Review of Citizen Kane (1941) by Dominic S — 12 Jul 2013

I am so glad I finally watched this film. Citizen Kane is such an incredible film.

The story begins at Charles Foster Kane's deathbed. He mutters the word "Rosebud" and then he passes away.

The whole story, we learn about Kane's seemingly fortunate life through one journalist who is trying to discover the truth behind Kane's last word through interviews and stories told from some of Kane's loved ones.

We learn about Kane's life, from when he was a child when his parents had to give him up so he could have a better life, to when he became publisher of the Daily Inquirer, to when he married twice, had an affair, and divorced twice, and to his final word.

As the audience learns of Kane's life and also of his greatest achievement of creating the most costliest construction of any man made masterpiece since the Egyptian pyramids, this, known as Xanadu, we learn that Kane truly had all that he could ever want in his life. He had major wealth, fame, and material items.

At the end, the newspaper, for which the journalist is apart of, comes up with that this so called "Rosebud" "was something he couldn't get, or something he lost.".

"Mr. Kane was a man who got everything he wanted, and then lost it.".

(SPOILER) In the end, plans go forth to destroy Xanadu and everything in it. The camera pans to this big fireplace that is burning some of Kane's possessions. Someone throws in Kane's sled he had when he was a kid. He was having the time of his life with this sled just before his parents forced him away so he could live a better life. The sled is named "Rosebud" and we learn that his sled is what he was speaking of when Kane passed.

The message in this brilliantly filmed film is quite simple; the message of that money does not buy love. Kane had everything he wanted and cared for when he was with his real parents and his sled. His parents basically forced him to leave so he could make a life for himself.

Kane spent his whole life trying to find love through his job, his marriages, his affairs, and then Xanadu. But all he really needed was his sled.

This is such a beautiful film with outstanding cinematography, writing, and acting.

Citizen Kane is Entertainment Weekly's official number one film from the past 100 years. Shawshank Redemption is IMDb's top film of all time. I will watch Shawshank and I will try to think which one is better.

Citizen Kane, I give you a 100%.