud. The film is sort of like a detective, because the audience is shown more and more about Kane. At first, he looks like a very sympathetic man, but that changes quite quickly. Without spoiling the film, I can say that the ending (the actual meaning of Rosebud) didn't live up to the expectations. It's not horrible, but it didn't really make a huge impact. 

Orson Wells is really impressive. He plays Kane in his 20's to his 60's. It is truly remarkable how well his make-up and clothes work to make him look older. It is proof that one doesn't need a whole bunch of CGI to make someone fifty years older. (Yes, I'm talking directly to you, Ridley Scott. For making Guy Pearce look 80 in the most unrealistic way I've ever seen in Prometheus (2012)). He doesn't just look good, but he's a great actor. The personal development Kane goes through is amazing. Funnily enough, Wells doesn't just act in Citizen Kane, he's also the director, the producer and the writer. There are so few men or women who do take on so much responsibility nowadays (with the exception of Xavier Dolan). I have to say that Wells was the standout. The other actors are nowhere near as good as he is, especially the female cast (but they are trapped in very sexist roles, so I don't necessarily think it's their fault).

Citizen Kane is a really good film. It's is way ahead of its time with art direction and cinematography. It is truly a beautifully made film and it is after 75 years still very watchable without being too dated. Orson Wells is absolutely brilliant and he really is the shining center of this movie.