Citizen Kane (1941)

Following the death of publishing tycoon Charles Foster Kane, reporters scramble to uncover the meaning of his final utterance; 'Rosebud'.

Director:

Orson Welles

Writers:

Herman J. Mankiewicz (original screen play), Orson Welles (original screen play)

Stars:

Orson Welles, Joseph Cotten, Dorothy Comingore

Top Rated Movies #97 | Won 1 Oscar. Another 9 wins & 13 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Joseph Cotten	...	Jedediah Leland / Screening Room Reporter
Dorothy Comingore	...	Susan Alexander Kane
Agnes Moorehead	...	Mary Kane
Ruth Warrick	...	Emily Monroe Norton Kane
Ray Collins	...	James W. Gettys
Erskine Sanford	...	Herbert Carter / Screening Room Reporter
Everett Sloane	...	Mr. Bernstein
William Alland	...	Jerry Thompson
Paul Stewart	...	Raymond
George Coulouris	...	Walter Parks Thatcher
Fortunio Bonanova	...	Matiste
Gus Schilling	...	The Headwaiter / Screening Room Reporter
Philip Van Zandt	...	Mr. Rawlston
Georgia Backus	...	Miss Anderson
Harry Shannon	...	Kane's Father

Storyline

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 news reel 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.

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Plot Keywords:

new york | narcissism | materialism | newspaper publisher | suicide attempt | 

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Taglines:

Some called him a hero. Others called him a heel...

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Genres:

Drama | Mystery

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Certificate:

PG

Did You Know?

Trivia

The reporter Jerry Thompson's (William Alland) face is never fully seen. It is always in the shadows.

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Goofs

When Kane's second wife is recounting the moment she left him, the suitcase that is open on the bed has frills on the inside. When we hear the butler continue the story, Kane walks back towards the suitcase to close it, and the frills are gone.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Charles Foster Kane: Rosebud...

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Crazy Credits

In a very rare move the director's credit is shown on the same card as the cinematographer's. This was Orson Welles's personal decision to show his thanks to cinematographer Toland for his enormous contributions to the film, meaning equal rights.

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Alternate Versions

Some of the Turner prints have the famous RKO logo removed and replaced with the Turner logo.

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Connections

Referenced in Dolemite Is My Name (2019)

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Soundtracks

Aria from Salammbo
(1941) (uncredited)
Music by Bernard Herrmann
Lyrics by John Houseman
Sung by Dorothy Comingore (dubbed by Jean Forward)

User Reviews

Perfection

Citizen Kane is the perfect film. The story is so detailed, yet told magnificently in just two hours. The meaning of the word Rosebud is something that makes you think about your own life, and what the meaning of love means to you. Charles Foster Kane (Orson Welles) is a nasty, greedy old man who wants nothing in this world but to please himself. The fact that he can't love anyone is a wonderful touch to the already wonderfully filmed movie. I've seen this movie four times on video, and I'll see it again and again. ****

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook

Country:

USA

Language:

English Italian

Release Date:

5 September 1941 (USA)

Also Known As:

American

Filming Locations:

California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$839,727 (estimated)

Gross USA:

$1,585,634

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$1,594,107

Company Credits

Production Co:

RKO Radio Pictures, Mercury Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

119 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1