Citizen Kane (1941) | |
| Director(s) | Orson Welles |
| Producer(s) | Orson Welles, George Schaefer (executive uncredited) |
| Top Genres | Drama, Mystery |
| Top Topics | Fame, Newspapers |
Featured Cast:
Citizen Kane Overview:
Citizen Kane (1941) was a Drama - Mystery Film directed by Orson Welles and produced by Orson Welles and George Schaefer.
SYNOPSIS
Welles's greatest achievement, and a landmark of cinema history. The narrative charts the rise to power of a newspaper publisher whose wealth and power ultimately leave him alone in his castlelike refuge. Every aspect of the production marked an advance in film language: the deep-focus, deeply shadowed cinematography; the discontinuous narrative (in a screenplay by Herman Mankiewicz); the innovative use of sound and score; the ensemble acting forged in the fires of Welles's Mercury Theater. Essential viewing. The laserdisc contains a second audio track with commentary by a noted film historian, and the 50th anniversary release includes the restored original movie plus the 30-minute documentary Reflections on Citizen Kane, featuring the recollections of the actors and editors along with commentary by other filmmakers.
(Source: available at Amazon AMC Classic Movie Companion).
.Citizen Kane was inducted into the National Film Registry in 1989.
Academy Awards 1941 --- Ceremony Number 14 (source: AMPAS)
| Award | Recipient | Result |
| Best Actor | Orson Welles | Nominated |
| Best Art Direction | Art Direction: Perry Ferguson, Van Nest Polglase; Interior Decoration: Al Fields, Darrell Silvera | Nominated |
| Best Cinematography | Gregg Toland | Nominated |
| Best Director | Orson Welles | Nominated |
| Best Film Editing | Robert Wise | Nominated |
| Best Picture | Mercury | Nominated |
| Best Writing | Herman J. Mankiewicz, Orson Welles | Won |
BlogHub Articles:
Top of the World: ‘Citizen Kane’ and those films that grew on me
By Virginie Pronovost on Aug 9, 2026 From The Wonderful World of CinemaThis situation probably happened to all of us. You watch a film for the first time and think: “That was meh”; “I recognise its qualities, but it’s not for me”, or just plainly “Well, that was disappointing”. And then, years later, you decide to give this fil... Read full article
Book Review--Young Orson: The Years of Luck and Genius on the Path to Citizen Kane
By KC on Mar 8, 2017 From Classic MoviesYoung Orson: The Years of Luck and Genius on the Path to Citizen Kane Patrick McGilligan Harper, 2015 The universally acclaimed Citizen Kane (1941) alone would have assured Orson Welles a solid place in entertainment history. That the 25 years leading up to that unique cinematic achievement were fi... Read full article
The 75th Anniversary Of CITIZEN KANE
By Dan Day Jr. on May 3, 2016 From The Hitless Wonder Movie BlogThis week marks the 75th anniversary of the theatrical premier of CITIZEN KANE. I don't think I need to tell you that this is one of the most renowned and famous films of all time. Orson Welles' magnum opus remains a stunning cinematic achievement, and the title of the film itself has become a gener... Read full article
1001 Classic Movies: Citizen Kane
By Amanda Garrett on May 2, 2016 From Old Hollywood FilmsCitizen Kane (1941), starring Orson Welles, is one of the 1001 classic movies you should see. Each Monday, I'm going to recommend a classic movie you should see (for the reasons behind the 1001 series and reviews of earlier films covered go here). Throughout May, I'll celebrate the 75th anniversa... Read full article
Review: Citizen Kane (1941)
By 4 Star Film Fan on Mar 15, 2016 From 4 Star Films“That’s all he ever wanted out of life… was love. That’s the tragedy of Charles Foster Kane. You see, he just didn’t have any to give.” – Jedediah Leyland It might seem rather trite to attempt to write anything on Citizen Kane, but as someone who can admitte... Read full article
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Quotes from
Walter Parks Thatcher: I think it would be fun to run a newspaper.
Thompson: He made an awful lot of money.
Bernstein: Well, it's no trick to make a lot of money... if what you want to do is make a lot of money.
Matiste: [to Susan] Some people can sing, some people cannot. Impossible! Impossible!
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Facts about
Screenwriter Herman J. Mankiewicz wrote the balance of the screenplay for this film from a hospital bed recovering from illness.
In 1971, shortly after Pauline Kael's infamous "Raising Kane" essay first appeared in the New Yorker, Esquire printed the "Kane Mutiny", an essay apparently by Peter Bogdanovich that disputed most of Kael's claims. However, the essay was actually written by Orson Welles.
read more facts about Citizen Kane...
