Citizen Kane

I just watched this movie. Interesting stuff on here. I don't have anything more to add but a score...

87/100

New score logged. This loses its position as the silver medalist. The top two films are both German and have two reviews each.

I wrote a 6 page paper on this film as my final for a film class I took. Unfortunately my paper is horrible. I waited until the last minute and picked a boring topic - I analyzed why this film is better than any film ever made (filmic techniques, etc.). I should have written something about how the secret of rosebud really explains nothing at all and how the no trespassing sign explains more. I had so many ideas I could have written 20 pages.

For those with the DVD version, I highly recommend the commentary by Roger Ebert. I learned so much about film from that commentary. Usually I skip commentaries as they're by actors and just a bunch of stupid stories, but Ebert knew his stuff.

But don't you sense that "Rosebud," although only a brand name on his sled as a child, stood for the innocence and carefree nature of youth which was the only thing that eluded him at the end of his life? The only thing that his millions could not buy?
In a way, I felt this film was a 20th century version of "A Christmas Carol," only this sorry dude was not given a second chance.

laprimamirala wrote:

But don't you sense that "Rosebud," although only a brand name on his sled as a child, stood for the innocence and carefree nature of youth which was the only thing that eluded him at the end of his life? The only thing that his millions could not buy?
In a way, I felt this film was a 20th century version of "A Christmas Carol," only this sorry dude was not given a second chance.

Yeah, I always felt it was something like he threw his sled in the snow to leave with Thompson and that was the last time he was ever happy. When we first meet him he's playing in the snow cheering "The Union forever!" (or something to that effect) and seems genuinely happy. Never again is that the case. I think Ebert was getting at once the movie was over we saw the no trespassing sign again and it suggested there was no looking into this guy's personal life.

I also found it interesting that when he met Susan Alexander for the first time he was on his way to his mother's warehouse after her death....perhaps he'd have seen his sled if he'd have gone.


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I watched the movie again tonight with my sister's boyfriend. This is only the second time I've seen it commentary-free and I really noticed a bunch of things that I never noticed before. I also noticed a bunch of biographical information in that news short I've never before seen....his first wife and child died shortly after their divorce for instance.

He was so steeped in misery, I don't know if he would've recognized a a lifeline, even if it hit him, although he was exceedingly proficient in throwing away happiness with both hands.

The more I watch that movie I realize it's a real shame that Welles never got to make another movie to his liking. The Magnificent Ambersons is supposedly a great film, but RKO edited the hell out of it. He only got to make one film how he wanted and it ended up probably the greatest film ever.

I know it might be boring to some, but I wish he could have continued his Mercury Theatre series. 'War of the Worlds' was his radio pinnacle.

I still need to hear that. I think my dad has a copy of it somewhere.