Citizen Kane (1941)
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A reporter attempts to uncover the meaning of a dying tycoon's final word, leading to a complex unraveling of his enigmatic life.
The story
Following the death of wealthy newspaper magnate Charles Foster Kane, a reporter named Jerry Thompson is tasked with uncovering the significance of Kane's final word, "Rosebud." As Thompson investigates, he interviews various associates, including Kane's estranged friends and former associates. Each person provides a different perspective on Kane's rise to power, his tumultuous personal life, and the complex motivations that drove his actions. The investigation takes Thompson through the various stages of Kane's life, from his early years in a Colorado boarding house to his eventual status as a media tycoon, all while trying to piece together the mystery of his final words.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
Upon the death of media tycoon Charles Foster Kane, reporter Jerry Thompson seeks the meaning of his final word, "Rosebud." Thompson interviews various figures: his mother, his first wife Emily, his second wife Susan, and his business manager. The investigation reveals Kane's origins in a Colorado boarding house, his rise to power through the New York Inquirer, and the personal tragedies that shaped him. It is revealed that his first marriage ended due to a public scandal involving an affair with Susan, whom he then forced into a career as an opera singer. After years of a bitter relationship, Susan left him. The mystery of "Rosebud" is finally revealed as the trade name of a sled Kane played with as a child, which was discarded by staff after his death.
- First release year
- 1941
- Runtime (minutes)
- 119
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Orson Welles
- Writers
- Herman J. Mankiewicz · screenplay; Orson Welles · screenplay
- Cast and characters
- Orson Welles · Charles Foster Kane; Joseph Cotten · Jedediah Leland; Dorothy Comingore · Susan Alexander Kane; Agnes Moorehead · Mary Kane; Ruth Warrick · Emily Monroe Norton Kane; Ray Collins · Jim W. Gettys; Erskine Sanford · Herbert Carter; Everett Sloane · Mr. Bernstein; William Alland · Jerry Thompson; Paul Stewart · Raymond; George Coulouris · Walter Parks Thatcher
- Genres
- drama
- Themes
- The complexity of identity; The cost of power; The isolation of wealth
- Tone and mood
- Dramatic; Somber
- Setting
- A vast palatial estate in Florida and various locations in the United States during the early to mid-20th century.
- Premise and plot tags
- Biographical; Mystery; Period Piece
- Reception
- The film was a critical success and is frequently cited as the greatest film ever made, praised for its innovative narrative structure and cinematography, despite initial poor box office performance.
- Awards and nominations
- Academy Award · Best Writing (Original Screenplay) · Win
- Production trivia
- The film was based on a composite character of several real-life media barons and tycoons.; It was voted number nine on the Brussels 12 list at the 1958 World Expo.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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