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Essay on Citizen Kane : A Cinematic Exploration
Citizen Kane is a movie about discernment and projection. It is perhaps the world's most renowned and highly-rated film, with its countless amazing scenes and performances, cinematic and narrative techniques and experimental innovations (in photography, editing, and sound).
The film, budgeted at $800,000, received unanimous critical praise even at the time of its release, even though it was not a commercial success (partly due to its limited distribution and delayed release by RKO due to pressure exerted by famous publisher W.R. Hearst) until it was re-released after World War II, found well-deserved (but delayed) recognition in Europe, and then played on television.
The film engendered debate (and efforts at suppression in early 1941) before it premiered in New York City on May 1, 1941, for the reason that it appeared to fictionalize and caricaturize certain events and individuals in the life of William Randolph Hearst a powerful newspaper magnate and publisher. The film was accused of drawing remarkable, unflattering, and uncomplimentary parallels (especially in regards to the Susan Alexander Kane character) to real-life.
The script for Citizen Kane was written by Herman J. Mankiewicz (with an assist from Welles), is a thinly-disguised fictional life story of publishing king William Randolph Hearst, who was 76 years old when the movie came out in 1941. Moreover, at the same time as Hearst was offended by Welles' characterization of him, he was supposedly more angered by Kane's unflattering portrayal of his beloved mistress, Marion Davies (who is represented in the film by Susan Alexander).
To add insult to injury, "Rosebud" was allegedly Hearst's pet name for Marion's private parts. Taken away from a cold and calculating mother when he was very young, Kane grew up as only a rich boy can. Insulated from the consequences of irresponsibility Hooliganism in the rich young used....
