339 out of 480 people found the following comment useful :- CITIZEN KANE may let some people down, but it's still worth seeing., 2 May 2004
Author:
Matt Huls (cowman777@hotmail.com) from Westland, MI, USA
It's a difficult undertaking for someone of my generation to watch a film
like CITIZEN KANE. Not because it's "too old" or "too boring", but because
it has been hailed--almost universally--as the single best motion picture
ever made. And while the anticipation of seeing a film with such
overwhelming acclaim may be quite exhilarating, actually watching it is
ultimately an intimidating and somewhat disappointing experience.
This isn't to say that I thought CITIZEN KANE was a bad film; in fact, I
thought everything about it was downright brilliant. From the enchanting
performances right down to the meticulously planned camera movements and
clever lighting tricks, there isn't a single element of CITIZEN KANE that
isn't a stunning achievement in all areas of filmmaking.
CITIZEN KANE's storyline is deceptively simple. Even though the plot
unfolds by jumping in and out of nonlinear flashbacks, it is surprisingly
easy to keep track of. The straightforwardness and relatively fast pace of
the story are what make it seem intimidating. Because everything moves
smoothly along without any standstill, it feels like we are being
fooled-like there is something much greater that we just can't seem to
grasp. As a first-time viewer, I knew from its reputation that there must
be *something* that separates this movie from all the others; something
buried within its simple plotline that everybody else has seen, but that I
just could not seem to get a handle on. And then, during those final
frames, that something was revealed, and it all began to make sense. To me,
it was these moments of confusion and uncertainty followed by a sense of
enlightenment and appreciation that made watching CITIZEN KANE such a
meaningful experience.
But no matter how great of a movie CITIZEN KANE really is, it can never live
up to one's expectations. Although I do feel that it is deserving of its
acclamation, the constant exposure to its six decades worth of hype and
praise will invariably set most modern viewers' standards at a height that
is virtually unreachable--even if it really *is* the best movie of all
time.
343 out of 529 people found the following comment useful :- See it for what it is, 21 April 2004
Author:
gobosox from Morgantown, WV
OK look, let me settle something between those who love and hate this
film. A lot of people hail this film because it is technically
brilliant and ground breaking. Director Orson Welles did a lot of
things visually that no one had ever done before. Nearly every film
maker was in some way influenced by this movie. This movie also had a
great impact in its time. The title character was based on media giant
William Randolph Hearst. He was that generations Donald Trump. He
opposed this film so much he did everything in its power to stop its
release and almost succeeded. Lastly this film contains some of the
strongest and most common themes in literature; Life versus death. It
is for these reasons why this film is so revered.
On the contrary people who hate this film mainly complain that it is
boring. Which is a legitimate complaint. The story is slow compared to
today's standards, and there is no real Hearst character alive today in
which to relate. So yes, the story on the surface is outdated. However,
this does not make it a bad movie. It was not made as a Matrix/Star
Wars type of movie which can be enjoyed even at surface level. This is
not pure entertainment. Remember there is more to film than
storytelling. This film was designed to be cinematically beautiful and
to tell a basic story of love and redemption. There is much more to the
story than the thinly veiled attack on Hearst, one just needs to look
deeper. Look at Shakespeare or Hawthorne for example, their literary
works are universally loved. Yet, many people blow them off because
they refuse to look past the outdated language into the beautiful prose
and simple ubiquitous themes. Just because something is outdated does
not mean it lacks worth in today's world.
My advice to those who did not like it the first time or have not seen
it yet is simple. Watch it again for what it is. Do not expect to be on
the edge of your seat for two hours. Watch it for the cinematography
that alone makes this film among the best (I don't agree with AFI's
number one ranking but I think it still ranks high). Look deeper into
the story and try to connect with it on some level. At the very least
appreciate how influential this film was and where the industry would
be without it. If you can do this, then maybe some of the naysayers
will change their minds. Again, you do not have to love Citizen Kane,
but at least respect it for what it is.
156 out of 232 people found the following comment useful :- Citizen for all Ages, 11 February 2005
Author:
chas2u from Australia
What do you say about a movie more analysed than is enjoyed, more
envied and despised than any other piece of cinema: well documented for
its perceived portrayal of William Randolph Hearst, and his efforts to
have it destroyed....It has survived and now stands at number one on
the AFI's top 100 list, for a movie that didn't even win the Oscar for
its year of release.
What can you say about the cinematography and direction and acting,
that hasn't already been said? The lighting, the camera angles, the new
visual techniques and trick photography used for the first time in an
American movie to great effect. Special mention has to go to the acting
of a 25 year old Orson Welles, an aspect the least highlighted.
The grand-daddy of the American Soap Opera, it tells the life of
Charles Foster Kane, from his humble beginnings, his mother's giving
him up to a wealthy guardian, and his building of a newspaper/radio
empire. It sees Kane go from an idealistic journalist to a powerful
mogul able to manipulate history through his media empire.
Despite all his money and power, Kane is not immune to the hand of
destiny, and oh how she slaps Kane the old American way. A married Kane
is caught through pure "innocence" with a "singer" and a scandal
erupts, costing Kane the state governorship; you can guess the
instigator of the scandal-mongering: the incumbent governor.
In the first part of the movie, we see a Kane adored by the public and
employees but we don't see the reason why his relationship with his
wife deteriorated, shown in a powerful film sequence of spouses
drifting apart through the years. In the second part we see his
relationship with the "singer" whom he took as his second wife, and how
he uses her to try and manipulate public opinion of himself, just as he
had used the media empire previously. The only problem is that his
second wife isn't as competent as the media empire was in gaining
respect or adoration; she is just terrible as an opera singer. But Kane
wants to prove to the public that the "singer" who he was caught with,
was more than "whore" and that he had the power to shape public
opinion; she even told kane that she didn't want to be a singer. It is
the cruelest thing any man could have done to another human being;
manipulated for his own ends. William Randolph Hearst was said to have
been less angry about his own portrayal than that of his mistress,
Marion Davies.
The movie broke new grounds for cinema also, in its story-telling: we
see first the death of a recluse Kane in his old age, and then there
are flashbacks from newsreels and investigations and interviews of
reporters piecing together the life of Charles Foster Kane and his
dying word "rosebud".
The reporters never found out what his dying word meant, but the
audience is shown what it "is". No single word can describe a man's
life after all, so what does it mean??? lost childhood innocence and
happiness??
This movie bred a bunch of copycats like "The Carpetbaggers" and
"Valley of the Dolls", and inspired the great TV soapies like Dallas
and Dynasty. Many other movies from different genres have copied and
perhpas bettered the camera work and lighting and yet this movie has
stood up well through the 60 years from its sheer brilliance and
originality.
Despite its greatness, Citizen Kane seems to have taken some victims
along the way. At age 25, Orson Welles starred, wrote and directed his
masterpiece, but because of various reasons, political, envy, hatred,
he was never able to match it. The other victim seems to have been
Dorothy Comingore as Susan Alexander, mirroring the career of Marilyn
Monroe who came after her.
A great movie thats stood the test of time. See it for what it is: a
fantastic piece of story-telling firstly, only then can you see its
greatness.
118 out of 175 people found the following comment useful :- The march of time..., 13 August 2002
Author:
Mr_Hulot from Boston, MA
Citizen Kane is majestic, elegant and noble. It begins at the end, we see
a
man of obvious wealth and power breathe his last, and then the mysteries
of
his life are unraveled via a series of anecdotes, barely remembered scenes
and highly subjective memories. The boldness of this approach cannot be
overemphasized. At the time that this film was made Hollywood was for the
most part used to creating straight-forward stories with clearly
identified
heroes and villains. Kane dared to present Man as he is, rife with
confusions, internal contradictions and uncertainty.
As the film progressed, we see Kane, loosely based on William Randolph
Hearst, the famous newspaper tycoon slowly sacrifice his ideals in order
to
build his financial empire, losing his friendships with those who believed
in him until ultimately he looses everything he has, his marriage, his
friends, and his integrity. Though he is the richest man in the world he
lives his remaining isolated in his privately built mountain estate where
he
has surrounded himself with material pleasures, alone and despairing, one
senses that he welcomes death. The film takes the view that wealth and
power are inherently destructive of human values. Kane himself states
`If
I hadn't been born rich I might have been a really great
man.
What is so masterful about Kane is its ambiguity. We never are certain if
Kane really did believe in the values that he professed. At the same time
that he sets himself up as above the world, he longs for the affection of
the common people. This is symbolized by his exploitative, and
patronizing
love for a chorus girl, Susan Alexander (Dorothy Comingore). Her
character
is given a paper-thin characterization, the only obvious flaw in a nearly
perfect movie.
Orson Wells gives a bravura performance as Kane, both identifying with and
condemning the man. This film was his first venture into movie making
after
the infamous War of the Worlds radio broadcast that threw America into an
uproar. Wells, a child prodigy, had a background in Shakespearian
theater,
offering modernized adaptations of the Classics, a bold and unusual
gesture
at the time. He brought that kind of sweeping tragic romantic sensibility
to his first film.
Unconstrained by Hollywood's traditions, he broke all the rules. The deep
focus photography that gives Kane its theatrical look was one of his
innovations. A mastery of sound, gained from years of working in the
radio
was another. Kane is an avalanche of technical innovation, unmatched in
any
other Hollywood film.
Despite the film's pessimistic outlook, it is studded by moments of joy,
beauty and emotional truth. The supporting cast of characters, most of
them
regulars from Wells' Mercury Theater are also superb. Joseph Cotton is
memorable as Jed Leland Kane's close friend who believes in him more then
he
does. And Everet Slone is wonderful as Kane's would be mentor Mr.
Bernstien.
So many scenes in this movie linger forever in the memory, one is left
with
a stirring vision of the frailty of the human condition, the film gives us
no easy answers and while being fiercely critical of many of it's
characters
is universal in it's compassion and sympathy, this is perhaps the most
vital
ingredient for great art.
Kane was one of the most controversial films ever made. Hearst, offended
by
his portrayal, offered RKO a small fortune to destroy the film. When that
didn't work his newspapers embarked on a campaign of defamation against
Wells, thus proving that the film's criticism of the power and corruption
of
the press were precisely on target. Wells was never given a free hand to
direct how he liked again and American Cinema was deprived of the one of
the
greatest geniuses to adopt it as a medium of self-expression.
It's influence, was immediate, incalculable and mostly unacknowledged, the
film was a box office and critical failure due to Hearst's efforts and it
was not until years later that this film got the respect it deserved.
Nowadays there is not one living film director of serious artistic intent
that has not been deeply influenced by Citizen Kane. It's not just a
masterpiece it's a creative touchstone.
Of course there were other talents at work in making Kane, Hermann
Mankiewicz's efforts on the script were indispensable and Bernard Hermann,
the composer most famous for working with Hitchcock provided the films
beautiful music. Still, the film remains most obviously the work of Orson
Wells, a veritable hall of mirrors reflecting the great artist's dreams,
obsessions and fears. Citizen Kane is not just one of the great works of
cinema it is one of the greatest artistic creations of the
century
91 out of 146 people found the following comment useful :- tough sledding, 7 February 2005
Author:
fronteraIX from United States
*** This comment may contain spoilers ***
I have an observation concerning Rosebud (and I don't mean that story
about Marion Davies). Everyone seems to assume that Kane saying
"Rosebud" means he was thinking of the one time in his life when he was
totally happy and had what he wanted. For years I have also assumed
that. The other day something occurred to me and I am curious to know
if it has occurred to anyone else.
When Kane first meets Susan Alexander he says he is on his way to (or
coming from? I don't recall which) a warehouse where his childhood
belongings are stored which he has not seen in many years. He doesn't
mention the sled, but presumably that is the one thing which drew him
to the warehouse. Kane is splashed and Susan laughs at him and one
things leads to another. But my point is this: Kane would never have
met Susan but for Rosebud. If Kane never met Susan he would never have
been caught in the "love nest" with her and lost the election for
governor. Kane might have had another mistress, but this seems
unlikely. Kane is not very interested in sex - perhaps because he feels
he is making love to the whole world. His interest in Susan is
primarily idealized and not physical. So but for the meeting Susan,
Kane would likely not have had a scandal and would have been elected
governor. We are told he would then have almost certainly been elected
President. Also he would not have lost his wife and his son would not
have been killed in the car accident. As President, Kane could have
been the most powerful man in the world. Instead he loses this chance,
loses his wife and loses his son - all because he happened to be on a
certain street at a certain moment. And the reason he was on that
street at that moment was Rosebud!
So maybe when Kane says "Rosebud" he is not thinking of when he was a
carefree lad playing in the snow. Maybe he realizes that because of
Rosebud his whole life went spinning in a completely different
direction from what it otherwise would have taken. By pure accident
Rosebud ruined his life and shut him off forever from everything he
otherwise could have been and could have accomplished. And maybe that
is why "Rosebud" is the last word he speaks.
But if this is true (and it seems quite logical to me) then why does no
one else comment upon it? Why has no one spotted it? Or has someone I
just don't know it? Or could it be that this is the kind of truth that
no one wants to face? That all of our lives are determined more by
blind, idiot accident than by design or purpose.
59 out of 85 people found the following comment useful :- why did Citizen Kane create such an impact upon its first release?, 31 August 2006
Author:
ELLE S.A. from london, england
Well as a media student myself , i have come across this question many
times in books and during lectures. There are simply 3 reasons the
film, which was considered as the "Mona Lisa of all films" , created
such a legendary appeal upon release in 1941: 1) This was Orson Welles
first cinematic debut , even though he had been a huge star in theater
, he was given an opportunity few first time directors were permitted
to having. He had full artistic freedom and above all power, to direct
, produce, write and even star in his own picture. Therefore the film
industry and RKO pictures had absolutely no influence in the making of
the film and were not to know what was happening on set .Of course this
was bound to generate a number of problems as businessmen were curious
about the nature and plot of the film , which takes us to the second
reason the film caused controversy.
2)One of the main reasons the film posed contentions was because the
main character , Charles Foster Kane(Orson Welles), featured a range of
similarities with real media mogul and newspaper journalist William
Randolph Hurst . Therefore the film was seen as depicting the life ,
problems and personal relationships of a real person thus
fictionalizing his life. Some of the similarities between the two
persona's are:
KANE: newspaper tycoon , worked for New York Inquirer , known as the
Kubla Khan of Xanadu ,married talentless singer Susan Alexander Kane,
he was a political aspirant to presidency by campaigning for governor,
bought his wife the Municipal Opera House, Financier Thatcher, and
threat Getty's. Hurst: yellow journalist , worked for New York Journal,
political aspirant to presidency by becoming governor, married acress
Marion Davies, bought his wife Cosmopolitan Pictures, financier JP
Morgan , and threat Tammany Hall.
-differences: Susan Alexander Kane( Dorothy Comingdore) leaves Kane
later in their life however there was no marriage breakdown for Hurst
and Marion.
3) The last reason and most pivotal of all to why the film was regarded
the way it was , was due to its technical and stylistic innovations .
The film upon its release was misunderstood and unappreciated by
critics as they couldn't comprehend many of its elements and were too
concerned with its dark and mysterious nature which is one of Welles's
characteristics in his films. The film after all was 20 years ahead of
its time and was only regarded as a triumphant success upon its second
release after the American Film Noir era in the 1950's. His most
prominent artistic inventions were: -the low angled camera movements
-extreme facial closeups -long uninterrupted shots -chiaroscuro
lighting -overlapping dialogue , giving a realistic effect to
conversations -subjective camera angles -deep focus shots and depth of
field -flashbacks that make up most of the film All the above and more
constitute to why the film is so influential to all would be film
directors and for why many people regard it as the best film of all
time. Lastly we musnt forget the exceptional score by Bernard Herrmann
who had collaborated also with the best known director of all time,
Alfred Hitchcock , and made him the chillin sounds of strings in Psycho
and Vertigo to name a few . In addition the superb photography of Gregg
Toland in regards to Welles's unique eye on details. After all he
wanted to put in each shot everything the human eye can see if they
were present.
There are many areas of the film which are crucial , these are some of
the most important , and as you can see there is never too little or
too much that you can add to this masterpiece .
47 out of 71 people found the following comment useful :- A great piece of cinema, a magnificent example of storytelling, 21 October 2004
Author:
Grann-Bach (Grann-Bach@jubii.dk) from Denmark
I've heard so much told about Citizen Kane and Orson Welles, so I
finally decided to get the film, and find out if it really is all that
it's cracked up to be... I must say, it's great. The plot is great, and
the way it's told is amazing. The story is first summed up in a matter
of minutes, about 15, to be more accurate, and then the rest of the
film has characters telling the story through flashbacks and retelling.
We hear just about every opinion about Charles Foster Kane, apart from
his own. The story is told after his death, and we see everything
important that leads up to it, and only in the very end do we
understand him, only then do we fully understand who he was, and what
made him so. The ending also reveals one of the very most important
things in any man or woman... one thing that everyone needs and knows
of. I won't reveal it here, as it would almost be a crime to spoil the
experience of this film to anyone. The acting is excellent; Welles
himself is stellar as Kane, and his impressive appearance, along with
his commanding voice, makes the character a forceful sight, nay,
experience. The characters are well-written and credible. The character
of Kane is probably the most well-rounded and perfectly built up I've
seen in a movie, ever. The cinematography is excellent... the editing
is great. I can't praise the angles, pans, zooms and transitions
enough... it just has to be experienced. Now, for the one thing I can
criticize in the film; the pacing. It's only two hours long, but it
feels like much, much more. There were portions of the film where it
felt like it didn't move at all. When there weren't great dialog or
something equally as good in the film, it dragged terribly. There were
too many scenes where the dialog seemed pointless, as well, I think. It
didn't seem to be leading to anything. However, this criticism is so
minor, due to the ending more than making up for it, that I still give
this film a perfect score. I can't do anything but agree with its
placing at the top of the top #250 films of all time, here on IMDb. As
I'm writing this, it's #11. That's pretty much what it deserves, in my
opinion. Not higher, not lower. Not the greatest film of all time(that
pretty much still belongs to The Godfather, I think... at least, I
haven't seen a better film than that, yet), but definitely far up
there. I recommend this to any fan of film in general, and anyone who
thinks they can understand it; it has a truly profound point that any
man(and woman) should know of(preferably through seeing the film for
themselves). Don't let the fact that it's old and black & white deter
you from seeing this masterpiece. A true cinematic masterpiece, in
every sense of the word. 10/10
92 out of 163 people found the following comment useful :- an example of a unique and well done movie, 17 November 2003
Author:
Megan Ward from Troutdale, OR
The movie Citizen Kane was loosely based on the life of William Randolph
Hearst. The movie begins with the death of Charles Foster Kane, who was
the
editor of the New York Journal. He says the name rosebud and drops a
crystal ball, which falls to the ground a shatters. News clips are shown
about the different occurrences in Kane's life depicting how Kane acquired
his fortune. Throughout the whole movie reporters are trying to figure
out
what the word rosebud meant and why it was the last word he said before he
died. The reporters find people who knew Kane throughout his life trying
to
get information from them that would put some sense to Kane saying
`rosebud'
as his last word. Many of the stories told by the people interviewed show
the audience a lot about his life through flashbacks. One of the opening
scenes is that of Kane's mansion called Xanadu. It has a sign that says
`no
trespassing' that is hung from the outside gate. The shot is very dark
and
gloomy, hinting that maybe Kane's life was the same way. He was a very
power-hungry man that went from being at the top to rock bottom. Many
other
movies have definitely taken note to style and effects of this movie. The
camera work, lighting, acting a music contributed to making Citizen Kane
one
of the best American movies of all time. Orson Welles deserves all the
credit that he receives from this movie. He was the leading character,
producer and director; basically a one man show that still many of us
appreciate. I thought that this movie was well done. It had so much
symbolism that made the movie unique, although if you didn't know what was
symbolic during the different scenes it would be hard to follow, but most
of
the symbolism is easily recognized. One of the best symbolic scenes that
also foreshadows is when Kane is at the top of the stairs and he is told
that he lost his position and as he walks down the stairs the camera is
shooting from at the top and it looks like a spiral showing that Kane's
life
and career are out of control. Citizen Kane was very dramatic and all who
took part in the movie played their roles well. The characters seemed
very
real and believable making this movie very memorable. This film has
features that every movie should try to incorporate; symbolism, great
actors, interesting storyline, excellent camera shots, lighting and sound
techniques. I think everyone should see this movie at least once in their
life time because it is one of the greatest American movies of all time.
60 out of 101 people found the following comment useful :- Innovative, aggressive, and fascinating, "Citizen Kane" electrified a complacent industry , 11 August 2005
Author:
ironside (robertfrangie@hotmail.com) from Mexico
*** This comment may contain spoilers ***
"Citizen Kane" was a dazzling movie debut for Welles, a
twenty-four-year-old infant terrible whose brilliant work for stage and
radio had already made him famous
RKO had given him carte blanche, and with the collaboration of writer
Herman Mankiewicz and photographer Gregg Toland, he had produced a
masterpiece
"Citizen Kane" is the story of Charles Foster Kane, a rich young man
who decides to build a newspaper empire and in doing so sacrifices his
professed high ideals on the altar of yellow journalism His personal,
political ambitions are ruined when his extramarital liaison with a
young singer becomes public knowledge and his efforts to make her an
international opera star bring him nothing but ridicule Having
alienated his friends and wives and lost a good part of his fortune,
Kane spends his last years alone in the enormous art-filled palace he
has had created in Florida
Told primarily in flashbacks, the film begins with Kane's death: after
dropping a paperweight that simulates a snowfall when it is turned
upside down, the old man whispers a single word, "Rosebud," and dies
Immediately a strident Mach-of-Time newsreel begins, reviewing the
highlights of Kane's career as the camera had recorded them over the
years It is, however, an unsatisfactory record of a man's life, and a
group of journalists decide to probe deeper in an attempt to discover
the truth about Kane Perhaps, they speculate, the word "Rosebud"
offers a clue... Then ensues a series of interviews with the key people
in Kane's life, each of whom relates the man's story as he or she knew
it...
The portrait that eventually emerges is one of a grasping, vain,
selfish, and ambitious man... "He never gave you anything," an old
friend recalls bitterly, "he just left you a tip." In the film's final
moments, workmen in Kane's palace are seen destroying unwanted junk
One of the items they toss into the furnace is a child's sled; as it
burns, the word "Rosebud" can be seen painted on it
The story of Charles Foster Kane is engrossing but not particularly
profound The movie is a superb piece of film-making, nonetheless,
because the techniques employed, although not necessarily new, had
never before been used together to such startling effect Welles and
Toland made brilliant use of deep-focus photography and of an arsenal
of lighting effects
In the course of the film, flashbulbs pop, spotlights play, the sun's
rays pour down into darkened rooms, beams of light are emitted by a
movie projector, lightning flashes, and smoke, fog shadows, rain, and
snow all contribute to the almost tangible atmosphere Quick, dramatic
cuts occur throughout In one famous sequence, Welles employs six fast
scenes to portray the disintegration of Kane's first marriage: each
shot shows Kane and his wife at the breakfast table, but in each they
are clearly more estranged until, in the final shot, they sit in
silence as she reads a rival newspaper
Toland's constantly moving camera is somewhat obtrusive, but it is
nevertheless mesmerizing In the famous sequence at the opera housethe
occasion of the second Mrs. Kane's disastrous debutthe camera shows
the anguished vocal coach in the conductor's box and then moves upward
to the flies, where one stagehand expresses his critical opinion of the
performance by holding his nose Welles' use of sound, ranging from
thunder to a cockatoo's screech, reflects his experience in radio
There had never been a picture like "Citizen Kane." It openly satirized
a wealthy and powerful living American, it deliberately antagonized
Hollywood's ruling elite, and it bravely ignored conventional cinema
technique Innovative, aggressive, and fascinating, "Citizen Kane"
electrified a complacent industry Welles dominated Kane He had
become, in a single stroke, the most admired, envied, praised and
detested man in Hollywood Unhappily, the movie industry never learned
to utilize Welles' quixotic genius, and his career never rescaled the
heights it had reached in 1941
74 out of 131 people found the following comment useful :- More to Citizen Kane than meets the eye...yet more direct than the modern crap covering screens, 3 December 2004
Author:
cpieper23
*** This comment may contain spoilers ***
Citizen Kane was one of the first movies to portray the American Dream
as anything less than attractive. As a child, Kane is fully happy as he
plays in the snow outside the family's home, even though his parents
own a boarding house and are quite poor. He has no playmates but is
content to be alone because peace and security are just inside the
house's walls. When Thatcher removes Kane from this place, he's given
what seems like the American dreamâ'financial affluence and material
luxury. To most this would seem to be a piece of Heaven blessing them
with good fortune for a happy life. However, Kane finds that those
things don't make him pleased, and the exchange of emotional security
for financial security is ultimately unfulfilling. The American dream
is an empty, hollow shell for Kane. As an adult, Kane uses his money
and power not to build his own happiness but to either buy love or make
others as miserable as he is. When one watches the movie it seems that
his purchasing of the newspaper was a fun venture. But if you look
closer into the reality of the film, the newspaper was simply a means
of touching thousands of people, and ultimately gaining their
affection. Kane's wealth isolates him from others throughout the years,
and his life ends in loneliness at Xanadu. He dies surrounded only by
his possessions, poor substitutions for true companions. His last word
is "Rosebud." Child hood and that which he missed out on. "I could have
been great man without all of this money."
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339 out of 480 people found the following comment useful :-

CITIZEN KANE may let some people down, but it's still worth seeing., 2 May 2004
Author: Matt Huls (cowman777@hotmail.com) from Westland, MI, USA
It's a difficult undertaking for someone of my generation to watch a film like CITIZEN KANE. Not because it's "too old" or "too boring", but because it has been hailed--almost universally--as the single best motion picture ever made. And while the anticipation of seeing a film with such overwhelming acclaim may be quite exhilarating, actually watching it is ultimately an intimidating and somewhat disappointing experience.
This isn't to say that I thought CITIZEN KANE was a bad film; in fact, I thought everything about it was downright brilliant. From the enchanting performances right down to the meticulously planned camera movements and clever lighting tricks, there isn't a single element of CITIZEN KANE that isn't a stunning achievement in all areas of filmmaking.
CITIZEN KANE's storyline is deceptively simple. Even though the plot unfolds by jumping in and out of nonlinear flashbacks, it is surprisingly easy to keep track of. The straightforwardness and relatively fast pace of the story are what make it seem intimidating. Because everything moves smoothly along without any standstill, it feels like we are being fooled-like there is something much greater that we just can't seem to grasp. As a first-time viewer, I knew from its reputation that there must be *something* that separates this movie from all the others; something buried within its simple plotline that everybody else has seen, but that I just could not seem to get a handle on. And then, during those final frames, that something was revealed, and it all began to make sense. To me, it was these moments of confusion and uncertainty followed by a sense of enlightenment and appreciation that made watching CITIZEN KANE such a meaningful experience.
But no matter how great of a movie CITIZEN KANE really is, it can never live up to one's expectations. Although I do feel that it is deserving of its acclamation, the constant exposure to its six decades worth of hype and praise will invariably set most modern viewers' standards at a height that is virtually unreachable--even if it really *is* the best movie of all time.
343 out of 529 people found the following comment useful :-

See it for what it is, 21 April 2004
Author: gobosox from Morgantown, WV
OK look, let me settle something between those who love and hate this film. A lot of people hail this film because it is technically brilliant and ground breaking. Director Orson Welles did a lot of things visually that no one had ever done before. Nearly every film maker was in some way influenced by this movie. This movie also had a great impact in its time. The title character was based on media giant William Randolph Hearst. He was that generations Donald Trump. He opposed this film so much he did everything in its power to stop its release and almost succeeded. Lastly this film contains some of the strongest and most common themes in literature; Life versus death. It is for these reasons why this film is so revered.
On the contrary people who hate this film mainly complain that it is boring. Which is a legitimate complaint. The story is slow compared to today's standards, and there is no real Hearst character alive today in which to relate. So yes, the story on the surface is outdated. However, this does not make it a bad movie. It was not made as a Matrix/Star Wars type of movie which can be enjoyed even at surface level. This is not pure entertainment. Remember there is more to film than storytelling. This film was designed to be cinematically beautiful and to tell a basic story of love and redemption. There is much more to the story than the thinly veiled attack on Hearst, one just needs to look deeper. Look at Shakespeare or Hawthorne for example, their literary works are universally loved. Yet, many people blow them off because they refuse to look past the outdated language into the beautiful prose and simple ubiquitous themes. Just because something is outdated does not mean it lacks worth in today's world.
My advice to those who did not like it the first time or have not seen it yet is simple. Watch it again for what it is. Do not expect to be on the edge of your seat for two hours. Watch it for the cinematography that alone makes this film among the best (I don't agree with AFI's number one ranking but I think it still ranks high). Look deeper into the story and try to connect with it on some level. At the very least appreciate how influential this film was and where the industry would be without it. If you can do this, then maybe some of the naysayers will change their minds. Again, you do not have to love Citizen Kane, but at least respect it for what it is.
156 out of 232 people found the following comment useful :-

Citizen for all Ages, 11 February 2005
Author: chas2u from Australia
What do you say about a movie more analysed than is enjoyed, more envied and despised than any other piece of cinema: well documented for its perceived portrayal of William Randolph Hearst, and his efforts to have it destroyed....It has survived and now stands at number one on the AFI's top 100 list, for a movie that didn't even win the Oscar for its year of release.
What can you say about the cinematography and direction and acting, that hasn't already been said? The lighting, the camera angles, the new visual techniques and trick photography used for the first time in an American movie to great effect. Special mention has to go to the acting of a 25 year old Orson Welles, an aspect the least highlighted.
The grand-daddy of the American Soap Opera, it tells the life of Charles Foster Kane, from his humble beginnings, his mother's giving him up to a wealthy guardian, and his building of a newspaper/radio empire. It sees Kane go from an idealistic journalist to a powerful mogul able to manipulate history through his media empire.
Despite all his money and power, Kane is not immune to the hand of destiny, and oh how she slaps Kane the old American way. A married Kane is caught through pure "innocence" with a "singer" and a scandal erupts, costing Kane the state governorship; you can guess the instigator of the scandal-mongering: the incumbent governor.
In the first part of the movie, we see a Kane adored by the public and employees but we don't see the reason why his relationship with his wife deteriorated, shown in a powerful film sequence of spouses drifting apart through the years. In the second part we see his relationship with the "singer" whom he took as his second wife, and how he uses her to try and manipulate public opinion of himself, just as he had used the media empire previously. The only problem is that his second wife isn't as competent as the media empire was in gaining respect or adoration; she is just terrible as an opera singer. But Kane wants to prove to the public that the "singer" who he was caught with, was more than "whore" and that he had the power to shape public opinion; she even told kane that she didn't want to be a singer. It is the cruelest thing any man could have done to another human being; manipulated for his own ends. William Randolph Hearst was said to have been less angry about his own portrayal than that of his mistress, Marion Davies.
The movie broke new grounds for cinema also, in its story-telling: we see first the death of a recluse Kane in his old age, and then there are flashbacks from newsreels and investigations and interviews of reporters piecing together the life of Charles Foster Kane and his dying word "rosebud".
The reporters never found out what his dying word meant, but the audience is shown what it "is". No single word can describe a man's life after all, so what does it mean??? lost childhood innocence and happiness??
This movie bred a bunch of copycats like "The Carpetbaggers" and "Valley of the Dolls", and inspired the great TV soapies like Dallas and Dynasty. Many other movies from different genres have copied and perhpas bettered the camera work and lighting and yet this movie has stood up well through the 60 years from its sheer brilliance and originality.
Despite its greatness, Citizen Kane seems to have taken some victims along the way. At age 25, Orson Welles starred, wrote and directed his masterpiece, but because of various reasons, political, envy, hatred, he was never able to match it. The other victim seems to have been Dorothy Comingore as Susan Alexander, mirroring the career of Marilyn Monroe who came after her.
A great movie thats stood the test of time. See it for what it is: a fantastic piece of story-telling firstly, only then can you see its greatness.
118 out of 175 people found the following comment useful :-
The march of time..., 13 August 2002
Author: Mr_Hulot from Boston, MA
Citizen Kane is majestic, elegant and noble. It begins at the end, we see a man of obvious wealth and power breathe his last, and then the mysteries of his life are unraveled via a series of anecdotes, barely remembered scenes and highly subjective memories. The boldness of this approach cannot be overemphasized. At the time that this film was made Hollywood was for the most part used to creating straight-forward stories with clearly identified heroes and villains. Kane dared to present Man as he is, rife with confusions, internal contradictions and uncertainty.
As the film progressed, we see Kane, loosely based on William Randolph Hearst, the famous newspaper tycoon slowly sacrifice his ideals in order to build his financial empire, losing his friendships with those who believed in him until ultimately he looses everything he has, his marriage, his friends, and his integrity. Though he is the richest man in the world he lives his remaining isolated in his privately built mountain estate where he has surrounded himself with material pleasures, alone and despairing, one senses that he welcomes death. The film takes the view that wealth and power are inherently destructive of human values. Kane himself states `If I hadn't been born rich I might have been a really great man.
What is so masterful about Kane is its ambiguity. We never are certain if Kane really did believe in the values that he professed. At the same time that he sets himself up as above the world, he longs for the affection of the common people. This is symbolized by his exploitative, and patronizing love for a chorus girl, Susan Alexander (Dorothy Comingore). Her character is given a paper-thin characterization, the only obvious flaw in a nearly perfect movie.
Orson Wells gives a bravura performance as Kane, both identifying with and condemning the man. This film was his first venture into movie making after the infamous War of the Worlds radio broadcast that threw America into an uproar. Wells, a child prodigy, had a background in Shakespearian theater, offering modernized adaptations of the Classics, a bold and unusual gesture at the time. He brought that kind of sweeping tragic romantic sensibility to his first film.
Unconstrained by Hollywood's traditions, he broke all the rules. The deep focus photography that gives Kane its theatrical look was one of his innovations. A mastery of sound, gained from years of working in the radio was another. Kane is an avalanche of technical innovation, unmatched in any other Hollywood film.
Despite the film's pessimistic outlook, it is studded by moments of joy, beauty and emotional truth. The supporting cast of characters, most of them regulars from Wells' Mercury Theater are also superb. Joseph Cotton is memorable as Jed Leland Kane's close friend who believes in him more then he does. And Everet Slone is wonderful as Kane's would be mentor Mr. Bernstien.
So many scenes in this movie linger forever in the memory, one is left with a stirring vision of the frailty of the human condition, the film gives us no easy answers and while being fiercely critical of many of it's characters is universal in it's compassion and sympathy, this is perhaps the most vital ingredient for great art.
Kane was one of the most controversial films ever made. Hearst, offended by his portrayal, offered RKO a small fortune to destroy the film. When that didn't work his newspapers embarked on a campaign of defamation against Wells, thus proving that the film's criticism of the power and corruption of the press were precisely on target. Wells was never given a free hand to direct how he liked again and American Cinema was deprived of the one of the greatest geniuses to adopt it as a medium of self-expression.
It's influence, was immediate, incalculable and mostly unacknowledged, the film was a box office and critical failure due to Hearst's efforts and it was not until years later that this film got the respect it deserved. Nowadays there is not one living film director of serious artistic intent that has not been deeply influenced by Citizen Kane. It's not just a masterpiece it's a creative touchstone.
Of course there were other talents at work in making Kane, Hermann Mankiewicz's efforts on the script were indispensable and Bernard Hermann, the composer most famous for working with Hitchcock provided the films beautiful music. Still, the film remains most obviously the work of Orson Wells, a veritable hall of mirrors reflecting the great artist's dreams, obsessions and fears. Citizen Kane is not just one of the great works of cinema it is one of the greatest artistic creations of the century
91 out of 146 people found the following comment useful :-
tough sledding, 7 February 2005
Author: fronteraIX from United States
*** This comment may contain spoilers ***
I have an observation concerning Rosebud (and I don't mean that story about Marion Davies). Everyone seems to assume that Kane saying "Rosebud" means he was thinking of the one time in his life when he was totally happy and had what he wanted. For years I have also assumed that. The other day something occurred to me and I am curious to know if it has occurred to anyone else.
When Kane first meets Susan Alexander he says he is on his way to (or coming from? I don't recall which) a warehouse where his childhood belongings are stored which he has not seen in many years. He doesn't mention the sled, but presumably that is the one thing which drew him to the warehouse. Kane is splashed and Susan laughs at him and one things leads to another. But my point is this: Kane would never have met Susan but for Rosebud. If Kane never met Susan he would never have been caught in the "love nest" with her and lost the election for governor. Kane might have had another mistress, but this seems unlikely. Kane is not very interested in sex - perhaps because he feels he is making love to the whole world. His interest in Susan is primarily idealized and not physical. So but for the meeting Susan, Kane would likely not have had a scandal and would have been elected governor. We are told he would then have almost certainly been elected President. Also he would not have lost his wife and his son would not have been killed in the car accident. As President, Kane could have been the most powerful man in the world. Instead he loses this chance, loses his wife and loses his son - all because he happened to be on a certain street at a certain moment. And the reason he was on that street at that moment was Rosebud!
So maybe when Kane says "Rosebud" he is not thinking of when he was a carefree lad playing in the snow. Maybe he realizes that because of Rosebud his whole life went spinning in a completely different direction from what it otherwise would have taken. By pure accident Rosebud ruined his life and shut him off forever from everything he otherwise could have been and could have accomplished. And maybe that is why "Rosebud" is the last word he speaks.
But if this is true (and it seems quite logical to me) then why does no one else comment upon it? Why has no one spotted it? Or has someone I just don't know it? Or could it be that this is the kind of truth that no one wants to face? That all of our lives are determined more by blind, idiot accident than by design or purpose.
59 out of 85 people found the following comment useful :-

why did Citizen Kane create such an impact upon its first release?, 31 August 2006
Author: ELLE S.A. from london, england
Well as a media student myself , i have come across this question many times in books and during lectures. There are simply 3 reasons the film, which was considered as the "Mona Lisa of all films" , created such a legendary appeal upon release in 1941: 1) This was Orson Welles first cinematic debut , even though he had been a huge star in theater , he was given an opportunity few first time directors were permitted to having. He had full artistic freedom and above all power, to direct , produce, write and even star in his own picture. Therefore the film industry and RKO pictures had absolutely no influence in the making of the film and were not to know what was happening on set .Of course this was bound to generate a number of problems as businessmen were curious about the nature and plot of the film , which takes us to the second reason the film caused controversy.
2)One of the main reasons the film posed contentions was because the main character , Charles Foster Kane(Orson Welles), featured a range of similarities with real media mogul and newspaper journalist William Randolph Hurst . Therefore the film was seen as depicting the life , problems and personal relationships of a real person thus fictionalizing his life. Some of the similarities between the two persona's are:
KANE: newspaper tycoon , worked for New York Inquirer , known as the Kubla Khan of Xanadu ,married talentless singer Susan Alexander Kane, he was a political aspirant to presidency by campaigning for governor, bought his wife the Municipal Opera House, Financier Thatcher, and threat Getty's. Hurst: yellow journalist , worked for New York Journal, political aspirant to presidency by becoming governor, married acress Marion Davies, bought his wife Cosmopolitan Pictures, financier JP Morgan , and threat Tammany Hall.
-differences: Susan Alexander Kane( Dorothy Comingdore) leaves Kane later in their life however there was no marriage breakdown for Hurst and Marion.
3) The last reason and most pivotal of all to why the film was regarded the way it was , was due to its technical and stylistic innovations . The film upon its release was misunderstood and unappreciated by critics as they couldn't comprehend many of its elements and were too concerned with its dark and mysterious nature which is one of Welles's characteristics in his films. The film after all was 20 years ahead of its time and was only regarded as a triumphant success upon its second release after the American Film Noir era in the 1950's. His most prominent artistic inventions were: -the low angled camera movements -extreme facial closeups -long uninterrupted shots -chiaroscuro lighting -overlapping dialogue , giving a realistic effect to conversations -subjective camera angles -deep focus shots and depth of field -flashbacks that make up most of the film All the above and more constitute to why the film is so influential to all would be film directors and for why many people regard it as the best film of all time. Lastly we musnt forget the exceptional score by Bernard Herrmann who had collaborated also with the best known director of all time, Alfred Hitchcock , and made him the chillin sounds of strings in Psycho and Vertigo to name a few . In addition the superb photography of Gregg Toland in regards to Welles's unique eye on details. After all he wanted to put in each shot everything the human eye can see if they were present.
There are many areas of the film which are crucial , these are some of the most important , and as you can see there is never too little or too much that you can add to this masterpiece .
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A great piece of cinema, a magnificent example of storytelling, 21 October 2004
Author: Grann-Bach (Grann-Bach@jubii.dk) from Denmark
I've heard so much told about Citizen Kane and Orson Welles, so I finally decided to get the film, and find out if it really is all that it's cracked up to be... I must say, it's great. The plot is great, and the way it's told is amazing. The story is first summed up in a matter of minutes, about 15, to be more accurate, and then the rest of the film has characters telling the story through flashbacks and retelling. We hear just about every opinion about Charles Foster Kane, apart from his own. The story is told after his death, and we see everything important that leads up to it, and only in the very end do we understand him, only then do we fully understand who he was, and what made him so. The ending also reveals one of the very most important things in any man or woman... one thing that everyone needs and knows of. I won't reveal it here, as it would almost be a crime to spoil the experience of this film to anyone. The acting is excellent; Welles himself is stellar as Kane, and his impressive appearance, along with his commanding voice, makes the character a forceful sight, nay, experience. The characters are well-written and credible. The character of Kane is probably the most well-rounded and perfectly built up I've seen in a movie, ever. The cinematography is excellent... the editing is great. I can't praise the angles, pans, zooms and transitions enough... it just has to be experienced. Now, for the one thing I can criticize in the film; the pacing. It's only two hours long, but it feels like much, much more. There were portions of the film where it felt like it didn't move at all. When there weren't great dialog or something equally as good in the film, it dragged terribly. There were too many scenes where the dialog seemed pointless, as well, I think. It didn't seem to be leading to anything. However, this criticism is so minor, due to the ending more than making up for it, that I still give this film a perfect score. I can't do anything but agree with its placing at the top of the top #250 films of all time, here on IMDb. As I'm writing this, it's #11. That's pretty much what it deserves, in my opinion. Not higher, not lower. Not the greatest film of all time(that pretty much still belongs to The Godfather, I think... at least, I haven't seen a better film than that, yet), but definitely far up there. I recommend this to any fan of film in general, and anyone who thinks they can understand it; it has a truly profound point that any man(and woman) should know of(preferably through seeing the film for themselves). Don't let the fact that it's old and black & white deter you from seeing this masterpiece. A true cinematic masterpiece, in every sense of the word. 10/10
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an example of a unique and well done movie, 17 November 2003
Author: Megan Ward from Troutdale, OR
The movie Citizen Kane was loosely based on the life of William Randolph Hearst. The movie begins with the death of Charles Foster Kane, who was the editor of the New York Journal. He says the name rosebud and drops a crystal ball, which falls to the ground a shatters. News clips are shown about the different occurrences in Kane's life depicting how Kane acquired his fortune. Throughout the whole movie reporters are trying to figure out what the word rosebud meant and why it was the last word he said before he died. The reporters find people who knew Kane throughout his life trying to get information from them that would put some sense to Kane saying `rosebud' as his last word. Many of the stories told by the people interviewed show the audience a lot about his life through flashbacks. One of the opening scenes is that of Kane's mansion called Xanadu. It has a sign that says `no trespassing' that is hung from the outside gate. The shot is very dark and gloomy, hinting that maybe Kane's life was the same way. He was a very power-hungry man that went from being at the top to rock bottom. Many other movies have definitely taken note to style and effects of this movie. The camera work, lighting, acting a music contributed to making Citizen Kane one of the best American movies of all time. Orson Welles deserves all the credit that he receives from this movie. He was the leading character, producer and director; basically a one man show that still many of us appreciate. I thought that this movie was well done. It had so much symbolism that made the movie unique, although if you didn't know what was symbolic during the different scenes it would be hard to follow, but most of the symbolism is easily recognized. One of the best symbolic scenes that also foreshadows is when Kane is at the top of the stairs and he is told that he lost his position and as he walks down the stairs the camera is shooting from at the top and it looks like a spiral showing that Kane's life and career are out of control. Citizen Kane was very dramatic and all who took part in the movie played their roles well. The characters seemed very real and believable making this movie very memorable. This film has features that every movie should try to incorporate; symbolism, great actors, interesting storyline, excellent camera shots, lighting and sound techniques. I think everyone should see this movie at least once in their life time because it is one of the greatest American movies of all time.
60 out of 101 people found the following comment useful :-

Innovative, aggressive, and fascinating, "Citizen Kane" electrified a complacent industry , 11 August 2005
Author: ironside (robertfrangie@hotmail.com) from Mexico
*** This comment may contain spoilers ***
"Citizen Kane" was a dazzling movie debut for Welles, a twenty-four-year-old infant terrible whose brilliant work for stage and radio had already made him famous
RKO had given him carte blanche, and with the collaboration of writer Herman Mankiewicz and photographer Gregg Toland, he had produced a masterpiece
"Citizen Kane" is the story of Charles Foster Kane, a rich young man who decides to build a newspaper empire and in doing so sacrifices his professed high ideals on the altar of yellow journalism His personal, political ambitions are ruined when his extramarital liaison with a young singer becomes public knowledge and his efforts to make her an international opera star bring him nothing but ridicule Having alienated his friends and wives and lost a good part of his fortune, Kane spends his last years alone in the enormous art-filled palace he has had created in Florida
Told primarily in flashbacks, the film begins with Kane's death: after dropping a paperweight that simulates a snowfall when it is turned upside down, the old man whispers a single word, "Rosebud," and dies Immediately a strident Mach-of-Time newsreel begins, reviewing the highlights of Kane's career as the camera had recorded them over the years It is, however, an unsatisfactory record of a man's life, and a group of journalists decide to probe deeper in an attempt to discover the truth about Kane Perhaps, they speculate, the word "Rosebud" offers a clue... Then ensues a series of interviews with the key people in Kane's life, each of whom relates the man's story as he or she knew it...
The portrait that eventually emerges is one of a grasping, vain, selfish, and ambitious man... "He never gave you anything," an old friend recalls bitterly, "he just left you a tip." In the film's final moments, workmen in Kane's palace are seen destroying unwanted junk One of the items they toss into the furnace is a child's sled; as it burns, the word "Rosebud" can be seen painted on it
The story of Charles Foster Kane is engrossing but not particularly profound The movie is a superb piece of film-making, nonetheless, because the techniques employed, although not necessarily new, had never before been used together to such startling effect Welles and Toland made brilliant use of deep-focus photography and of an arsenal of lighting effects
In the course of the film, flashbulbs pop, spotlights play, the sun's rays pour down into darkened rooms, beams of light are emitted by a movie projector, lightning flashes, and smoke, fog shadows, rain, and snow all contribute to the almost tangible atmosphere Quick, dramatic cuts occur throughout In one famous sequence, Welles employs six fast scenes to portray the disintegration of Kane's first marriage: each shot shows Kane and his wife at the breakfast table, but in each they are clearly more estranged until, in the final shot, they sit in silence as she reads a rival newspaper
Toland's constantly moving camera is somewhat obtrusive, but it is nevertheless mesmerizing In the famous sequence at the opera housethe occasion of the second Mrs. Kane's disastrous debutthe camera shows the anguished vocal coach in the conductor's box and then moves upward to the flies, where one stagehand expresses his critical opinion of the performance by holding his nose Welles' use of sound, ranging from thunder to a cockatoo's screech, reflects his experience in radio
There had never been a picture like "Citizen Kane." It openly satirized a wealthy and powerful living American, it deliberately antagonized Hollywood's ruling elite, and it bravely ignored conventional cinema technique Innovative, aggressive, and fascinating, "Citizen Kane" electrified a complacent industry Welles dominated Kane He had become, in a single stroke, the most admired, envied, praised and detested man in Hollywood Unhappily, the movie industry never learned to utilize Welles' quixotic genius, and his career never rescaled the heights it had reached in 1941
74 out of 131 people found the following comment useful :-
More to Citizen Kane than meets the eye...yet more direct than the modern crap covering screens, 3 December 2004
Author: cpieper23
*** This comment may contain spoilers ***
Citizen Kane was one of the first movies to portray the American Dream as anything less than attractive. As a child, Kane is fully happy as he plays in the snow outside the family's home, even though his parents own a boarding house and are quite poor. He has no playmates but is content to be alone because peace and security are just inside the house's walls. When Thatcher removes Kane from this place, he's given what seems like the American dreamâ'financial affluence and material luxury. To most this would seem to be a piece of Heaven blessing them with good fortune for a happy life. However, Kane finds that those things don't make him pleased, and the exchange of emotional security for financial security is ultimately unfulfilling. The American dream is an empty, hollow shell for Kane. As an adult, Kane uses his money and power not to build his own happiness but to either buy love or make others as miserable as he is. When one watches the movie it seems that his purchasing of the newspaper was a fun venture. But if you look closer into the reality of the film, the newspaper was simply a means of touching thousands of people, and ultimately gaining their affection. Kane's wealth isolates him from others throughout the years, and his life ends in loneliness at Xanadu. He dies surrounded only by his possessions, poor substitutions for true companions. His last word is "Rosebud." Child hood and that which he missed out on. "I could have been great man without all of this money."
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