Citizen Kane

Citizen Kane

Introduction

The movie, Citizen Kane came out in the year 1941, which is a classic and a very sophisticated master piece. It is probably one of the world's most highly rated and famous films because of its amazing performances and scenes, experimental innovations, narrative and cinematic techniques. It was just one genius individual, Orson Welles, who was the star and also the director and the producer of the movie. Critics say that the character that Orson Welles has played in the movie resembles that of Randolph Hearst who was born in San Francisco in the year 1863 on the 29th of April. He was the son of the multimillionaire George Hearst and Phoebe Apperson, and was an only child.

Discussion

When the movie, Citizen Kane first came out in the cinemas in the year 1941, William Randolph Hearst was not at all impressed because of the various similarities between his own life and the life of the character of Charles Foster Kane. These similarities were to strong to be ignored. Therefore, the press baron made every effort to derail the movie.

These efforts of Hearst's to harm the movie are legendary. He influenced the decision of the association which decides on the Oscar awards, Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to give the title of the best film to 'How green was my Valley', instead of giving it to Citizen Kane for the year 1942. Hearst even went on to keep all the promotion regarding the movie Citizen Kane out of his newspaper. Hearst got most exasperated because of the depiction of Susan Alexander, who is the companion of Kane, in the movie. Susan Alexander is an alcoholic singer, whom Charles Kane pushes to go for an opera career which proves to be disastrous. Hearst, in his real life was also ...