Citizen Kane synopsis

Citizen Kane

Director : Orson Wells

Year of release: 24th of January 1942

Synopsis:

A group of reporters are trying to decipher the last word ever spoken by Charles Foster Kane, the millionaire newspaper tycoon: "Rosebud". The film begins with a newsreel detailing Kane's life for the masses, and then from there, we are shown flashbacks from Kane's life.
As the reporters investigate further, the viewers see a display of a fascinating man's rise to fame, and how he eventually fell off the top of the world.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0033467/

Fun facts:

1. Orson Wells got unprecedented creative control
2. Welles’ first idea was an adaptation of Heart of Darkness
3. Authorship of the script is still disputed
4. Welles was inspired by watching Stagecoach
5. Welles’ eating and drinking habits impacted his health during production
6. The makeup effects were made by non-union experimenter
7. The cinematography was revolutionary
8. Welles was injured twice during filming
9. Welles did magic tricks to distract studio executives
10. The film launched many film careers.

Cast:

Orson Welles- Charles Foster Kane

Joseph Cotten- Jedediah LeLand

Dorothy Comingore- Susan Alexander Kane

Agnes Moorehead- Mary Kane

Ruth Warrick- Emily Monroe Norton Kane

Everett Sloane- Mr Bernstein

After watching Citizen Kane, we watch the version of the film but with commentary by Roger Ebert.
During the commentary Roger Ebert points out during certain scenes within the film when two actors are in shot, Orson Welles used the idea having the focus point on the person who is having a flash back to be in the left or right corner and placed them in shadow lighting to create the point that it's there flashback.


The mise-en-scene