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Citizen Kane (1941) Written by Herman J. Mankiewicz and Orson Welles. Directed by Orson Welles. Staring Orson Welles (as a young man, a middle aged man, and an old man). (This is the “ auteur ” approach—one person in charge.) 5/26/2016 Citizen Kane 2

Nine Oscar Nominations BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY Best Picture Best Actor Best Director Best B/W Cinematography Best B/W Interior Decoration Best Sound Recording Best Dramatic Picture Score Best Film Editing Welles nominated for 4 Oscars 5/26/2016 Citizen Kane 3

Background: Academy Awards for 1941 Welles: *Best Writing, Original Screenplay Best Actor in a Leading Role Best Director Best Picture The only award received was for best screenplay. And the audience actually booed when some categories were announced. 5/26/2016 Citizen Kane 4

Background When Citizen Kane was first released in 1941, it was a commercial failure. In fact, it was almost not released. And RKO almost burned the negative After the Oscars, RKO put Citizen Kane in a vault. Welles never got a chance to make another picture with that kind of control. 5/26/2016 Citizen Kane 5

Who was Orson Welles? 1938 He was most well-known for Mercury Theater radio dramas and especially “ The War of the Worlds. ” – The Panic Broadcast Took place in Grovers Mills, New Jersey (just outside of Trenton) 5/26/2016 Citizen Kane 6

Who was Orson Welles? When he started making Citizen Kane, Orson Welles was 24-years- old. He had never made a movie before. Yet RKO gave him “ complete script control, director control, producer control, cast control—everything—and no questions asked. And this was unheard of. ” 5/26/2016 Citizen Kane 7

Charles Foster Kane Based on the life of William Randolph Hearst Marion Davies (mistress) 5/26/2016 Citizen Kane 8

Background Charles Foster Kane closely parallels the life of William Randolph Hearst, built the world ’ s largest newspaper chain Although Hearst was born wealthy (his father had made a fortune, some of it in mining), Hearst decided, like Kane, that it would be “ fun to run a newspaper ” — The San Francisco Examiner. 5/26/2016 Citizen Kane 9

Background Hearst later became involved with actress, Marion Davies, who became the model for Susan Alexander Kane. Hearst had a mansion in California called San Simeon that was the basis for Xanadu in the film. Hearst, who was 76 years old when the film was made, was not amused by the similarities. 5/26/2016 Citizen Kane 10

San Simeon Hearst Castle – San Simeon –San Luis Obispo County, California. Charles Foster Kane ’ s – Xanadu 5/26/2016 Citizen Kane 11

Background “ No Hearst newspaper ever published a review. No Hearst newspaper ever published an ad. The orders came from San Simeon that there was to be no advertising accepted for that movie. ” Vern Whaley 5/26/2016 Citizen Kane 12

Themes A search for the meaning of a man ’ s life Love Rosebud…maybe it ’ s something he lost Power – Youth and Decay 5/26/2016 Citizen Kane 13

Plot: A Character Study Opening 5/26/2016 Citizen Kane 14 The film begins and ends with a shot of the fence around Xanadu and the “ No Trespassing ” sign on the outside

Plot 5/26/2016 Citizen Kane 15 The film quickly kills off the main character (Kane) after we see the snow globe and he utters “ Rosebud ” (thus making us curious about what Rosebud is and who this guy is—a mystery to be solved).

Plot Each person tells Thompson something about Kane and each becomes a first-person narrator who has a flashback. Sometimes the flashbacks overlap (e.g. Jed Leland ’ s memories of the opera and Susan Alexander Kane ’ s memories of the opera). Sometimes a story event appears more than once. 5/26/2016 Citizen Kane 16

Structure: From public to intimate viewpoint Opening sequence “ Rosebud ” March of Time (public) Thatcher Library (guardian) Bernstein (Business manager) Leland (friend, and Drama critic) Susan (2 nd wife) Closing Sequence 5/26/2016 Citizen Kane 17

Great Scenes Breakfast Montage March of Time – Scratchy Newsreel style/sound Reporter in shadow – Reporter is the stand in for the viewer trying to understand CFK 5/26/2016 Citizen Kane 18

Style: Montage Sequence 5/26/2016 Citizen Kane 19 The breakfast scene condenses time.

Symbolism: Glass Snowball First seen at the beginning when Kane is dying. Seen on the Susan Alexander ’ s dressing table the first night Kane meets her. Seen in Susan Alexander Kane ’ s room at Xanadu just after she leaves him and he is trashing the room. 5/26/2016 Citizen Kane 20

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Cinema Art Innovative sound (extensive background in radio (audio) Effective lighting techniques Photography: Deep focus (composition and movement determine where to look) – Camera angle Set design – Everything supports the story line of power, corruption of character 5/26/2016 Citizen Kane 26

Love and Power Walter Parks Thatcher takes Kane away from his mother. Thatcher represents making money, the bottom line, being financially successful. Kane hates Thatcher. 5/26/2016 Citizen Kane 27

Love and Power The most important object for Kane is the snow globe—because it reminds him of his mother. Because Susan owns the snow globe, Kane associates her with his mother. Both Kane ’ s mother and Susan Alexander Kane love him for himself. 5/26/2016 Citizen Kane 28

Artistic Achievement – Structure and editing parallel the story (circular/spiral-adding depth each time) 5/26/2016 Citizen Kane 29

Art 5/26/2016 Citizen Kane 30 The style used to introduce the segment on Susan and the segment on Thatcher is similar.. Art object to person

Art 5/26/2016 Citizen Kane 31 Art that depicts them is shown before we see the actual person….

Style: Lighting 5/26/2016 Citizen Kane 32 The use of shadows is significant. These shots are from when Kane is writing his “ Declaration of Principles. ”

Style: Lighting 5/26/2016 Citizen Kane 33 Scenes that show Kane when he is younger tend to be shot in high key lighting and softer light; scenes shot as he grows older tend to be low key with much more darkness and stronger contrasts (hard light), and shot from low angle to emphasize power.

Young and idealistic vs. Old and Isolated Thin, has hair Clothes are light colored Actor moves quickly Music is upbeat, quick Shots are shorter Lighting is mostly high key Fat, bald Clothes are dark colored Actor moves slowly Music is slower, more somber Shots are longer Lighting is more low key Shot from low angle 5/26/2016 Citizen Kane 34

Style: Photography 5/26/2016 Citizen Kane 35 Deep Focus Photography: the use of a wide-angle lens allows everything in a frame to be in focus at once. It also tends to exaggerate the distances between people.

Deep Focus - Gregg Toland Altered the camera and treated lenses to reduce glare Fastest film stock available Greater depth of field Closing down the aperture – Most films shot F/2.3 to F/3.5 – CK shot between F/8 and F/16 5/26/2016 Citizen Kane 36

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