Citizen Kane
When Orson Welles was making "Citizen Kane" in 1941, William Randolph Hearst went a little berserk upon being informed that the movie's main character, Charles Foster Kane, was pattered after him.As a result, Hearst's line of newspapers boycotted the film. Then, as now, even someone as huge as Hearst didn't seem to understand that complaining about a movie merely provides it with free publicity.
At the time, though the film was generally praised by critics, the tempest in a teapot that Hearst stirred up was more talked about than the movie itself.
In retrospect it also seems to work as a metaphor for the life of Orson Welles, who — though it's hard to fathom — was just 25 when he made it. Already he was established in New York on the stage, and in radio with his "Mercury Theatre On the Air." But to Hollywood he was an upstart.
Yet, when Welles got that first movie made at RKO studios, it was a startling achievement.
Who would have thought that 50 years later "Citizen Kane" would be considered by many to be the best motion picture ever made?
Today, the black-and-white classic holds up as a stirring portrait of not only its main subject, but of the American Dream, success as it can only be achieved in this country — or so we like to think.
With its flowing, time-shift narrative structure and unique production design, and especially the use of its deep-focus camera work (a technique that, basically, keeps everything that is within camera range in focus at the same time) and the uniformly strong performances by its then-unknown cast-members, "Citizen Kane" remains a singular achievement and a marvelously entertaining, mesmerizing film.
From its "Rosebud" mystery to the story of a man who achieved everything yet, in the end, found he had nothing, "Citizen Kane" is very simply the movie to see — this or any other weekend.
And to anyone discovering it for the first time, all I can say is that I envy you.